Questions to Ask Before Hiring Biohazard Cleanup

Most people hire a biohazard cleanup company only once, under stress, and often within a day of a death or injury. That is exactly when it is hardest to compare options. This checklist is meant to be neutral: it applies to any company you are considering, including ours. You do not need to ask every question, but the answers to the most important ones should be clear and, where noted, in writing.

Insurance and business basics

• Can you send a certificate of insurance? Ask what coverage the company carries for this work, including general liability and workers' compensation. Some property managers and agencies also ask about pollution or environmental liability. You can call the insurer listed to confirm the policy is active.
• What is your business's legal name and address? A company should be able to tell you who you are contracting with.
• Are there licenses or registrations that apply to this work in my state? Requirements differ by state and by type of work. Ask what applies and how you can verify it with the issuing agency. Be cautious of a company that says no rules apply to anything it does.

Scope and price

• Will I get a written scope and price before work starts? This is the most important question. The scope should describe what will be removed, what will be cleaned and disinfected, how waste will be handled, and the price.
• What is not included? Rebuild work such as replacing flooring and drywall, contents disposal, odor treatment and HVAC cleaning are sometimes separate.
• What happens if you find more contamination than expected? Hidden contamination is common. Ask how changes are communicated and whether you approve them in writing before additional work is done.
• How is the price calculated? By job, by hour, by material or a combination? Understanding the basis makes quotes easier to compare.

Safety and methods

• How are your technicians trained and protected? Employers whose workers clean up blood are subject to OSHA's Bloodborne Pathogens standard, which requires a written exposure control plan, training, protective equipment and hepatitis B vaccination offered to exposed workers. A company should be able to confirm it has a program.
• How will you keep contamination from spreading to the rest of the home or building?
• What disinfectants do you use, and how? OSHA has pointed to EPA-registered disinfectants for decontaminating blood, and EPA stresses following label contact times.
• Will you check under flooring, behind baseboards and in rooms below?

Waste

• How will contaminated materials be packaged, transported and disposed of? OSHA treats waste from blood cleanup after deaths as regulated waste. See our guide on regulated medical waste.
• Will I receive any documentation of disposal?

Belongings and privacy

• Will personal items be set aside rather than discarded?
• Will you photograph and list items you remove, for insurance?
• Can you work discreetly? Ask about vehicle markings, parking and where technicians put on protective gear.
• Who will be my contact during the job?

Completion

• How will we confirm the work is complete? Ask about the final walkthrough, odor check and any testing. See how cleanup is verified.
• Will I get a written summary and photos? These matter for insurance, landlords and future buyers.

Payment and insurance claims

• When is payment due, and how? Be cautious about large upfront cash payments. The Federal Trade Commission advises against paying contractors in cash up front and recommends not making final payment until work is done and you are satisfied.
• Will you work with my insurer? Many companies provide documentation insurers need. You do not have to sign over your insurance benefits to get work done. The National Association of Insurance Commissioners cautions that an assignment of benefits is a legal contract that can give the contractor control over your claim. See our guide on avoiding scams.
• Do you offer payment plans? If so, get the terms in writing.

References

• Can you share references from property managers, businesses or agencies you have worked with?
• Look up the company's name with your state attorney general's consumer protection office or the Better Business Bureau if you want to check for complaints.

Red flags

• Pressure to sign immediately or a discount that expires today
• No written scope before work begins
• Demands for large cash payments up front
• Requests to sign blank or incomplete documents
• Pressure to sign over insurance benefits
• Promises of exact completion times or certain insurance approval before seeing the site
• Vague answers about waste disposal or worker safety
• Showing up uninvited after a death or crime

Questions for property managers and agencies

Organizations hiring a vendor have some additional questions worth asking:

• Can you meet our certificate of insurance requirements, including additional insured status if our contracts require it?
• Can you provide a W-9 and register in our vendor or procurement system?
• How do you handle after-hours access and building rules?
• What will your completion package include: summary, photos, waste records, itemized invoice?
• Which of our locations do you actually serve, and do you use subcontractors anywhere?

See our guides for property managers and government agencies.

A note on comparing quotes

When you have more than one quote, compare the scopes, not just the totals. A lower price may leave out removal of subfloor, odor treatment or waste disposal that another company included. If scopes differ, ask each company to explain why. It is also reasonable to choose based on who answered your questions most clearly and treated you with the most respect.

When to call a professional

New Dawn Bio Restoration welcomes all of these questions. We explain what is likely involved on the first call with no commitment, provide a written scope and price before work begins, set aside personal items, and finish with a walkthrough and written summary, with photographs if needed. Contact us or call 615-914-0790, and please confirm availability for your location.

Related services

• Blood cleanup

  Removal and disinfection of blood and the materials it has soaked into, whether the spill is small or large, recent or days old.

• Unattended death cleanup

  Cleanup and restoration of a home or room after someone has passed away and was not discovered for some time.

• Crime scene cleanup

  Cleanup after police have released a scene, including blood and fluids as well as the powders and chemicals used during an investigation.

• Commercial and workplace biohazard cleanup

  Biohazard cleanup for offices, retail stores, restaurants, warehouses and other workplaces, planned around staff safety and operations.

Related guides

• What Happens During Professional Biohazard Cleanup?

  Professional biohazard cleanup follows a set sequence: an initial conversation, a site assessment, a written scope and price, removal of contaminated materials,

• Property Manager Guide: Setting Up a Biohazard Cleanup Vendor Before You Need One

  Setting up a biohazard cleanup vendor in advance means collecting the vendor's insurance certificates, W-9 and service agreement, agreeing on how scopes, pricin

• Avoiding Scams After a Death or Crime

  After a death or crime, families can be targeted by people who use urgency and grief to their advantage. Warning signs include unsolicited contact, pressure to