Michigan Restoration: Licenses and Claims

Licensing: what Michigan does and does not require

The health department (MDHHS) says the State of Michigan provides no certification for mold remediators or mold testing companies. The residential maintenance and alteration license lists crafts such as carpentry, concrete, insulation, masonry and roofing, and it does not name water damage, mold or fire restoration, so we found no state license for the cleanup itself.

Rebuilding is different. A person who for pay repairs, alters or demolishes a one- or two-family home needs that license once one project reaches $600, and licensed electricians, plumbers and mechanical contractors work under their own licenses. Friable asbestos removal needs a license from the state asbestos program, and EPA's lead rule covers paid work on painted surfaces in homes built before 1978. IICRC credentials are voluntary and come from a private body.

Choosing a company when there is no license

Insurance: what a homeowners policy does and does not pay

DIFS says standard homeowners policies cover a wide range of winter-related disasters such as burst pipes, flood damage is typically not covered unless you have flood insurance, and water and sewer backup is not automatically covered. Backup coverage is an endorsement, up to a selected limit. DIFS advises telling your insurer you have water damage rather than just flood.

Under MCL 500.2006 an insurer must say within 30 days what proof of loss it needs, and amounts supported by proof are timely if paid within 60 days, with 12 percent simple interest on late benefits. Public adjusters must be licensed by DIFS and may charge no more than 10 percent. Complaints about an insurer go to DIFS at 877-999-6442.

Will insurance pay?

Flood and sewer: the 30-day wait and the 45-day notice

Flood insurance comes from the National Flood Insurance Program or a private insurer. NFIP coverage goes into effect 30 days after purchase, except in four listed cases, so a policy bought during a storm does not respond to it. Basement coverage is limited and mold is not covered. EGLE estimates that 6 percent of Michigan's land is flood-prone, including about 200,000 buildings, and DIFS says you do not have to be in a flood zone to have a flood.

If a sewage backup came from a city or county system, MCL 691.1419 requires written notice to the agency within 45 days after you discovered the damage. FEMA has issued four major disaster declarations for Michigan since 2021, three of them for storms and flooding, and the most recent, DR-4925, covers April 10 to 21, 2026 across 37 counties.

Flood insurance versus a homeowners policy

Numbers worth having written down

DTE gas leak hotline (800) 947-5000, and Consumers Energy 800-477-5050, both free and open around the clock; DTE's (800) 477-4747 is its electric line, so do not use it for gas. Michigan 211 connects callers with housing, utilities and disaster recovery programs. Poison Control is 1-800-222-1222. MDHHS's mold hotline is 800-648-6942, and its well-testing hotline after a flood is 844-934-1315. The Attorney General takes scam and price gouging reports at 877-765-8388.

First hour checklist

What restoration costs in Michigan: our estimates and the evidence

The Estimated range rows come first in the table below, one for each job we found a national published range for. Each is a model, not a quote. Beside them is a federal wage for the nearest occupation. We have not collected Michigan quotes, and we will show company prices once at least five Michigan companies publish them.

Michigan cost evidence, prices as of Oct 19, 2026
Item	Figure	What it is
Estimated range, emergency water removal	$4 to $9 per square foot	Estimated range, not a quote. Built from 2 national published ranges, adjusted by the Michigan hazardous materials removal worker median wage ratio (0.94). No Michigan restoration company price is shown, because none of the companies we looked at published a price we could count.
Estimated range, water damage	$1,225 to $5,350 per job	Estimated range, not a quote. Built from 3 national published ranges, adjusted by the Michigan hazardous materials removal worker median wage ratio (0.94). No Michigan restoration company price is shown, because none of the companies we looked at published a price we could count.
Estimated range, flooded basement	$1,700 to $8,900 per job	Estimated range, not a quote. Built from 2 national published ranges, adjusted by the Michigan hazardous materials removal worker median wage ratio (0.94). No Michigan restoration company price is shown, because none of the companies we looked at published a price we could count.
Estimated range, flooded basement (per square foot)	$3 to $13 per square foot	Estimated range, not a quote. Built from one national published range, adjusted by the Michigan hazardous materials removal worker median wage ratio (0.94). No Michigan restoration company price is shown, because none of the companies we looked at published a price we could count.
Estimated range, mold remediation	$1,400 to $5,625 per job	Estimated range, not a quote. Built from 3 national published ranges, adjusted by the Michigan hazardous materials removal worker median wage ratio (0.94). No Michigan restoration company price is shown, because none of the companies we looked at published a price we could count.
Estimated range, mold remediation (per square foot)	$12 to $32 per square foot	Estimated range, not a quote. Built from one national published range, adjusted by the Michigan hazardous materials removal worker median wage ratio (0.94). No Michigan restoration company price is shown, because none of the companies we looked at published a price we could count.
Estimated range, fire and smoke	$6,375 to $19,400 per job	Estimated range, not a quote. Built from one national published range, adjusted by the Michigan hazardous materials removal worker median wage ratio (0.94). No Michigan restoration company price is shown, because none of the companies we looked at published a price we could count.
Estimated range, fire and smoke (per square foot)	$3 to $8 per square foot	Estimated range, not a quote. Built from one national published range, adjusted by the Michigan hazardous materials removal worker median wage ratio (0.94). No Michigan restoration company price is shown, because none of the companies we looked at published a price we could count.
Estimated range, sewage cleanup	$1,600 to $16,200 per job	Estimated range, not a quote. Built from one national published range, adjusted by the Michigan hazardous materials removal worker median wage ratio (0.94). No Michigan restoration company price is shown, because none of the companies we looked at published a price we could count.
Estimated range, sewage cleanup (per square foot)	$6 to $16 per square foot	Estimated range, not a quote. Built from one national published range, adjusted by the Michigan hazardous materials removal worker median wage ratio (0.94). No Michigan restoration company price is shown, because none of the companies we looked at published a price we could count.
Estimated range, structural drying	$3 to $13 per square foot, removal and drying together	Estimated range, not a quote. Built from one national published range, adjusted by the Michigan hazardous materials removal worker median wage ratio (0.94). No Michigan restoration company price is shown, because none of the companies we looked at published a price we could count.
Estimated range, burst pipe cleanup	$1,225 to $5,350 per job, water cleanup after the pipe is repaired	Estimated range, not a quote. Built from 3 national published ranges, adjusted by the Michigan hazardous materials removal worker median wage ratio (0.94). No Michigan restoration company price is shown, because none of the companies we looked at published a price we could count.
Estimated range, biohazard	$2,100 to $4,700 per job	Estimated range, not a quote. Built from 2 national published ranges, adjusted by the Michigan hazardous materials removal worker median wage ratio (0.94). No Michigan restoration company price is shown, because none of the companies we looked at published a price we could count.
Hazardous materials removal worker wage, Michigan median	$22.30 an hour	Pay, not price (BLS May 2025, via O*NET OnLine). Nearest occupation; mapping is our inference.
Same occupation, Detroit-Warren-Dearborn median	$22.30 an hour	Pay, not price
Same occupation, Grand Rapids-Wyoming-Kentwood median	$21.82 an hour	Pay, not price

Estimated range, emergency water removal$4 to $9 per square foot

Estimated range, not a quote. Built from 2 national published ranges, adjusted by the Michigan hazardous materials removal worker median wage ratio (0.94). No Michigan restoration company price is shown, because none of the companies we looked at published a price we could count.

Estimated range, water damage$1,225 to $5,350 per job

Estimated range, not a quote. Built from 3 national published ranges, adjusted by the Michigan hazardous materials removal worker median wage ratio (0.94). No Michigan restoration company price is shown, because none of the companies we looked at published a price we could count.

Estimated range, flooded basement$1,700 to $8,900 per job

Estimated range, not a quote. Built from 2 national published ranges, adjusted by the Michigan hazardous materials removal worker median wage ratio (0.94). No Michigan restoration company price is shown, because none of the companies we looked at published a price we could count.

Estimated range, flooded basement (per square foot)$3 to $13 per square foot