If your home or apartment suffers water damage, it’s natural to wonder how much it will cost to repair it. As one of the city’s most trusted water damage restoration services, we’ve worked on projects of all sizes, from small leaks to extensive repairs after flooding.
Here’s the thing: there’s no definitive answer as to how much water damage restoration costs because it depends on multiple factors.
Stick around to discover what they are and how much you might spend.
Water damage restoration is a complex process that requires specialist technicians. Excess moisture in a building can lead to a variety of complications, including mold growth and structural damage.
There are multiple stages of the water damage restoration process; the work needed for each will determine your costs.
Contents
Water removal
When you initially contact a water damage restoration service, they’ll visit you on-site and perform emergency measures to prevent further issues. For example, boarding up the windows or a leaky roof and temporarily sealing any gaps can stop more water from entering the building.
Once this stage is complete, the technicians will use specialist equipment, including vacuums and a sump pump, to extract any standing water.
Drying and dehumidification
While extraction equipment will remove excess water, the technicians will also need to dry out the property completely and ensure there’s no moisture. Minor damage might take 24 hours to dry, but severe issues in large buildings could take days.
Water damage remediation professionals will test the indoor air quality and use moisture meters to confirm whether the room is dry.
Sanitizing the property
Once the property is dry, the technician will clean it and remove any contaminants, including disinfecting it and treating any mold.
Water damage can often leave lingering odors that standard deodorizers cannot treat, but industrial deodorizers can return the room to its pre-loss condition.
Repairs and reconstruction
The total costs will increase if the restoration service needs to repair and reconstruct the property. For example, drywall repair, replacing water-damaged flooring, and attempting to salvage any belongings are standard after floods or leaks, but your property might require extensive repairs and remodeling.
The average costs of water damage restoration in New York City
As you can see, water damage restoration is an intensive process, and multiple factors determine how much you’ll spend on repairs. Any reputable service will tell you that providing a general estimate is impossible without seeing the property and assessing the damage.
However, the following figures are guidelines as to how much you might spend.
| Water Extraction | $1,000 to $3,000 |
| Drying and Dehumidification | $500 to $2,500 |
| Structural Repairs | $500 to $10,000 and over |
| Mold Restoration | $500 to $6,000 and over |
| Full Restoration (combining all of the above – depending on how much damage there is) | $3,000 to $30,000 and over |
Let’s take a look at the factors that impact how much you might pay for water damage remediation.
How much damage there is
A small amount of damage to an apartment is much easier to fix than large-scale damage to a house or business. Minor leaks often cost less than $1,000, but a flood, sewage backup, and extensive damage to the building’s structural materials significantly increase the repair costs.
For example, mold removal services are vital as the spores can cause serious health risks, and the service might need to completely remove harmful contaminants from sewer water.
The type of water
There are three categories of water damage, and the type your property experiences will define how much you spend:
- Clean Water: Water from sources like broken pipes or rainwater is less expensive to clean and usually costs around $3-$4 per square foot.
- Gray Water: If the water comes from washing machines or other sources that might have some contamination, the costs will increase to around $4-$6 per square foot.
- Black Water: Black water is a highly dangerous form of water damage and can pose serious health risks. Your costs might be around $7 per square foot or more if porous building materials are damaged.
Location and size
NYC is one of the world’s busiest cities, and water damage restoration professionals might need to take special measures when accessing the property. For example, the costs might be higher if you live on the upper floor of an apartment block or have a flooded basement.
Damage confined to one room is easier to treat than a large basement flood or multiple rooms, so the cost of water damage restoration will depend on the labor and materials required.
Why are costs in NYC higher than in many other cities?
NYC is one of the world’s most loved cities, but making a life here often involves a premium. Unfortunately, the average water damage restoration cost is usually higher than in many other US cities.
Here’s why:
- Cost of Living: Cost data published by Unbiased revealed that living costs in NYC are 78% higher than the US national average. This impacts material and labor costs, resulting in higher fees for water damage restoration.
- Building Complexity: Some buildings in the city have strict codes and require permits, which can increase your expenses. If you live in a high-rise building or period property, you’ll also need a water damage restoration company with specialized equipment.
- Demand: New York is no stranger to natural disasters like storms and river flooding, which leaves many people in desperate need of restoration services. If a water damage restoration company can’t reach you immediately, it exposes your property to further damage, increasing the costs.
The bottom line
Water damage isn’t something any NYC homeowner wants to deal with, but investing in a homeowners insurance policy and flood insurance gives you peace of mind that you’ll receive financial support.
Whether you’re dealing with leaky toilet tanks, burst pipes, sewage backups, or natural disasters, our professional restoration company is here to help you recover from water damage and reduce costs.
With a 24/7 emergency line and a team of dedicated technicians, Manhattan Flood Restoration is one of New York’s most respected water restoration companies. If you have an emergency, please call us now at (800) 874-8146, and we’ll visit your property as soon as possible.
Alternatively, please use the contact form to arrange an on-site visit.
