How Much Does Water Damage Restoration Cost? [2024 Data]
Normal range: $1,350 - $6,241
Water damage restoration costs $3,785 on average but typically ranges from $1,350 to $6,241, depending on the extent of the damage.
On average, water damage restoration costs $3,785 but can potentially be as low as $450 or as high as $16,000, depending on the source and the extent of the damage. Whether it’s a leaky roof, burst pipe, or black water from sewage backup, water damage can cause a real mess.
To prevent mold growth and further damage, it's best to fix the issue and clear out moisture ASAP. Find out how much water damage restoration costs based on what’s happening in your home.
- Average
- $3,785
- Low end
- $450
- high end
- $16,000
Water Damage Restoration Cost Breakdown
The cost of your water damage restoration depends mostly on what's damaged and the degree of the issue. Below is an estimated cost breakdown based on what needs fixing.
Roof Repair
The national average cost to repair a roof is $1,100. You’ll want to have a professional roofer near you come and evaluate the damage and repairs. Common causes of leaky roofs include ice dams, low slopes, flat roofs, damaged flashing, and missing shingles.
Ceiling Repair
Your ceiling is one of the first places you might spot slow water damage from a leaky pipe or faulty AC unit, and brown spots on your ceiling might start to appear. The first priority is finding the source of the leak and repairing it, but you’ll also want to repair the water-damaged ceiling.
Depending on the damage, repairing a ceiling costs $450 to $1,600. A burst pipe costs more than a small drip from a leaky sink, and the hourly rate for a handyperson to fix a sagging ceiling is $75.
Basement Repair and Restoration
The type of water in your basement dictates costs, which vary widely. A basement with an inch of clean water from a burst pipe might cost $500 to $1,500 to fix, while two feet of water from sewage backup costs $2,800 or more.
When waste and organisms contaminate water, like from a sewage backup or river flood, you’ll need to plan for more expenses. According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, contaminated floodwater can cause health problems and requires more extensive clean-up. Once your basement is clean, consider reaching out to a basement waterproofing professional near you to help prevent future damage.
Don’t forget to occasionally check for water leaks outside your home at outdoor faucets. Pooling water near a basement or concrete slab puts your home at risk for water-damaged concrete.
Drywall Repair
Fixing your drywall from water damage typically costs between $300 and $850, with the average being $550. If your drywall gets soaked, it’s important to replace it so that you don’t end up with soft, deteriorating walls or a mold problem.
Floor and Hardwood Repair
Water rising through your floor is never a good sign, but if you act fast, you may be able to salvage some of the existing flooring. Repairing water-damaged floors costs between $200 and $550, depending on your type of flooring and how long the water has been sitting.
Hardwood floors can weather water for short periods without much damage.
Tile floors are resilient against liquid and can be cleaned and dried with little damage.
Carpets soak up water quickly—degrading your subfloor. Make sure you follow the steps to prevent mold in your carpet if it gets wet.
Laminate, linoleum, and vinyl floors can trap water and damage the subfloor.
It's possible to fix water-damaged wood floors on your own, but if you’re not particularly savvy around the house, we recommend hiring a local wood floor repair company to handle the job.
Bathroom Fixture Repair
Since a bathroom has a lot of water flowing in and out, bathroom fixtures and plumbing are often the culprits of water damage.
| Bathroom fixture | Average Cost of Repair |
|---|---|
| Leaky pipe | $150–$350 |
| Toilet | $140–$400 |
| Bathtub and shower | $200–$800 |
| Drains | $200 |
A 120-square-foot bathroom can cost up to $3,000 to clean and repair. Hiring a plumber to fix smaller problems can help prevent further damage, and the average cost is $335. It's best to tackle water issues early, as homeowners insurance doesn’t cover damage caused by ignored maintenance.
Leaky Plumbing and Burst Pipe Repair
Repairing a burst pipe and the associated damage costs between $1,000 and $4,000. Clogging and leaking are the two main causes. Regular maintenance and plumbing inspections can help prevent a rupture. If you need new plumbing, it costs $350 to $2,000, depending on the size of the project and which parts need replacing.
Mold Restoration and Removal
Mold removal costs $2,225 on average. Depending on the surface, material, and water or moisture levels, fungal growth can begin within 24 to 48 hours.
If you smell a musty odor, it’s a sign that you could have mold damage. Common places for mold growth include the kitchen, bathroom, crawlspace, attic, or air conditioning vent. A qualified mold inspector near you can test for mold and help determine next steps.
Sump Pump Installation
If you live in an area with a high water table or frequent flooding, a sump pump can help. A sump pump costs between $50 and $400, but with installation, the average cost is $1,200. The unit pumps water pooling around your foundation and redirects it away from your home.
Water Damage Restoration Cost per Square Foot
Water damage repair costs between $3 and $7.50 per square foot on average. The cost largely depends on the type of water, the extent of the damage, and the root cause.
Water damage is classified by severity and type. Only licensed water damage restoration professionals near you can categorize water damage, helping to determine the scope and price of the clean-up and repairs.
Cost to Repair Water Damage by Type of Water
The cost to repair water damage depends on the category or type of water in your home. Only a licensed professional can categorize water damage. Before initiating repairs, contact your insurance company to find out who to call for water damage. They’ll want a water damage restoration professional to assess the damage so they can determine which repairs they’ll cover.
| Damage Type | Average Cost (Per Square Foot) |
|---|---|
| Clean water | $3.50 |
| Gray water | $5.25 |
| Black water | $7.50 |
Category 1 (Clean Water): Drying clean water costs $3.50 per square foot, but if parts of your home are wet, you'll also need to cover repair and replacement. For example, it costs $1 to $11 per square foot to clean Category 1 damage to the carpet. Category 1 issues arise from sources like leaky faucets, toilet tanks, burst pipes, and water heaters. If not cleaned quickly, a Category 1 issue could progress into Category 2 damage.
Category 2 (Gray Water): Gray water costs $5.25 per square foot to clean, plus repairs. Gray water may contain harmful contaminants and come from problems like overflowing dishwashers or toilet water containing waste and cleaning products.
Category 3 (Black Water): Black water can pose health risks and costs $7.50 per square foot for water damage cleanup. If black water contaminates items like furniture, bedding, carpets, or clothing, they must be replaced. While you may be able to handle small black water issues like a backed-up toilet, professionals should handle large-scale cleanups. Sources of black water include flooding from rivers, lakes, contaminated groundwater, storm surges, and sewage backups.
Cost of Water Damage Restoration by Class
The cost to repair water damage in your home also depends on the class of water damage. Minor water in a bathroom costs less to repair than a basement soaked in a foot of water. Here’s a breakdown of water damage by class.
Class 1: Damage is minimal, such as a small faucet leak or damp carpeting. Homeowners can repair these issues on their own or hire a professional.
Class 2: When an entire room, including the walls up to at least a foot, is full of water, it's considered Class 2. This requires removing moisture from the structure, along with cleanup and repairs.
Class 3: The ceilings, walls, floors, and possibly the subflooring and insulation are saturated with moisture. In most cases, water comes from above, like from a burst pipe.
Class 4: Water damage from long-standing water, like a river flooding or storm surge, can saturate hardwood, brick, and stone to their core. Costs are higher for damage and repair, so always tackle water damage as early as possible.
Cost to Repair Water Damage Near You
The cost to repair water damage varies based on labor and supply costs in your area. Here are some water damage restoration cost averages across the U.S.:
| City | Cost Range | Average Cost |
|---|---|---|
| St. Cloud, MN | $1,880–$6,090 | $3,820 |
| Detroit, MI | $2,385–$7,100 | $4,450 |
| Boise, ID | $7,775–$13,000 | $10,387 |
| Portland, OR | $1,273–$4,871 | $3,072 |
| Raleigh, NC | $1,935–$14,880 | $8,407 |
| Denver, CO | $1,251–$4,647 | $2,732 |
| Dallas, TX | $1,791–$7,922 | $4,788 |
| Reno, NV | $1,670–$7,250 | $4,150 |
| Salt Lake City, UT | $3,012–$7,500 | $5,256 |
| Los Angeles | $1,461–$5,144 | $3,268 |
| New York City, NY | $1,700–$10,000 | $5,850 |
| San Francisco, CA | $1,600–$9,700 | $5,650 |
| Miami, FL | $1,000–$6,000 | $3,500 |
| Seattle, WA | $2,250–$7,170 | $4,710 |
Can Homeowners Insurance Cover the Water Damage?
Many homeowners insurance policies do cover some causes of water damage. Generally, this means spontaneous and unanticipated water damage. If water damage occurs due to neglect or poor maintenance, the water damage restoration cost may not be covered. Of course, it's never a good idea to make assumptions without checking the specifics of your policy. It's also important to note that water damage from floods or earthquakes would generally only be covered under separate flood or earthquake insurance policies. If your property has sustained water damage, contact your insurance company to see what is specifically covered.
DIY vs. Hiring a Water Damage Restoration Pro
The cost to repair water damage depends on what needs fixing and how extensive the issue is. Minor water damage caused by clean water is simpler and less expensive—many people handle this themselves by following these water damage repair tips. Gray water and black water, which can pose health hazards, are best left to a water damage restoration professional.
Tackle water damage quickly, as it doesn’t take long for expensive and hard-to-repair issues to arise. Just how fast can water damage ruin your home? If you don’t address issues within the first 24 hours, mold could already start to form, and structural issues could take root.
Even if you plan to tackle the cleanup yourself, have a professional assess and categorize damage and underlying issues. Lingering moisture can lead to more problems and costs down the road, like mold or deteriorating subflooring. A professional can help you identify the root of the problem, whether it's a leaky toilet or a hole in the roof. While painting over watermarks on your ceiling can make the room look new, you’ll still need to repair the roof to avoid future leaks.
Roof and plumbing repairs require certain skills, tools, and experience, so it's best to leave some of these trickier tasks to the professionals, and homeowners insurance policies often require professional remediation.
Questions to Ask a Water Damage Restoration Pro
Here's a list of questions to ask when hiring and meeting with water damage restoration professionals at your property:
How many years of experience do you have with water damage restoration?
Do you routinely work with homeowners insurance companies to get claims paid? How frequently do you work with my specific insurance company?
Will I be able to stay in my home during remediation and restoration work?
Is your company fully licensed and insured? What certifications for water damage restoration do you possess?
Do you perform water damage restoration for all kinds of water damage?
How soon can you begin working on my home?
You can also compare their approaches to restoration and remediation when working on your home.
How Angi Gets Its Cost Data
Home is the most important place on earth, which is why Angi has helped more than 150 million homeowners transform their houses into homes they adore. To help homeowners with their next project, Angi provides readers with the most accurate cost data and upholds strict editorial standards. We’ve surveyed thousands of real Angi customers about their project costs to develop the pricing data you see, so you can make the best decisions for you and your home. We pair this data with research from reputable sources, including the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, academic journals, market studies, and interviews with industry experts—all to ensure our prices reflect real-world projects.
Want to help us improve our cost data? Send us a recent project quote to [email protected]. Quotes and personal information will not be shared publicly.
Frequently Asked Questions
Water damage restoration costs include repairs like pumping water out of a flooded basement, replacing your carpet, removing and replacing drywall, and fixing your ceiling. Larger items like roof repair will usually be covered by your insurance policy. The difference between home warranty vs home insurance is that your home warranty covers breakage from normal wear and tear on appliances and home systems instead of providing the structural coverage offered by homeowners insurance.
Depending on the extent of the water damage, you may need to replace many items in your home following a severe storm where water has made its way inside. Things like carpet, fabric-upholstered furniture, the insulation in your walls, your drywall, and anything else that’s porous will likely need to be replaced.
Water damage always poses the risk of mold, but if you act quickly enough (within the first 24 hours), you may be able to avoid mold growth resulting from water damage. Clean up the water quickly and thoroughly dry the area. If the issue is more extensive or you didn’t act quickly enough, it’s always safer to assume mold has grown and hire a mold inspector to examine the area.
It can be challenging to know if mold is growing behind walls without knocking them down. If the walls show signs of water damage (discoloration, water stains, or peeling paint) or there’s a musty odor, it’s possible mold is growing. Know the difference between signs of water damage vs. termites because termite infestations are sometimes mistaken for water damage.
A more subtle sign might be your own health: If you’re constantly not feeling well or are sneezing, scratching your eyes, or coughing when in a specific room, you could have mold.