The IICRC S500 standard splits water into three categories, and the category is the single biggest driver of what a job costs.
Category is not fixed. Clean water that sits long enough degrades to Category 2 and then to Category 3, which is the mechanism by which a cheap job becomes an expensive one while nobody is doing anything.
The categories map onto price almost directly.
| Job | Typical range |
|---|---|
| Typical restoration job, whole claim | $1,067 to $5,169 (average $3,074) |
| Clean water (Category 1), drying without demolition | $3.75 to $7 per sq ft |
| Gray water (Category 2), partial drywall and flooring removal | $7 to $12 per sq ft |
| Black water (Category 3), full demolition and structural drying | $12 to $25+ per sq ft |
Source: Angi's dataset and published rates from local operator 24/7 Restoration Specialists, compiled August 2026. A range is not a quote.
The jump at Category 3 is not a markup. Porous materials that have been in contact with black water are removed and replaced rather than cleaned and dried, so the work changes from drying to demolition.
Ask what category the crew has assigned and why, and ask for it in writing before you sign a work authorisation. A scope that does not state the category can be revised upward later without ever contradicting itself.
Yes. Time and temperature degrade it. Water that was clean on day one can be Category 2 within a day or two and Category 3 after that, which is why the response time affects the invoice as much as the size of the spill.
The restoration contractor assesses it against the IICRC S500 definitions. Because it sets the price, ask for the reasoning in writing rather than accepting the classification on its own.
Emergency Response
Call and a crew is dispatched - extraction the same day, drying equipment set the same visit, and the documentation your claim needs from the first hour.
