How Much Does it Cost for Water Damage Restoration?

Water damage is a nightmarish situation for any homeowner. It is extremely difficult to rectify and the restoration process also impacts your day-to-day life. The associated costs can also affect your financial situation. In this post, we’ll cover all the associated costs of water damage restoration. We’ll also mention some tips to protect your property from extensive water damage. Let’s get you started.

Updated Costs of Water Damage Restoration

Water damage restoration services charge a lot of money due to the complexity of water damage. In most cases, water damage is spread out and impacts the structure. To preserve the integrity of your home, a certain level of expertise is required.

Three main categories define the overall costs of a water damage restoration service. Let’s check these categories one by one.

1. Costs by Water Type

You may think that all types of water damage are done by the same kind of water. However, the reality is a bit different. Water damage is done by different kinds of water. Many contractors charge varying prices for restoration based on the water type.

What are the different types of water?

There are mainly 3 types of water that contractors use for categorization. Here they are:

• Clean Water

Damage from clean water is the easiest to deal with. Since clean water is free from any chemical or hazardous materials, your contractor simply has to provide two services.

Water extraction and drying are these services. Your contractor doesn’t have to apply any cleaning compounds or desensitizers to eliminate bacterial threats. On average, restoration companies charge between $2 and $5 per square foot.

However, this price is only for surface-level service. If your other areas or objects are affected by water damage, your contractor will charge extra for their restoration.

How much do I have to pay extra?

These price points can vary from contractor to contractor. Usually, contractors charge between $5 to $10 for extra restoration services.

• Discolored/Gray Water

Water damage caused by discolored or gray water is moderately difficult to deal with. Gray water indicates the contamination of water by a chemical. It can be through cleaning compounds, toilets, or kitchen sinks.

Since it is contaminated water, the affected areas can’t simply be restored by extraction and drying. Your contractor will have to add specialized chemicals to remove these compounds from your property.

You’ll have to pay your contractor between the range of $5 and $9 per square foot. The prices are significantly higher because there might be some replacement required for flooring and even walls.

• Black Water

The worst category of water damage is done by black water. Black water indicates contamination by biohazardous materials. This type of water originates from drains, sewers, or contaminated groundwater.

On the low end, the overall cost for this type of restoration is between $6 and $8 per square foot.

A complete restoration is mostly done in the form of replacements. Every impacted area is replaced. This includes your flooring, walls, furniture, and more. This is mainly because of the bacterial presence in this water.

Why is replacement preferred in this situation?

The total cost of extraction, drying, sanitization, and discoloration is often much higher than a replacement. Moreover, a replacement also eliminates the worry of bacterial growth and health issues in your residence.

1. Costs by Service Packages

Many contractors have predetermined price points with the extent of water damage. These packages have all the services required to deal with that level of damage. Some contractors also offer negotiable terms for the high-end packages. Let’s check them out.

• Tier 1

The first tier of such packages deals with minor water damage. It is also the cheapest on the list. The average cost of such packages is between $100 and $400.

You can avail of these packages for toilet leaks, faucet leaks, and more. Your contractor will remove the water from your affected areas and dry them to eliminate the formation of damp spots.

• Tier 2

The second tier of these packages can cost you between $500 and $1200. This package deals with room-level water damage. This includes your bedrooms, living rooms, bathrooms, kitchens, and more.

Your contractor will restore your floors and walls. The price point is mainly associated with the use of professional tools. Your contractor might have to use a specialized water pump and a dehumidifier to dry out the place.

• Tier 3

The third tier of these packages offers restoration services for extensive damage. This includes restoration against water permeation of flooring, walls, and even ceilings of multiple rooms.

On average, you’ll have to pay between $1500 and $4000. This is mainly because your 24/7 water damage restoration contractor has to use multiple dehumidifiers to dry the place, sanitize it, and replace certain components.

On top of that, they have to repeat the process for every affected room.

• Tier 4

The last tier of service packages is designed to deal with catastrophic water damage. Damages caused by storms, flooding, and burst pipes fall in this category.

The extensive nature of these damages usually requires a full team of experts to preserve the structural integrity of your home. While the base structure can be preserved, other aspects of your home will need replacements.

How much does it cost to repair water damage caused by flooding?

The average price point of restoration for these damages falls in the $15000 to $90000 mark. This is mainly due to the replacements required for your flooring and walls.

1. Costs by Location of Damage

Water damage restoration companies also charge differently based on the location of damage. This is mainly because of the accessibility aspect. Some locations in your home are easier to restore compared to others. Let’s check them out.

• Drywalls

The easiest and cheapest location to restore from water damage is your drywalls. Your contractor can easily access both sides of the wall without any obstructions. On average, the cost of drywall restoration is between $1.50 and $2.50 per square foot.

However, you might have to pay extra if there is a major leak. This is because your contractor has to implement solutions to prevent mold growth.

• Flooring

Your flooring is the first area that is affected by water damage. While it is easy to dry the top layer, the bottom layer takes effort. Your contractor might have to take out individual planks and dry them.

The majority of the contractors charge between $400 to $600 depending on the type of flooring. It is important to note that replacements aren’t included in this cost.

• Ceilings

In rare cases, your ceilings can get damaged by water leaks on the upper levels. Your contractor can charge between $2 and $5 per square foot. The prices for ceiling restoration are high because your contractor has to dry two floors simultaneously.

• Roofing

Water damage from the roof happens once in a blue moon. The underlayment of your roofing provides ample protection against water damage. However, even a minor leak can wreak havoc on your home.

A restoration of your home can cost $600 to $1500 depending on the scope of the damage.

Essential Tips to Prevent Water Damage on Your Property

Once the water has leaked onto your property, there aren’t many options left. However, you can prevent this from happening on your own. Here are some tips for you.

• Do regular maintenance checks. You can keep your water pipes in optimal condition with bi-weekly or monthly maintenance checks.

• Call your plumber as soon as you detect a leak. Even minor dripping can lead to catastrophic levels of damage.
• Turn off the water supply as soon as you find a leak around your home. Stopping the water can prevent the spread of water damage and make water extraction easier for your contractor.
• Keep an eye out for damp spots around your home. These spots indicate a possible leak in that specific area.

Final Thoughts

With this, we come to the finish line of our post on the costs of water damage restoration. Water can deal permanent damage to your property if left unchecked. We recommend that you hire a restoration service as soon as possible to keep your home safe. On average, you’ll have to pay between $250 to $750 for a complete restoration. While it may seem like a lot, this amount is nothing compared to the expensive repairs without a restoration service.

We hope this guide provides you with useful information on water damage restoration costs. Let us know if you ever had to deal with water damage on your property.