Calculator and a written estimate on a table in front of a wall with the lower drywall cut out

How Much Does Water Damage Restoration Cost?

There is no single price for water damage. Published 2026 guides put a typical job in the low to mid thousands, priced mostly by how much is wet and how dirty the water was. Here is what the numbers say and how to read a quote.

Call (844) 906-3984 How It Works

The short answer, with sources

Two national cost guides published for 2026 land in the same neighborhood. HomeAdvisor, in a guide updated June 17, 2026, gives an average water damage restoration cost of $3,868, a typical range of $1,383 to $6,369, and a full spread of about $450 for a small job to $16,000 for a large one. LawnStarter's 2026 guide puts the average at $3,250 and the typical range at $1,270 to about $5,375.

Those are national figures. South Florida labor, a busy hurricane season and the type of home can all push a quote one way or the other. Dominion Water Damage is a free phone line; it never sets, quotes or collects prices. The independent company you are connected with inspects and gives you its own estimate, and you pay that company directly.

Written estimate and a phone showing a photo of water damage on a kitchen table

$3,868HomeAdvisor national average, June 2026
$1,383 to $6,369HomeAdvisor typical range
$3,250LawnStarter national average, 2026
$3.50 to $7.50Per square foot, clean to black water (HomeAdvisor)

Cost per square foot by water category

Restoration companies sort water by how contaminated it is. A Northern Arizona University guideline based on the IICRC S500 standard describes the three categories below; HomeAdvisor prices them separately.

Category	What it is	Typical sources	HomeAdvisor, per sq ft
1: clean water	From a source that does not pose substantial harm to people	Burst supply line, sink or tub overflow, appliance supply line, rain	about $3.50
2: gray water	Significant chemical, biological or physical contamination	Washing machine or dishwasher discharge, toilet overflow with urine only, AC condensate	about $5.25
3: black water	Grossly unsanitary, with pathogenic agents	Sewage, rainwater mixed with sewage, rising water from rivers or streams	about $7.50

An illustration only, using those figures: drying a 200 square foot room of clean water works out to about $700 before repairs, and the same room of black water about $1,500. Real quotes add equipment days, removal and rebuilding.

What pushes a quote up or down

How much is wet. Square footage drives most of the price, and water travels farther than the visible stain, especially across slab floors and under tile.
How dirty the water is. Category 3 water needs protective gear, disinfection and more removal.
How long it sat. Materials that stay wet past a day or two are more likely to be thrown out, and mold may enter the job.
What it soaked. Carpet and pad, laminate, particleboard cabinets and drywall cost more to replace than tile and concrete.
Equipment days. Dehumidifiers and air movers can be billed per unit per day, so a slow-drying building costs more.
Timing. Nights, weekends and the days after a hurricane can carry emergency rates.

Air movers and a dehumidifier running in a room with the lower walls opened for drying

Published figures for the repair side

Drying is usually only part of the bill. HomeAdvisor's 2026 guide also lists:

Drywall

$300 to $850 to repair, or $1.50 to $3 per square foot to replace.

Ceilings

$450 to $1,600 to repair a water-damaged ceiling.

Floors

$200 to $550 for floor repair, and about $1 to $11 per square foot for carpet cleaning and repair.

Mold removal

$1,100 to $3,400, about $2,225 on average. LawnStarter lists an average near $2,347.

Mold inspection

HomeAdvisor's separate mold inspection guide puts it at about $670 on average, with a normal range of $303 to $1,044.

Time

HomeAdvisor says a home can take around five days to dry, and full restoration weeks or longer.

Reading a quote in Florida

Florida has rules that affect what a contractor can put in front of you after a loss.

An itemized estimate. Florida Statute 489.147 bars a contractor from giving an insured an agreement authorizing repairs under a property insurance claim without a good faith, itemized and detailed cost estimate.
No coverage advice from the contractor. The same law bars a contractor from interpreting your policy or adjusting your claim unless it is also a licensed public adjuster.
No assignment of benefits on newer policies. For policies issued on or after January 1, 2023, Statute 627.7152 makes an attempt to assign post-loss benefits void. You stay in charge of your claim.
Deadlines. Under Statute 627.70132, notice of a claim must reach the insurer within one year after the date of loss, and a supplemental claim within 18 months.

The Florida Department of Financial Services' storm page puts it bluntly: after storm damage, do not sign anything until you have called its consumer helpline, 1-877-693-5236. The line does not give insurance advice.

Contract papers spread on a kitchen table for review before signing

Comparing two quotes fairly

Ask both companies	Why
How many square feet are wet, and how did you measure?	The biggest driver of price; meters, not guesses.
Which category of water do you think this is?	Category sets the per square foot rate and the safety steps.
How many dehumidifiers and air movers, for how many days?	Equipment days can be billed separately.
What will you remove, and what will you try to save?	Removal changes both the drying cost and the rebuild cost.
Is rebuilding included, or quoted separately?	A low drying quote can hide a high repair quote.

Call, describe what got wet and where the water came from, and the company you are connected with can tell you how it prices the job before it starts.

Call (844) 906-3984

About this line: Dominion Water Damage is a free phone line, not a restoration company. It answers your call and connects you with an independent local water damage restoration company, which inspects, quotes and does the work, and which you pay directly. Companies may pay a referral fee. You never pay the line. See how the line works.

Common questions

How much does water damage restoration cost?

HomeAdvisor's guide, updated June 2026, gives a national average of $3,868 and a typical range of $1,383 to $6,369, with small jobs from about $450 and large ones up to $16,000. LawnStarter's 2026 guide puts the average at $3,250. Your quote depends on the size of the wet area, the type of water and what has to be rebuilt.

What is the water damage restoration cost per square foot?

HomeAdvisor lists about $3.50 per square foot for clean water (Category 1), $5.25 for gray water (Category 2) and $7.50 for black water (Category 3). LawnStarter gives a similar $3.15 to $7.40 range. Repairs such as new drywall and flooring are usually priced on top.

Does a water damage inspection cost money?

Companies handle it differently. Some build the inspection into the job, others charge a visit or emergency fee. Ask on the call whether there is a charge to come out and whether it is credited toward the work. A separate mold inspection averages $670 nationally, according to HomeAdvisor.

Why does sewage or floodwater cost more to clean up?

Black water, the most contaminated category, includes sewage and outside floodwater. It takes protective equipment, disinfection and more removal of porous materials, which is why it sits at the top of the per square foot range.

Will insurance pay for water damage restoration?

Only your insurer can say, and it depends on the policy and the cause. The line cannot promise any claim will be paid. In Florida, notice of a property claim must be given within one year after the date of loss, and the state's Department of Financial Services runs a free consumer helpline for claim questions.

Water where it should not be? Make one call

Call the free line any hour. Say what happened and whether water is still coming in, and the call is put through to an independent, locally owned restoration company that serves your area. That company looks at the damage and gives you its own price.