We meter-test first, so you pay for the cure — not guesses.
Black shower grout has two completely different causes with two completely different price tags. Surface mildew — ugly, shallow, dry wall behind — loses to regrouting or deep-clean-and-seal for hundreds. A wet wall cavity — grout regrowing black within weeks, musty smell, soft spots — needs opening and rebuilding for thousands. Bleach can't tell them apart. Our moisture meter can, in about ninety seconds, free, at every Plainville assessment.
One-bath homes mean the tub-shower takes daily punishment: stained surrounds, cracked soap-dish tiles, grout worn to sand at the tap end. Landlords on the two-family streets re-tile between tenants constantly. Plainville landlords are repeat customers: a fresh surround and sealed grout between tenants rents the unit faster than any other upgrade. Bring us the black grout and the smell; we bring the meter and the truth — including when the truth costs less than you feared.
What goes between Plainville tiles: the shortlist we trust and warranty.
Surface: clean-and-seal ($250–$600) or regrout ($450–$2,000). Wet wall: targeted rebuild priced with photos, typically low thousands. The meter decides, not the sales pitch.
Mostly allergenic, occasionally worse for sensitive people — but the wall rot it signals is the real expense. Fix the moisture path and both problems end.
Running isn't venting: disconnected ducts, clogged grilles and under-sized fans are epidemic. We check actual airflow at every mold assessment, free.
Mold calls jump the queue — usually within 48 hours in Plainville. The check and verdict are free; the fix is scheduled at your pace after.