Sewage cleaning costs can vary wildly, depending on the size and complexity of the job, but calculating these costs can be done quite accurately by a fully qualified and experienced sewage cleaning inspector or restoration professional.
Here are some of the factors that may affect the bottom line:
- The dwell time of the sewage – after a sewage spill, contaminants immediately begin to seep into surrounding materials. The faster the sewage can be extracted, the easier it will be to ensure all the contamination is removed.
- The materials affected – Porous materials such as plaster and carpet often need to be replaced, and removal and disposal of these materials can be quite difficult (especially with very large spills)
- Equipment costs – these are dependent on the size of the spill, how much water has spread, where it has spread to, and whether pressure cleaning or post-cleaning verification testing must occur. Equipment must be cleaned between each job, so these costs can rack up.
- Consumables costs – PPE, HEPA filtration hire out, and more may be required, depending on the size and nature of the spill.
We are able to provide scopes and quotes in Brisbane, and if you fill out our online form (link: here) we can provide you with an estimate ASAP.
FAQ's on Costs
How Much Will a Small Sewage Job Cost Me?
It’s often difficult to tell immediately
It’s often difficult to tell immediately how large a job will be, as the source of sewage is not always clear, and sometimes sewage or blackwater can travel quite a distance inside walls before becoming noticeable on the inside of a room.
However, the smallest and fastest sewage jobs usually involve a small sewage backflow into a concreted or tiled room, such as a bathroom or garage. These can sometimes be very quick, involving simply removing solids and liquids from the area, and sanitising the floor. All up, this may cost roughly $500 AUD or so.
However, complications can make the job larger much quickly, or be difficult and labour-intensive.
What Complications could Affect the Cost of My Sewage Cleanup
Some complications are seen regularly
Some complications are seen regularly and don’t increase the complexity of the job very much. Here’s a list of what complications we regularly see at NLR Sewage Cleanup, ordered (roughly) from least complex or time-consuming to most complex and time-consuming.
- The area is carpeted
- The area has engineered floorboards or vinyl tiling
- The area is wet enough to require drying equipment
- There are multiple rooms
- The liquids have wicked up into gyprock walls
- There are liquids trapped inside the walls
- There are solids trapped inside the walls
- Extra measures are required to prevent cross-contamination
- The liquids have affected a large number of contents
- The building is a high-rise
- The building has multiple building managers or owners with authority over separate areas of the job
- The sewage spill is inside a roof cavity
- The sewage spill is inside the ceiling
- The sewage spill is on a union-controlled building site
- There is a considerable distance from the van to the contaminated area, or there is limited vehicle clearance
- There is no power available from a reasonable distance
- There is no sewage drainage available onsite
- There is no water available onsite
- The sewage spill is in a confined working space
- The sewage spill is very large and is mostly solids
- The Liquids have affected porous antique/historical/sentimental items and need to be restored
- The building is Heritage-listed
- The sewage spill has occurred on non-friable asbestos flooring
- The sewage spill has occurred inside non-friable asbestos ceilings or walls
- The area is in continued use – residential
- The area is in continued use – commercial
- The client is immunocompromised and is required to remain onsite
- The sewage is highly expected to contain infectious diseases
- The sewage spill has occurred inside friable asbestos ceilings or walls
After Sewage Cleanup, What Comes Next and How much does it Cost?
This question depends largely on whether
This question depends largely on whether you made an insurance claim, or if it’s a private job. Insurance claims are handled by insurance companies and third-party assessors, while private jobs are up to you to organise tradespeople to return your home or business to a pre-loss state. This may involve:
- Electricians – to rewire any lights, powerpoints, or other fixtures that were isolated after the spill
- Plumbers – to long-term proof your home against future spills from the same cause
- Plasterers – to re-gyprock any walls or ceilings that were removed to access the sewage
- Carpet fitters or floor layers – to recarpet any areas where carpeting was removed, and to replace any vinyl flooring or floorboards that were removed
- Cabinetmakers or carpenters – to fix furniture or fittings damaged by the sewage
- Other trades for any other repair works
The costs are largely dependent on your location and the availability of trades in your area. However, if you’d like a trades recommendation post-job, please don’t hesitate to call NLR Sewage Cleanup on 1300 070 562.
How Much does it Cost to Get My Property Tested After the Cleanup
You may wish to have post-cleanup
You may wish to have post-cleanup testing to verify that there aren’t harmful microbes surviving on any surfaces. We’re a big fan of this – there are a number of sewage companies in the industry who haven’t got the technical expertise to understand how best to clean up after sewage ingress, risking their clients’ health and not solving the problem in the process. If you’d like to third-party test any sewage cleanup, whether through NLR Sewage Cleanup or another company, please don’t hesitate to ask, and we are happy to recommend a number of companies that are able to test for the presence of e-coli, are able to use adenosine triphosphate (ATP) testing in-house for your piece of mind. Third-party verification testing, depending on the type of test and the company used, may cost anywhere from $30-$80 per sample.