Before anything is moved
- Note whether the water came from a pipe, from rain through the structure or from rising floodwater, because DFS says homeowners policies typically exclude flooding.
- Photograph the water line and the damage before anything is moved, and keep damaged property if feasible.
- Report to your homeowners insurer and, if you hold one, your flood insurer, since DFS treats flood cover as a separate policy.
- Make and document the emergency repairs needed to prevent further damage, and keep the receipts.
- If your county or city is under a declared emergency, look for its post-storm permitting page before you start the rebuild; s. 252.381 requires each to publish one.
- Ask the building department whether the house sits in a flood hazard area, because the $7,500 permit exemption doesn't apply there.
Which policy answers for floodwater
DFS's coverage page says homeowners insurance will typically not cover damage caused by flooding, a sewer backup or a sump pump issue. Its endorsement page lists a Water Backup and Sump Discharge or Overflow endorsement and notes that policies don't typically cover backup. A flood policy is a separate purchase. Citizens policyholders report claims 24 hours a day at 866.411.2742 or in myPolicy.
What flooded basement cleanup costs in Florida (estimates, not quotes)
Our model puts flooded basement cleanup in Florida at $1,450 to $7,600 per job, an estimate and not a quote. It has no Florida company price for this job, so two national guides carry the figure, and the wage row is pay for the nearest federal occupation.
| Item | Figure | What it is |
|---|---|---|
| Estimated range, not a quote | $1,450 to $7,600 per job | Built from 2 national published ranges, adjusted by the Florida hazardous materials removal worker wage ratio (0.80). Two Florida restoration companies publish a price we could count on their own websites; where five or more price the same job, the range is the middle half of their prices, and where two to four do, the estimate is widened to take them in. Coupons, specials and figures a page gives as an average are not counted. Basis: no state company sample (no counted Florida company price for this job), national estimate only. |
| Estimated range per square foot, not a quote | $3 to $11 per square foot | Built from one national published range, adjusted by the Florida hazardous materials removal worker wage ratio (0.80). Two Florida restoration companies publish a price we could count on their own websites; where five or more price the same job, the range is the middle half of their prices, and where two to four do, the estimate is widened to take them in. Coupons, specials and figures a page gives as an average are not counted. Basis: no state company sample (no counted Florida company price for this job), national estimate only. |
| Hazardous materials removal worker wage, Florida mean | $21.70 an hour (United States mean: $27.13) | BLS pay from May 2025 for the occupation closest to a flood cleanup crew, matched by us. |
Estimated range. Built from national published ranges (2 sources), adjusted by Florida's hazardous materials removal worker wage ratio to the US (0.80, BLS May 2025). Not a quote. Two Florida restoration companies publish a price we could count on their own websites; where five or more price the same job, the range is the middle half of their prices, and where two to four do, the estimate is widened to take them in. Coupons, specials and figures a page gives as an average are not counted. We have no counted Florida company price for this job, so the range is our national estimate alone. Full method. Prices as of Oct 24, 2026.
What changes when the state declares an emergency
OpenFEMA's Florida declarations since January 2022, fire-management ones left out, include Hurricanes Ian, Nicole, Idalia, Debby, Helene and Milton. The newest is EM-3655. The list prints it as Hurricane Isaias, declared 2026-10-09. After a presidential declaration FDEM's Recovery Bureau runs Individual Assistance, and FDEM's unmet-needs page puts an SBA application (1-800-659-2955) ahead of FEMA assistance.
Rebuild Florida's Hurricane Ian Housing Repair and Replacement Program closed its application window as of March 31, 2025. Lee, Orange, Sarasota and Volusia counties have direct HUD allocations and run their own programs.
Fees can't rise for 180 days. Section 252.381 bars a county or municipality from increasing building permit or inspection fees for that long after a state of emergency is declared, and s. 553.7922 lets it waive fees for expedited permits that need no technical review.
The 50 percent rule on a flooded house
Hillsborough County calls a building substantially damaged when repair costs equal or exceed 50 percent of its market value before the damage. Its guidelines let you leave out debris removal and clean-up, including dirt and mud removal and building dry-out. Drywall, insulation, finishes, cabinets and systems count. Pinellas County uses 49 percent of the home's value without the land, and Lee County applies the test in FEMA zone A or V below the required flood elevation.
Hialeah's page, which may predate SB 180, counts improvements over a five-year period; s. 163.31795, created by the 2025 law, bars an NFIP community from enforcing a cumulative substantial improvement period. Tampa requires a Substantial Improvement and Damage Determination form for repairs in a Special Flood Hazard Area after a declared disaster, even where no permit is needed.
Floodwater that needs a crew today
- The water came from outside or up a drain, and DFS lists flooding and sewer backup among typical exclusions.
- Water still stands in the house.
- The house is in a flood hazard area and repairs may near half its value; Tampa and Palm Bay both want a substantial damage determination there.
- Damp material above the water line that has already dried; photograph it for the claim.
- Finish work such as paint and flooring, until the insurer and the building department have both seen the damage.
Permits for flood repairs
Rebuilding after a flood is chapter 489 contractor work, and dBPR's construction license list has no restoration category for the drying, so ask the drying company what it holds. Florida's under-$7,500 permit exemption, s. 553.79, doesn't apply to work in a flood hazard area, so a repair there starts with the building department.
In Palm Bay, substantially damaged homes in a special flood hazard area need a substantial damage inspection and an elevation certificate, and must meet base flood elevation plus 1 foot of freeboard under ordinance Chapter 179.
Ask which licenses your state requires for the work, and check them with your state's licensing office before anyone starts. A credential from a private body, such as IICRC, isn't a license.
Questions people ask
Does a homeowners policy cover floodwater in Florida?
DFS says it will typically not; flood insurance is a separate policy. Water damage from other causes may be covered, DFS says on the same page. The water damage page has the claim clocks.
Is Rebuild Florida's Hurricane Ian repair program still taking applications?
No: FloridaCommerce says the application window closed as of March 31, 2025. Four counties with direct HUD allocations, Lee, Orange, Sarasota and Volusia, run their own programs.
What is the 50 percent rule?
A building whose repair cost equals or exceeds 50 percent of its market value before the damage is substantially damaged. It must then meet current flood rules. Hillsborough lets you exclude debris removal and dry-out from the cost, and Pinellas prints 49 percent.
Do permit fees go up after a storm?
Not for 180 days after a declared emergency: s. 252.381 bars an increase in building permit or inspection fees. Some places also reduce or waive fees; Tampa's guide says its Mayor may, only after a declared disaster and only once the Mayor uses those powers.
Who coordinates help after a federal declaration?
FDEM's Recovery Bureau runs Individual Assistance for households. Its unmet-needs page says to apply for an SBA loan before FEMA assistance, and SBA is at 1-800-659-2955.
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS May 2025: Hazardous Materials Removal Workers (SOC 47-4041), Florida, mean hourly wage Read Oct 24, 2026.
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS May 2025: Hazardous Materials Removal Workers (SOC 47-4041), United States, mean hourly wage Read Oct 23, 2026.
- RestorationMatch: how we estimate costs, Florida (editorial policy) Read Oct 24, 2026.
- Florida DFS: Determine Your Coverage Needs Read Oct 24, 2026.
- Citizens Property Insurance: Claims Read Oct 24, 2026.
- FDEM: Recovery Programs Read Oct 24, 2026.
- FloridaCommerce: Hurricane Ian Housing Repair and Replacement Program Read Oct 24, 2026.
- Florida Senate: CS/CS/SB 180 (2025), enrolled Read Oct 24, 2026.
- Florida Statutes 553.7922 Read Oct 24, 2026.
- Hillsborough County: Substantial Damage/Improvement Guidelines Read Oct 24, 2026.
- Pinellas County: Substantial Damage & Storm Permits Read Oct 24, 2026.
- Lee County: 50% Rule: Substantial Improvement / Substantial Damage Read Oct 24, 2026.
- City of Hialeah: Substantial Improvement Read Oct 24, 2026. Check with the source before you rely on this.
- City of Tampa: Substantial Improvement and Damage Determination Form Read Oct 24, 2026.
- City of Tampa: Post-Hurricane Permit Guide (April 2026) Read Oct 24, 2026.
- City of Palm Bay: Post-Storm Recovery Permitting Plan Read Oct 24, 2026.
- Florida Statutes 553.79 Read Oct 24, 2026.
- DBPR: Construction Industry Read Oct 24, 2026.
- Florida Statutes 627.7142 Homeowner Claims Bill of Rights Read Oct 24, 2026.
- OpenFEMA DisasterDeclarationsSummaries v2 (Florida) Read Oct 24, 2026.