I just found a quite serious mold problem in my unfinished basement---after peeling off the plastic covers and isolations (the first owner or the builder covered the isolation with the plastic sheets), I found an area of 10ft. X 5ft size on the wallboard are dark-black with several small spots rotten...I guess it's so-called black mold due to the long-time dampness. It's my first time buying a house and I feel very panic and depressed...would you please tell me how to do next? Contact my insurance company first? or find a mold cleanup company to have a free estimate first?
Since the bad situation and it involves some vertical supporting wooden poles for the first floor, I don't think the mold cleanup would do the work...maybe those wallboard and poles should be replaced---it's the huge work I think, which kind of company should I turn to? A construction company? I really don't have any experience about this issue. Please teach me. Thanks a lot in advance. - Mike