Before a company arrives
- Photograph the affected rooms from the doorway before anything is moved, since TDI asks for pictures before any work.
- Call your insurer as soon as possible and ask whether the policy responds to this kind of loss.
- Ask about lodging. TDI says the policy may pay for a hotel or rental if covered damage keeps you out, within its limits.
- Get written bids showing each company's name, phone number and address, as TDI recommends.
- Ask each company for its certificate of insurance and bond, and call the companies listed on them.
- Walk away from a request to sign before an estimate or to pay the full price up front; TDI lists both as scam signs.
What the state's lists show for this work
TDLR's program list holds 41 programs, and mold assessors and remediators are its only restoration-adjacent entry. It doesn't name biohazard or trauma-scene cleanup, so ask the company which standard it follows and how the waste leaves the house. Mold found along the way is TDLR's business.
What biohazard cleanup costs in Texas (estimates, not quotes)
Our model gives $1,900 to $4,225 per job for biohazard cleanup in Texas. It rests on two national guides adjusted by Texas pay, and no Texas company price enters it, so it isn't a quote. The wage rows show pay for the nearest federal occupation, which doesn't predict a bill.
| Item | Figure | What it is |
|---|---|---|
| Estimated range, not a quote | $1,900 to $4,225 per job | Built from 2 national published ranges, adjusted by the Texas hazardous materials removal worker wage ratio (0.84). One Texas restoration company publishes a price we could count on their own websites; where five or more price the same job, the range is the middle half of their prices, and where two to four do, the estimate is widened to take them in. Coupons, specials and figures a page gives as an average are not counted. Basis: no state company sample (no counted Texas company price for this job), national estimate only. |
| Hazardous materials removal worker wage, Texas mean | $22.88 an hour (United States mean: $27.13) | BLS pay for the nearest federal occupation, May 2025, a match we make ourselves. |
Estimated range. Built from national published ranges (2 sources), adjusted by Texas's hazardous materials removal worker wage ratio to the US (0.84, BLS May 2025). Not a quote. One Texas restoration company publishes a price we could count on their own websites; where five or more price the same job, the range is the middle half of their prices, and where two to four do, the estimate is widened to take them in. Coupons, specials and figures a page gives as an average are not counted. We have no counted Texas company price for this job, so the range is our national estimate alone. Full method. Prices as of Oct 23, 2026.
The contract signs TDI lists
TDI's contracting scam page lists four red flags: a contractor who asks you to sign something before giving an estimate, a contract with blank sections, an offer to waive the deductible or work it into the bid, and a large or full up-front payment. After a declared disaster, it adds, contractors from outside your area can't legally ask for payment before they start.
What to ask before work starts
TDI advises written bids with the company's name, phone and address, a check of references and the BBB, and the certificate of insurance and bond. Pay by check or card. Your insurer can ask for proof that you paid your deductible, such as a canceled check or a card statement.
When biohazard cleanup can't wait
- Material has spread to more than one room or into flooring.
- The area can't be closed off from the rest of the house.
- Water or sewage is mixed in, since the cleanup then has two parts.
- A closed-off room, once you have photographed it and spoken to the insurer.
- Redecorating, which waits until the cleanup is finished and the insurer has seen the damage.
Biohazard work in Texas: licenses and permits
TDLR's list names no biohazard cleanup program. Mold found along the way falls under TDLR's rules, set out on the mold remediation page, and any rebuild afterward takes your city's permit.
Ask which licenses your state requires for the work, and check them with your state's licensing office before anyone starts. A credential from a private body, such as IICRC, isn't a license.
Questions people ask
Does Texas license biohazard cleanup companies?
TDLR's program list has no biohazard category. Ask the company what license, registration or training it holds, and get the answer in writing.
Will my homeowners policy pay for biohazard cleanup?
Ask your insurer how your policy treats it. TDI's consumer pages deal with water, mold, sewer and storm claims. If covered damage keeps you out, the policy may pay for a hotel or rental, within its limits.
What are the warning signs of a bad cleanup contractor?
TDI lists signing before an estimate, a contract with blank sections, a deductible waiver offer and a large up-front payment. It adds that outside contractors may not ask for payment before starting once a disaster is declared.
Can a company waive my deductible?
No: TDI says it is illegal. The Attorney General's Consumer Protection Hotline is 800-621-0508.
What should a written bid show?
The company's name, phone and address, per TDI. TDI also suggests checking references and the BBB and asking for the certificate of insurance and bond.
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS May 2025: Hazardous Materials Removal Workers (SOC 47-4041), Texas, mean hourly wage Read Oct 23, 2026.
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS May 2025: Hazardous Materials Removal Workers (SOC 47-4041), United States, mean hourly wage Read Oct 23, 2026.
- RestorationMatch: how we estimate costs, Texas (editorial policy) Read Oct 23, 2026.
- TDLR: Regulated Industries Menu (as printed on the Mold program page and the licenses page) Read Oct 23, 2026. Check with the source before you rely on this.
- TDI: Do you know the signs of a contracting scam? Read Oct 23, 2026.
- TDI: Is it OK for a contractor to waive my deductible? Read Oct 23, 2026.
- TDI: FAQ: Homeowners insurance and disaster claims Read Oct 23, 2026.
- TDI: When are water damage and mold covered by insurance? Read Oct 23, 2026.