What water damage restoration costs, and what moves the price in Lexington
No one publishes a Lexington-only price survey for water damage work, so this page uses national figures from named cost guides. They vary from each other and from what you will be quoted. Treat them as a sanity check, not a price list.
Referral service, not a contractor. Your request goes to an independent Lexington-area restoration company. We do not do the drying or repairs.
The headline number
Every cost guide lands in roughly the same place, a few thousand dollars for a typical job, but with different edges. The spread between them is a good reminder of how much a single house can vary.
| Source | Typical range | Average | Low and high ends quoted |
|---|---|---|---|
| HomeGuide | $2,000 to $6,000 | (range only) | As little as $150, as much as $100,000 |
| HomeAdvisor | $1,383 to $6,369 | $3,868 | Anywhere from $450 to $16,000 |
| Fixr | $1,200 to $5,000 | $3,000 | $350 for an overflowing toilet; $50,000 for a sewer backup in a basement |
| Bob Vila | $1,305 to $5,707 | $3,455 | Labor $70 to $200 an hour |
Clean, gray or black
The category of water is the biggest single factor, because it decides what can be dried and what has to be thrown out.
| Category | HomeGuide, per sq ft | HomeAdvisor, per sq ft |
|---|---|---|
| 1, clean | $4 to $6 | about $3 to $4 |
| 2, gray | $6 to $9 | about $4 to $6.50 |
| 3, black | $9 to $12 | about $7 to $7.50 |
Class 1 to Class 4
The "class" describes how much material got wet and how hard it is to dry. The two guides disagree a lot in the middle classes.
| Class | HomeGuide | HomeAdvisor |
|---|---|---|
| 1, minimal | $150 to $500 | $150 to $400 |
| 2, significant | $1,500 to $5,000 | $500 to $1,000 |
| 3, extensive | $5,000 to $15,000 | $1,000 to $3,000 |
| 4, disaster | $15,000 to $100,000 | $20,000 to $100,000 |
Typical figures for the jobs on this site
| Job | National figure | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Sewage cleanup, single room | $2,000 to $3,000 | HomeGuide sewage cleanup |
| Sewage cleanup, multiple rooms | $3,000 to $7,000 | HomeGuide sewage cleanup |
| Sewage cleanup, per sq ft | $7 to $15 or more | HomeGuide sewage cleanup |
| Basement, one inch of clean water | $500 to $1,500 | HomeAdvisor |
| Basement, two feet of sewage | $2,800 or more | HomeAdvisor |
| Basement water damage, all cases | $2,000 to $85,000 | Fixr |
| Burst pipe repair (plumbing only) | $400 to $2,000 | HomeGuide burst pipe |
| Drywall replacement | $1.50 to $3.50 per sq ft | HomeGuide |
| Carpet replacement | $2 to $8 per sq ft | HomeGuide |
| Hardwood flooring | $7 to $25 per sq ft | HomeGuide |
| Sump pump | $600 to $2,500 | HomeGuide |
What makes a Lexington job cost more, or less
Finished basements
Many Lexington houses have finished lower levels. Carpet, pad, drywall and insulation all add removal and rebuild cost that an unfinished basement does not have.
Wet ground that stays wet
In karst country, groundwater can rise after a soaking rain and stay up for days. A slab that keeps wicking moisture takes longer to dry, which means more equipment days.
Sewage versus clean water
The jump from Category 1 to Category 3 roughly doubles the per-square-foot price in HomeGuide's figures, before any rebuild. A clean supply-line leak caught in the first hours usually costs the least to put right.
Timing
HomeGuide's sewage guide says after-hours or weekend calls can add $200 to $500, and that many contractors have minimum job fees of $200 or more.
How to compare quotes
- Ask for the scope in writing: square footage, what will be removed, how many days of equipment.
- Ask whether rebuilding, like new drywall, paint and flooring, is included or separate. It often is separate.
- For rebuilding, ask whether a permit is needed. Lexington's Division of Building Inspection is at 101 E. Vine St., (859) 258-3770, and its Homeowner's Corner has permit guides. HomeGuide lists plumbing permits nationally at $30 to $500.
- The Kentucky Department of Insurance advises getting a written contract with a description of the work, the total cost and a completion date, and not paying until the work is completed.
- It also warns that money spent on temporary repairs comes out of the same total settlement, so do not overspend on stopgaps.
About insurance
This site does not handle insurance claims and cannot tell you what your policy covers. Questions about how claims work in Kentucky can go to the Department of Insurance at 502-564-3630 or 800-595-6053.
Cost questions
Why are the guides so far apart?
They survey different jobs and define the classes differently. HomeGuide's Class 2 range, for example, starts at $1,500, while HomeAdvisor's tops out at $1,000. Both are national averages built from different data. Your estimate depends on the water category, the square footage, what has to be removed and how long drying takes.
Is mold removal part of the price?
Usually not, and this site does not refer mold remediation. HomeGuide lists mold remediation nationally at $15 to $30 per square foot, or $1,500 to $15,000 or more, and a mold inspection at $300 to $650. If mold is a concern, that is a separate specialist assessment. Drying quickly is what keeps it from starting; the page on preventing mold after a leak explains the EPA timeline.