What Is The Cost of Water Damage Restoration?

Type of Water

The source and type of water involved determine the cost of the water removal.

• Clean water – comes from a leaking pipe or rain. It is water that is free of contaminants or chemicals. Typically the least expensive to remediate if immediate action is taken.
• Gray water – is from appliances like dishwashers or washing machines. Water must be dried and the area must be cleaned. This type of water damage is more costly to remediate than clean water, but if quickly dealt with it will not turn into a category 3 or black water situation.
• Black water – comes from a contaminated source like sewer pipes, overflow from rivers, or a natural disaster such as a hurricane or tornado. As the water is usually contaminated with bacteria and other organisms or insects the cost of water removal and cleanup is high. This is the most costly category of water damage restoration, and must be remediated immediately to prevent microbial growth.

In general, the cost of water damage restoration increases when the water is more contaminated or a larger area is affected. 

Class of Damage

There are 4 classes of damage, and the damage repair cost increases with each class.

• Class 1 – only a small area of the house is affected and there is minimal absorption of water into the structural materials.
• Class 2- there is structural damage to the floors and walls surrounding the water that requires minor repairs. 
• Class 3 –damage that affects the ceiling and walls, might be due to a leaking roof. 
• Class 4 – a large area of the house is affected causing significant structural damage.
  

Type of Damage

• Cosmetic Damage – requires restoration but does not affect the structural integrity. This may include drywall repair, replacing wallpaper, repainting or replastering, etc.
• Electrical damages- are more dangerous and might need the removal of affected wires and rewiring. 
• Mold – mold remediation involves inspection, removal of affected material, and thorough cleaning.
• Structural Damage – might need roof repairs, fixing walls, or repairing cracks to the foundation. 
• Other items – replacement or repair of personal items like electronics and clothing may be necessary. Furniture items may also need replacement or repair.

Costs for water damage restoration vary according to the type of damage. Cosmetic damage might cost less to repair than structural damage.

Rooms Affected

Depending on the rooms that sustained water damage, restoration costs will also vary. For example, basement water damage restoration cost is highly expensive. Repairing water damage in a bathroom might cost less. This is because different rooms have different repair needs depending on the materials in the space.

Area of Repair

Water extraction and drying of an area and repair needed will cost different amounts. In general, repairs to a wall will be less than what is needed for the roof.

The type of material used for flooring (vinyl, carpet, tile, hardwood), type of wall (drywall, plaster wall, brick wall, wallpaper), and roofing materials also have an impact on the cost of repair.                               

Labor costs



Labor costs vary depending on the type of repair work and what type of technician is handling the work. This can increase further if rental equipment is needed.