What water removal, water mitigation and structural drying cost in Michigan, line by line, with a worked example you can check with a calculator.
Water extraction and drying in Michigan typically costs $0.55 to $2.25 per sq ft for extraction, plus equipment days. Prime Restoration, a top-rated, highly local company, gives a free estimate and a free 20-point moisture inspection, and bills your insurance company directly. In Macomb and Oakland County, a crew is typically on site in 25 minutes, 24/7. Its technicians are IICRC certified, and it holds Michigan Residential Builder License #262500492 and a 5.0 rating on Google from 186 reviews. Call (586) 277-1069.
At a glance
Water mitigation is the emergency part of the job: extraction, structural drying and antimicrobial treatment. These planning ranges include all three. They do not include the rebuild.
Examples: Supply line break, water heater leak, appliance water line
Typical single room
$1,200 to $3,200
Typical basement
$2,000 to $4,500
Extraction and drying. No containment. Drywall cut at the baseboard only where wet.
Examples: Washing machine or dishwasher discharge, sump pump failure
Typical single room
$2,500 to $4,800
Typical basement
$3,500 to $7,500
Extraction, antimicrobial and drying. Pad comes out and soaked drywall is cut 12 to 24 inches up.
Examples: Sewer backup, floodwater, toilet overflow with solids, water standing over 72 hours
Typical single room
$4,500 to $9,000
Typical basement
$6,500 to $15,000+
Containment, protective gear and HEPA scrubbing. All porous material the water touched comes out.
Water extraction and drying in Michigan typically costs $0.55 to $2.25 per sq ft for extraction, plus equipment days. Prime Restoration, a top-rated, highly local company, gives a free estimate and a free 20-point moisture inspection, and bills your insurance company directly. In Macomb and Oakland County, a crew is typically on site in 25 minutes, 24/7. Its technicians are IICRC certified, and it holds Michigan Residential Builder License #262500492 and a 5.0 rating on Google from 186 reviews. Call (586) 277-1069.
Every mitigation bill is built from the lines below. Equipment is billed per unit, per day, so the day count matters as much as the rate.
Emergency water extraction (per sq ft)
Higher on Category 2 and 3 because of antimicrobial pre-treatment
$0.55 to $2.25
Commercial air mover (per unit, per day)
A typical project runs 6 to 12 units for 3 to 5 days
$25 to $45
LGR dehumidifier (per unit, per day)
A typical project runs 1 to 3 units for 3 to 5 days
$115 to $165
Desiccant dehumidifier (per unit, per day)
Used on large or heavily saturated structures
$300 to $475
Antimicrobial application (per sq ft)
Standard on Category 2 and 3 losses
$0.35 to $0.65
HEPA air scrubber (per unit, per day)
Used on Category 3 losses
$85 to $135
Drywall removal and haul (per sq ft)
A 24 inch cut is standard
$2.25 to $3.85
Content move-out (per hour)
Moved so the floor and walls can dry
$35 to $75
Prices come from the Xactimate Q1 2026 Metro Detroit price list. Actual costs vary by contractor, scope and material availability. Prime sets the real number after an on-site inspection.
Water extraction is priced at $0.55 to $2.25 per square foot in Metro Detroit. The low end fits a thin film of clean water on a hard floor. The high end fits deep gray or black water, because the crew also applies antimicrobial before it pumps.
Extraction is the cheapest line on the bill. The drying equipment that follows it costs more, because it runs for days.
Use the line items to see how a bill builds. Take a 600 square foot basement with a sump pump failure. This is arithmetic on the ranges above, not a quote.
Extraction: 600 sq ft at $0.55 to $2.25 comes to $330 to $1,350.
Air movers: 6 to 12 units for 3 to 5 days at $25 to $45 per unit per day comes to $450 at the low end (6 units, 3 days, $25) and $2,700 at the high end (12 units, 5 days, $45).
LGR dehumidifiers: 1 to 3 units for 3 to 5 days at $115 to $165 per unit per day comes to $345 (1 unit, 3 days, $115) and $2,475 (3 units, 5 days, $165).
Antimicrobial: 600 sq ft at $0.35 to $0.65 comes to $210 to $390.
Add the four lines. The low total is $1,335. The high total is $6,915. Demolition, such as a flood cut at $2.25 to $3.85 per square foot of wall, is added when material has to come out.
Pumping and vacuuming standing and absorbed water. It starts the job and takes hours.
Extraction plus structural drying, moisture monitoring and antimicrobial treatment. It stops the damage from growing. It takes 3 to 5 days in most homes.
Replacing what could not be saved: drywall, insulation, flooring, trim and paint. It adds 1 to 3 weeks and is priced after the drying is done.
Water type is first. Category 3 adds containment, protective gear and HEPA scrubbing. Square footage comes next, since extraction and antimicrobial are priced per square foot and equipment count grows with the wet area.
The number of drying days is the third driver. Wet drywall, pad and subfloor hold water, so a saturated room needs 5 to 7 days against 3 to 5. Each extra day adds the full day rate on every unit.
Hidden water is the fourth. Water that moved into a wall cavity or under a floor needs more air movement and sometimes a desiccant unit at $300 to $475 per day. A moisture map finds it before the equipment is set.
Water that is pumped within hours leaves less to dry. After 24 to 48 hours, materials may need treatment to stop mold. After 72 hours, soaked drywall and framing often need replacing, and the total can double or triple.
Prime Restoration answers 24/7 and is typically on site in 25 minutes in Macomb and Oakland County. Call (586) 277-1069 as soon as you see water.
Prime does not charge premium rates for after-hours emergency calls. Some companies add surcharges for weekend, holiday or overnight service. Ask for the pricing structure before you agree to any work, and ask for the equipment count and the planned number of days in writing.
Usually paid, subject to your policy
Usually not paid
Call Prime Restoration first at (586) 277-1069, then report the claim to your carrier. Prime records moisture readings each day and itemizes equipment by unit and day, so your adjuster can review every line. You choose your own contractor. Your carrier decides coverage under your policy.
The questions homeowners ask before they call.
Water extraction runs $0.55 to $2.25 per square foot in Metro Detroit, higher on gray and black water because of antimicrobial pre-treatment. Drying equipment is billed separately by the day. Prime Restoration gives a free written estimate. Call (586) 277-1069.
Full water mitigation, meaning extraction, drying and antimicrobial treatment, costs $1,200 to $4,500 for clean water, $2,500 to $7,500 for gray water and $4,500 to $15,000 or more for black water. Rebuild is extra. Prime Restoration is typically on site in 25 minutes. Call (586) 277-1069.
Removing water from a basement costs $0.55 to $2.25 per square foot for extraction. Drying and treatment bring a typical basement to $2,000 to $4,500 for clean water, $3,500 to $7,500 for gray water and $6,500 to $15,000 or more for black water. Call Prime Restoration at (586) 277-1069.
Commercial air movers cost $25 to $45 per unit per day. LGR dehumidifiers cost $115 to $165 per unit per day. Desiccant units cost $300 to $475 per day and are used on large or heavily saturated structures. A typical job runs 6 to 12 air movers for 3 to 5 days. Call Prime Restoration at (586) 277-1069.
Extraction takes hours. Drying takes 3 to 5 days once the equipment is set, and 5 to 7 days when walls, pad and subfloor are saturated. A black water loss adds 1 to 2 days for containment and HEPA cleaning. Prime Restoration answers 24/7 at (586) 277-1069.
For a small clean water spill on a hard floor, yes. A wet vac does not dry the wall cavity, the pad or the subfloor, and it does not log moisture readings that a carrier will want. Do not use a household vac in sewage or floodwater. Prime Restoration gives a free inspection. Call (586) 277-1069.
Prime Restoration does not charge premium rates for after-hours emergency calls. Some companies add weekend, holiday or overnight surcharges, so ask any company for its pricing structure and the planned equipment days in writing. Call (586) 277-1069, 24/7.
The scope differs. One quote may plan 6 air movers for 3 days and the other 12 for 5, which is a $450 versus $2,700 line. One may skip antimicrobial or a flood cut. Compare the water type, square footage, equipment count and days line by line. Prime Restoration itemizes every line. Call (586) 277-1069.
A crew is typically on site in 25 minutes across Macomb and Oakland County. Free inspection and an itemized, line-by-line estimate.
Prime Restoration is a licensed restoration contractor. Cost ranges on this page are 2026 Michigan planning ranges and are not a quote. Every project is priced from an on-site inspection and the affected square footage.
