No price is published on this site, because a figure given before the damage is seen would be a guess. What a homeowner can know is what moves a quote up or down: the volume of water, how long it sat, whether it was clean or contaminated, how many rooms and floors it reached, the materials that must be removed, and how hard the space is to work in. The price is explained and agreed on site, in writing, before the work starts.
Key takeaways
- The volume of water and the time it sat are the two largest factors in a quote.
- Water category matters: clean supply water is handled differently from storm, runoff or sewage water.
- The number of materials that must be removed, rather than dried, changes the work more than the square footage does.
- Access, equipment and the number of rooms are part of the planning, and they are explained before the work.
- A written estimate that lists the scope and the method is more useful than any number given over the phone.
Why is there no price on this site?
A price given before anyone has seen the damage is a guess, and a guess is a poor basis for a decision. The scope of a water loss depends on what is under the floor and inside the wall.
The sources available for water-damage work in Colorado are mostly quote marketplaces and the marketing of individual restoration companies. This site does not cite those figures, and it does not publish a range that would be borrowed from them. What is written here is the set of factors that move a quote, so that a homeowner can ask the right questions when a written estimate arrives.
The price of the work is set by the scope, which is found only after the readings are taken. The crew explains the scope and the price on site, and the homeowner should ask for the agreement in writing before the work begins.
How much water, and how long did it sit?
These are the two largest drivers of the scope. Water that has sat for a day in a carpet pad or a wall cavity is far more work than water that was pumped the same hour.
Volume decides the equipment and the time for extraction. A supply line that ran for a few minutes on a bare floor is a short job. A line that ran overnight into a finished basement wets the carpet, the pad, the baseboard and the lower wall, and most of those have to be handled rather than pumped.
Time decides how much material is saved. Wood and drywall that is dried inside the first day or two often recover. The same material left wet for a week is more likely to be removed, and that changes the scope and the cost.
Is the water clean, or does it need special handling?
The water category is a major cost factor. Clean water from a supply line is handled one way, while storm water, runoff with silt and sewage are handled with protective equipment, wider removal and disinfection.
Clean water is the simplest case. Storm water and burn-scar runoff carry silt, debris and contamination, and the removal of porous material is generally wider. Sewage requires protective equipment, disinfection and the removal of anything it touched that cannot be cleaned to a safe level.
The category is decided at the start and recorded. It determines the equipment worn by the crew and the materials that are removed, and it is the first thing a written estimate should state.
- Clean water from a supply line or an appliance
- Storm water and runoff, with silt and debris
- Sewage or drain backup, which is handled as contaminated water
How many materials must be removed, and how much is dried in place?
Materials that cannot be dried back to a sound state are removed, and the removal adds labor and rebuilding to the scope. Dry-in-place work is generally cheaper, when the readings allow it.
Carpet pad, cardboard, insulation, particleboard cabinets and drywall that has wicked water up a wall are the materials most often removed. Hardwood that has cupped may recover after drying, while laminate that has swollen at its seams is often replaced.
The number of removed materials matters more to the scope than the square footage of the room. A small room with a soaked subfloor and three cabinets can cost more than a large room with a dry subfloor and only a wet carpet.
What about plaster, old framing and access?
Older plaster and plank subfloors dry more slowly than modern board, and a tight stair, a crawl space or a basement with a narrow door adds time for equipment and crew.
Plaster on lath holds water and releases it slowly, and it can need small openings to dry it from behind. Plank subfloors have seams that carry water along the framing before it drops. Each of those lengthens the drying and the readings, which are part of the scope.
Access is planned before the work. A basement stair, a bulkhead, a crawl space or a closet with a single door changes how equipment can be carried in and how the crew can work. The plan is explained, and it becomes part of the estimate.
What should a written estimate contain?
A written estimate should name the source, the water category, the areas and materials in scope, the method of drying, the equipment, the readings to be taken and the decisions that the homeowner must approve before work begins.
The estimate should be specific about what will be removed and what will be dried, because those two decisions carry most of the cost. It should say how the readings will be logged and how many visits are expected, without promising a day or an hour.
The estimate should also say what is not included. Structural repair, roofing, plumbing, electrical work and the rebuilding of finished surfaces are usually separate jobs, and a homeowner should ask who is doing each one.
- The source, the water category and the areas in scope
- The materials to be removed and the materials to be dried
- The drying method, the equipment and the readings to be logged
- The decisions the homeowner must approve before work starts
- The work that is not included, and who is responsible for it
How does insurance change the cost conversation?
An insurer may ask for its own estimate, and it may pay for some items and not others. The policy and the insurer decide what is covered, and the homeowner should understand that before signing anything.
The Colorado Division of Insurance regulates insurers in Colorado and takes complaints about how claims are handled. A homeowner who is unsure whether an item is covered should ask the insurer to explain the decision in writing.
Keep the written estimate, the change orders and the invoices in one file. A clear file makes it easier for an insurer to compare its own estimate with the work actually done, and it protects the homeowner if a dispute arises.
How do equipment days and the timeline change the scope?
Drying is charged by the time the equipment runs and the number of visits the readings require, so the expected timeline belongs in the estimate.
Equipment is placed for a period set by the readings, and it is removed when the materials reach the dry standard. A plan that expects the equipment to run for several days needs the number of days stated, the readings to be logged at each visit and the reason the number may change. A homeowner who asks for the timeline in writing can see how the scope is built.
A longer drying is not an automatic increase. It may reflect a slab, plaster or a thick framing member that is slow to reach the standard. The explanation should show the readings that justify each extra day.
What are change orders, and how should they be handled?
A change order is a written change to the scope after the work begins, such as a removal found behind a wall. It should be approved in writing before the extra work is done.
Most water losses change as the walls and floors are opened. A wet area that was not visible at the start may need removal, and the crew should stop and show the homeowner the reading before doing it. A change order describes the new work, the reason for it and the effect on the scope and the timeline.
A homeowner should not accept an open-ended change. Ask for each change in writing, with the readings or photographs that justify it, and keep the changes in the same file as the original estimate.
What about the cost of a second visit?
A second visit is sometimes needed when the readings show the drying is not complete or a new area has become wet. It should be explained and agreed in writing before it happens.
A readings visit that finds the drying is still under way is part of the planned work. A second visit that is needed because a new area has become wet is a different matter, and it is usually a sign that the source has not been fixed or that a material was missed. The homeowner should ask which it is and whether the cost is part of the agreed scope.
The cause of a second visit should be recorded. If the source was not fixed by the plumber or the roofer, the homeowner is the one who has to arrange it, and the cleanup record should show when the problem was noticed and reported.
How does the homeowner compare an estimate with the final bill?
By comparing the work in the final record with the scope in the estimate, line by line, and asking for the reason for every difference.
The final invoice should match the scope and the change orders. A homeowner who keeps the estimate, the change orders and the final record can check each line. Any difference should have a written reason, and any charge for work that was not in the estimate or approved as a change should be questioned.
A difference is not automatically a problem. A longer drying or a larger removal can be justified by the readings. The point of the comparison is to understand each difference, not to assume the worst.
Frequently asked questions
Why will the company not give me a price over the phone?
Because the scope is not known until the readings are taken and the damage is seen. A figure given before that is a guess, and the written estimate is the honest answer.
Can I compare two estimates?
Yes, but only if both estimates describe the same scope, the same water category and the same materials. Ask each company to list them, then compare the lists before the numbers.
Is there a deposit?
This page does not state payment terms. Ask for them in writing with the estimate, and read them before signing.
Why does a small leak sometimes cost more than a large one?
Because the scope depends on what was wet and for how long. A small leak that ran into a soaked subfloor and a wall cavity can need more removal than a larger spill that was pumped the same hour.
Sources
This guide is general information for El Paso County homeowners, not a substitute for an on-site inspection. Prices are estimates. See our disclaimer.