Why should I hire an ASBB Building Biologist?

A building biologist will always consider your health and wellbeing when measuring and giving recommendations. They are trained with over 1800 hours of on site experience with a nationally recognised RTO, which is the first and only government accredited course of its kind in Australia, providing the knowledge and the skills to work as a professional Building Biologist at the highest level. Our industry (like others) is unregulated, so there are many people claiming to be building biology experts, when they don’t have the same training.

Should I have laboratory testing done for mould?

Whilst a visual inspection and exposure history are the most important elements of a mould assessment, laboratory testing is very important to ascertain the level exposure in your building, where the issues are and whether the levels an genera are related to water damaged building and harmful to health.

Should I do an ERMI?

ERMI - whether a swiffer cloth of vacuum sample should always be performed TOGETHER with other sampling methods, a visual moisture assessment, and never by itself. This is because it does not identify the source of moisture/problem, is a snapshot in time and there is a high rate rate. This is why it is important to have the ERMI performed and analysed by a Building Biologist.

How long should an assessment take?

Most assessments will take a minimum of 2 hours, and usually up to 4 hours. However, some buildings are more or less complicated than others and many require much longer and additional visits by your practitioner.

Do I really need a report?

Report styles, lengths and level of detail will vary amongst practitioners. We are trained to always provide some kind of written report - whether that be a short summary or lengthy, or a comprehensive report used for legal matters. Regardless, you as the client should always receive something in writing, and not a verbal report alone. This provides clarity of communication and reduces the need for future explanations of the findings.

I feel unwell but I’m not sure if it’s mould or EMF or chemicals?

Many people, including the sensitive have many adverse health effects, some or all could be related to mould, EMFs, chemicals, toxicants or their drinking water. It is our job as Building Biologists to investigate and attempt to solve this question. Sometimes clients think they have an EMF issue, when in reality it is a mould problem, or the reverse - or BOTH! Many inflammatory symptoms are very similar, so measuring your exposure is key.

How much will it cost?

Every practitioner will have their own fee structure and this is not governed by the ASBB. However you do get what you pay for. You will need to consider the time it takes for the assessment, the sampling procedures and costs and time to write the report (which includes research of scientific literature). Most Building Biologists will charge per hour, for the level of reporting required and sampling costs are additional.

How much is mould sampling?

Currently, an ERMI sample will cost up to ~$600, whilst air and surface mould samples will cost around $120-$150 each. There is a minimum of around 5-10 samples needed for proper measurement, however MANY more are recommended.

Do Building Biologists or Mould Testing Technicians do remediation?

No. This would be a conflict of interest. Your building biologist may refer you to a specialist IICRC mould remediation company.