Water Damage Restoration Cost Factors
The price of repairing water damage is rarely calculated using a single standard rate due to outside factors that can affect the difficulty of cleaning up and repairing the damage. The most common pricing factors consisting of:
- The scale of the damage – The more comprehensive the damage, the higher the final bill will be. Heavier equipment, larger crews, and more time dedicated to the clean-up will all contribute to the total invoice amount.
- The type of water – The type of water that has flooded a home or office is a major determinant in the workforce required to clean up and dry an area.
- Blackwater: Highly contaminated water, such as sewage and heavily soiled floodwater, is significantly costly to clean up due to the safety hazard that the contaminants in the water impose. In addition to drying out areas, anti-microbial and other cleaning agents must be applied to all flooded areas. Furthermore, specialty equipment and safety precautions are often mandated to ensure the long-term safety of the building inhabitants after cleanup has concluded.
- Greywater: Includes waters with contaminants that may or may not be dangerous to one’s health. Run-off from appliances, sinks, and fish tanks are common sources of greywater. According to Healthy Buildings, greywater that hasn’t been cleaned up for forty-eight (48) hours or more should be reclassified as black water due to the likelihood of dangerous bacteria growth and other dangers in the water.
- Clean water: Offers the simplest cleanup due to the likelihood of harboring no chemical or bacterial contaminants. Often results from a broken pipe, rain/snowmelt, or overflowing toilet or tub.
- Soiled materials – The types of wall, flooring, and furniture/materials that suffered from flooding all determine the restoration efforts that will be required.
- Time since flooding – The length of time that has passed since the home or building flooded and the time the restoration company was able to begin work is a heavy determinant in the project’s cost. As time passes, the difficulty of restoring furniture and walls diminishes significantly. Additionally, if enough time passes, the water can be graded as a worse water quality, such as grey or black water.
Water Damage Restoration Nearby
For finding restoration companies near the flooded property, Google Maps provides an unbiased look at local companies, displays customer-submitted reviews, and includes a means of contact for each business listed.