What property damage repair costs: dated, sourced price guides
Each guide lines up the published price ranges for one job, with the source and date of each figure, and explains why they disagree. The rule that matters most: treat any single national average as a rough guide, not a quote. For mold remediation, Fixr's average is $3,500 and This Old House's is $2,300. Get written quotes from more than one company and compare them line by line.
Mold
- Mold remediation cost in 2026: eight published sources reconciledMold remediation usually costs $1,200 to $6,000, with published averages from $2,225 to $3,500. See every source, its date, and why they disagree.
- Mold inspection and testing cost in 2026: what each source saysA professional mold inspection usually costs $300 to $1,075. Air samples, swabs and clearance tests are often billed extra. See every source and date.
- Mold remediation cost calculatorEstimate a fair price range for your mold job from area, location and contamination level.
Water and sewage
- Water damage restoration cost: Angi, HomeGuide, Forbes, FixrWater damage restoration usually costs $1,300 to $6,400, with published averages of $3,000 to $3,868. Compare every source by category, class and date.
- Sewage backup cleanup cost: HomeGuide, SERVPRO and Fixr comparedSewage backup cleanup usually costs $2,000 to $10,000, and black water runs about $7 to $12 per square foot. See each published source and its date.
Fire and biohazard
- Fire and smoke damage restoration cost in 2026: three sources comparedFire damage restoration ranges from about $3,000 to $52,000, with Angi and HomeAdvisor averaging $27,477. Compare smoke, soot and odor costs by source.
- Biohazard cleanup cost: crime scene, unattended death and hoardingBiohazard cleanup usually costs $1,500 to $5,000, and complex scenes can reach $25,000. See Fixr and HomeGuide figures by scenario and who pays.
Insurance help
Why do published prices disagree so much?
Cost sites measure different things. Some average the jobs their users report, which skews toward smaller jobs. Others publish an editorial midpoint. For mold remediation, Fixr (updated August 2025) gives a $3,500 average and a typical range of $1,500 to $9,000. This Old House (updated March 2026, using Angi data) gives $2,300 and a typical range of $1,200 to $3,750. Neither is wrong. They are answering slightly different questions. Every cost page here shows each source next to its date so you can see the spread.
What drives the price of your job?
Four things matter most: how much area is affected, how contaminated the water or material is, where the damage sits (an open basement costs less than an attic or HVAC system), and how much has to be rebuilt afterward. Insurance can change what you pay out of pocket. The Insurance Information Institute reports that water damage and freezing claims averaged $15,400 each over 2019–2023. Your deductible and limits are on your declarations page.
Use the guides
Start with the job you are facing: mold remediation, mold inspection, water damage restoration, sewage cleanup, fire damage restoration, biohazard cleanup, or public adjuster fees. For a quick mold estimate based on square footage, try the mold remediation cost calculator. When you have quotes in hand, our hire a pro hub shows how to compare them.
Sources
- Mold Remediation Cost, Fixr (August 29, 2025)
- Mold Remediation Cost, This Old House (March 11, 2026)
- Facts + Statistics: Homeowners and renters insurance, Insurance Information Institute (accessed 2026-10-19)