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Water still coming in? Shut off the main valve first. First-hour checklist
Cost guide

Ceiling Water Damage Repair Cost (2026)

Repairing a water-damaged ceiling costs $150⁠–⁠$400 to seal and repaint a stained 100 sq ft section, and $700⁠–⁠$1,450 when that section has to be cut out and replaced. If it also needs professional drying, the whole job runs $1,100⁠–⁠$2,700 when the leak is caught the same day and $2,000⁠–⁠$4,450 when it’s found days later.

By Erik Leavell, Editor Updated Oct 2026 · 16 sources
A brown water stain and bubbling paint on a living room ceiling, dripping into a bucket on the floor
Drying and repairs 100 sq ft of ceiling, caught the same day

$1,100–$2,700

Drying and tear-out$950–$2,300
Repairs after drying$150–$400

Clean water caught early can usually be dried in place; the stain still needs sealing and the ceiling repainting. Fixing the leak itself, a plumber or a roofer, is a separate bill.

Estimate your cost Check a quote Built from 10 published price sheets, trade wages and store prices.

Water Damage Cost Calculator

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1What kind of water?
2How long since it started?
sq ft
A 12 by 12 ft room is 144 sq ft.
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4What got wet?Pick all that apply

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Your estimate

$1,100–$2,700

Drying, tear-out and repairs. National prices. Add your ZIP for local ones.

Drying and tear-out$950–$2,3003–4 days, right away
Repairs after drying$150–$400Ceiling paint
See the line items
Estimate by line item
Drying and tear-out
Emergency service call1 visit$118–$279
Water extraction100 sq ft$34–$65
Air movers6–8 unit-days$154–$290
Dehumidifiers3–4 unit-days$305–$664
Technician: setup, daily checks, pickup8–9 hours$371–$591
Overhead and profitSome companies add 10% + 10%$0–$378
Drying and tear-out3–4 days of drying$950–$2,300
Repairs after drying
Seal, prime and paint the ceiling100 sq ft$91–$210
Trips and setup1 hours$63–$87
Overhead and profitSome companies add 10% + 10%$0–$59
Repairs$150–$400
TotalDrying, tear-out and repairs$1,100–$2,700

Drying and tear-out (mitigation) for a home, then the repairs after drying: drywall, paint, baseboard, flooring and base cabinets. Drying low end: lower-quartile rates from 10 published price sheets; high end: upper-quartile rates and a day more drying. Repairs are built from published labor hours, local trade wages and store prices for materials, and checked against public price sheets. Both high ends add overhead and profit. Totals are rounded out to the nearest $50, so line items may not add up exactly. How we built it

Final price comes from an on-site inspection.

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Cost factors

What drives the cost

Whether the ceiling can be dried in place sets most of the bill.

  • Dried in place or cut out

    For clean water dealt with within 24 to 48 hours, the EPA says drywall may be dried in place if it isn’t visibly swollen and the seams are intact; otherwise it’s removed and replaced. For 100 sq ft, repairs run $150⁠–⁠$400 for a repaint and $700⁠–⁠$1,450 for a new section.

  • Where the water came from

    A supply line starts clean; a washing machine is gray water; a toilet overflow with sewage is Category 3. The same 100 sq ft runs $1,100⁠–⁠$2,700 for clean water caught early, $1,800⁠–⁠$4,050 for gray water and $2,300⁠–⁠$5,150 for sewage.

  • Insulation above

    Wet fiberglass or cellulose insulation is usually thrown out and replaced, the EPA says. It sits above top-floor ceilings, and our calculator doesn’t price it, so ask for it as its own line.

  • Textured ceilings

    Textured paint and joint compound could contain asbestos until it was banned in 1977. If an older textured ceiling is wet, have it tested by an accredited professional before anyone scrapes or cuts it; that costs extra.

Where it came from sets the category

  1. Category 1 Clean water Burst supply line, clean sink overflow $$$Lowest cost
  2. Category 2 Gray water Washing machine, dishwasher, aquarium $$$Higher cost
  3. Category 3 Black water Sewage, sewer backflow, floodwater from outside $$$Highest cost
Water categories and classes explained
Where the money goes when it comes out 100 sq ft of ceiling, clean water found after 3 days · drying, tear-out and repairs · typical ranges
  • Water extractionWater on the floor below $60–$80
  • Drying equipment Check the daily logAir movers and dehumidifiers, billed per day $610–$1,190
  • Technician timeEmergency call, setup, daily moisture checks, pickup $540–$940
  • Tear-outWet ceiling drywall $100–$230
  • AntimicrobialApplied to wet materials $10–$20
  • New ceilingDrywall hung and finished $380–$620
  • Ceiling paintStain sealed, primed and painted $90–$210
  • Trips and setupTravel and setup for each trade $250–$350
  • Overhead and profitSome companies add 10% + 10% $0–$730
Total, 100 sq ft found late$2,000–$4,450
By case

Cost by case

Each range is the calculator’s answer for a typical case at national prices. The first two are the ceiling repair alone, for when no drying company is needed.

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What you get back

A fair quote shows

  • Square feet of ceiling removed, and why it couldn’t be dried
  • Insulation as its own line, if any came out
  • Drying priced apart from the ceiling repair
  • Primer and paint for the whole ceiling, so it matches

Red flags

  • A whole ceiling replaced when a small area was wet, with no moisture readings
  • Asbestos charges with no lab test behind them
  • Pressure to sign before your insurer has seen the damage
See the full price list
Insurance

Will insurance pay?

Usually, when a sudden plumbing leak or a storm-damaged roof caused it. Usually not when a worn-out roof or a slow leak did.

Usually covered

  • A sudden leak from plumbing or an appliance above
  • Roof damage from wind, hail or a falling tree
  • In a condo, damage your HO-6 policy covers beyond the master policy

Usually not covered

  • Leaks from a worn or poorly maintained roof
  • Slow leaks that built up over time
  • Mold from slow leaks or seepage

Your policy wording decides.Does homeowners insurance cover water damage?

Safety first

Before you touch the ceiling

  1. 1Safety

    Cut the power to wet circuits

    If wiring or fixtures may be wet, turn off the power at the main breaker, but only if you can reach it without stepping into water. Have an electrician check before it goes back on.

  2. 2Safety

    Stay out from under a sag

    Wet drywall is heavy and can fall. FEMA’s flood repair guide says to drain a bulging ceiling through a small hole at the edge of the sag, never the center, while standing clear.

  3. 3

    Stop the source

    Shut off the water if it’s plumbing. For a roof leak, cover the hole with a tarp if you can do it safely. The leak is often not right above the stain.

  4. 4

    Photograph it, then call your insurer

    Take photos before anything is removed. Make only temporary repairs until the insurer has seen the damage, and keep receipts.

Full first-hour checklist
FAQ

Questions people ask

Can a wet ceiling be dried instead of replaced?

Often, if it’s caught quickly. For clean water dealt with within 24 to 48 hours, the EPA says drywall may be dried in place if it isn’t visibly swollen and the seams are intact; if not, it should be removed and replaced. Ceiling tiles should be thrown out and replaced. The stain still needs a sealing primer before paint.

Does homeowners insurance cover a ceiling leak?

It depends on the cause. A standard HO-3 policy covers accidental discharge of water from a plumbing system, the Insurance Information Institute says, and roof damage from a covered peril such as wind or hail. Texas’s insurance department says companies won’t pay for damage that happens over time, like worn roofs.

Who pays when the leak comes from the condo upstairs?

Usually a mix. Washington’s insurance commissioner says that if a neighbor’s negligence caused it, such as an overflowing tub, your HO-6 policy typically covers damage the association’s master policy doesn’t, and your insurer may try to recover from the neighbor’s liability coverage. You may owe the master policy’s deductible for your unit.

What if my ceiling has popcorn texture?

Get it tested before anyone scrapes, sands or cuts it. Asbestos was used in textured paint and patching compounds until a 1977 ban, and water-damaged material can release fibers, the Consumer Product Safety Commission says. The EPA says a trained, accredited professional should take the samples.

Does wet insulation have to be replaced?

Usually. The EPA’s guidance for clean water says wet fiberglass and cellulose insulation should be thrown out and replaced; FEMA’s flood repair guide allows reusing fiberglass batts soaked only by clean rainwater once they’re dry. Our calculator doesn’t price insulation, so expect it as a separate line on a top-floor ceiling.

How do I find a roof leak?

Look in the attic for a drip trail or light coming through. Leaks are rarely directly above the spot on the ceiling, the University of Wisconsin Extension says, and it recommends hiring a professional roofer unless you’re experienced.

How we got these numbers

Drying prices come from 10 published price sheets. Repair prices are built from published labor hours, federal wage data for each trade and store prices for materials, then checked against public repair price sheets. Both are adjusted for labor costs near your ZIP. Ranges are national until you add one. Ceiling repairs use the same build-up as the walls, with the Navy handbook’s labor hours for drywall on ceilings. Read the full methodology.

  1. Published restoration price sheets (state and county contracts, contractor price lists), RestoreCost. 10 published price sheets, collected Oct 2026.
  2. Seabee Planner’s and Estimator’s Handbook (NAVFAC P-405), U.S. Navy. Labor hours for repairs. 1996 edition.
  3. Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Trade wages by metro. Checked Oct 2026.
  4. Mold Remediation in Schools and Commercial Buildings, Chapter 4 (Table 1), U.S. EPA. Drying in place vs. replacing. Updated Sep 8, 2026.
  5. Repairing Your Flooded Home (FEMA P-234), FEMA and American Red Cross. Sagging ceilings, wet insulation. Older edition; copy hosted by Los Angeles County.
  6. Asbestos in the home, U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission. Checked Oct 2026.
  7. Protect your family from exposures to asbestos, U.S. EPA. Jun 25, 2026.
  8. Am I covered?, Insurance Information Institute. Checked Oct 2026.
  9. How your roof influences your home and business insurance, Insurance Information Institute. Checked Oct 2026.
  10. Five things your home policy won’t cover, Texas Department of Insurance. Updated Apr 10, 2025.
  11. Filing a condo unit insurance claim, Washington Office of the Insurance Commissioner. Checked Oct 2026.
  12. Help after a storm, Texas Department of Insurance. Updated Sep 29, 2026.
  13. Assessing and Repairing Leaky Roofs, University of Wisconsin-Extension, Kenosha County. Checked Oct 2026.
  14. When are water damage and mold covered by insurance?, Texas Department of Insurance. Updated Apr 24, 2025.
  15. What to Do to Protect Yourself From Electrical Hazards, CDC. Aug 26, 2026.
  16. Category of Water Damage and Weather-related Events (S500 position statement), IICRC. Feb 10, 2026.