A county divided by the Cumberland

The Cumberland River cuts through Cheatham County from northwest to southeast. Ashland City, the county seat, sits on its northern bank. Pleasant View is to the north near Robertson County, while Kingston Springs and Pegram lie to the south along the Harpeth River and I-40. Getting from one side of the county to the other depends on the river crossings, so the route we take varies with where you are.

For the northern end, see our page on cleanup in Pleasant View. Unincorporated areas such as Chapmansboro and the farms along the river bottoms are covered as well.

Mostly owner-occupied homes

Census figures for 2020 to 2024 show about 81.5 percent of homes here are owner-occupied, among the highest shares of the counties we serve. Most calls come from homeowners or close family, not property managers. Those calls tend to raise the same concerns: Will the room be usable again? What has to be thrown away? Will insurance help? We answer the first two after a careful assessment. For the third, we provide a written scope, photos and an itemized invoice you can share with your insurer. Coverage depends on your policy.

Our residential biohazard cleanup overview explains how we handle homes from first call to final walkthrough.

Ridges, hollows and riverside lots

Much of the county is hilly and wooded, with Harpeth River State Park and the Cheatham Wildlife Management Area taking up large areas. Homes are often set back on private drives, sometimes steep or unpaved. River-adjacent properties may sit low, and some have basements or crawl spaces prone to moisture. Moisture matters to us because damp materials hold contamination and odor longer.

Helpful to mention when you call

Steep or narrow drives, gates, where a vehicle can turn around, whether the home is on septic, and any outbuildings or animals on the property. A couple of photos sent ahead can save time on the first visit.

Commuter neighborhoods in the south and north

Kingston Springs, Pegram and Pleasant View have grown with people who commute into Nashville. Their newer subdivisions bring the usual modern materials: carpet over pad, OSB subfloors and floating vinyl plank. An incident in one of these homes can reach further under the surface than it appears. We check before we recommend removal. Our page on bodily-fluid cleanup explains how different materials respond.

Ashland City's older streets and apartments

Around the county seat you'll find older homes close to downtown, small apartment buildings and duplexes, and businesses along the main roads. Rentals make up only about 18.5 percent of occupied homes countywide, but many of them are here. In an apartment or duplex, a shared wall or ceiling can mean a neighbor needs to be told what's happening, and a landlord has to authorize the work. We coordinate with the owner and keep the unit closed while we work. Our landlord's guide walks through notice and access questions.

What our work covers, and what it doesn't

It helps to be clear from the start. We remove contaminated materials, disinfect and deodorize the affected area, and package and dispose of waste in line with Tennessee and federal requirements. We don't rebuild. If drywall, flooring or subfloor comes out, a contractor will need to replace it, and we'll tell you up front whether that's likely. We also don't clear out unaffected rooms unless you ask us to include that in the scope.

Who handles the scene before cleanup

Some of the county's towns have their own police. Outside town limits, the Cheatham County Sheriff's Office is generally the responding law enforcement agency. When a death is sudden or unexplained, the county medical examiner investigates, and any forensic autopsy is done at a regional forensic center at no charge to the family. Once the investigating agencies release the property, you can schedule cleanup. If anyone is hurt or in danger, call 911 first.

Starting a cleanup here

Call (615) 513-5112. Tell us the nearest town or road, who owns the property, and what you know about the affected area, in general terms. We'll set a time together based on distance and our current work. We don't promise arrival times. You can also begin through Order Online, which takes a $2,000 initial deposit. That isn't the final price, and it doesn't set a start time.

Questions people ask

We live on the south side of the river near Pegram. Is that covered?

Yes. Pegram, Kingston Springs and the area along the Harpeth are all within our coverage. The route depends on which side of the Cumberland you're on, and we'll plan around that.

Our basement stays damp. Will that affect the cleanup?

It can. Damp materials hold contamination and odor longer, and moisture can hide how far something has spread. We check carefully in below-grade spaces and explain what we find.

Do I need to be home during the assessment?

Someone with authority needs to give access and approve the written scope. That can be you, a relative or an agent. Many families prefer not to be present while work is done, and that's completely fine.

Can you help if the incident happened in a vehicle parked at our house?

Yes, once it's been released. See our vehicle cleanup page for how we assess seats, carpet and other interior materials.

Is cleanup after a suicide handled differently?

The technical process is similar, but we take extra care in how we communicate with family. Our residential suicide cleanup page explains what to expect. If you are struggling yourself, you can call or text 988 at any time.

Cheatham County, TN Biohazard Cleanup Coverage