137 Water Damage Restoration Industry Statistics October 2026

Updated 137 primary-source citationsRefreshed monthly

On this page
  1. Key Takeaways
  2. Which Government Codes Cover Restoration Work?
  3. How Big Is the Water Restoration Industry?
  4. How Many Restoration Firms Operate in the US?
  5. How Many People Work in Restoration?
  6. What Do Restoration Workers Earn?
  7. How Small Is the Typical Restoration Shop?
  8. Do a Few Large Companies Hold Most of the Revenue?
  9. Which States Have the Most Restoration Firms?
  10. Who Are the Franchise and National Restoration Players?
  11. How Much Restoration Work Is Driven by Insurance?
  12. Which Standards and Licenses Govern Restoration Work?
  13. Methodology and Sources

Water damage restoration industry statistics are harder to find than they should be, because the federal government has no single code for the work. Mold cleanup sits in one code and fire and flood rebuilds sit in construction codes. This page builds the best picture from the sources that do publish: the Census Bureau, the Bureau of Labor Statistics, a public company filing, the standards body and the companies themselves.

The numbers below are for remediation and restoration work in the United States, mostly NAICS 562910, which is the closest federal code. It is a proxy, not a headcount of dryout crews. Where a figure covers more than water damage, the text says so. Every figure is dated and linked to the file or page it came from.

For a plumbing shop, the point is simple. The restoration trade is mostly small firms, it has been growing, and the big brands sell to insurers, who want clear estimates and records. That is the same ground a plumber covers on a burst pipe call.

For the wider trade, see plumbing industry numbers. For how often homes are hit and what claims pay, see water damage claims and water damage causes in homes.

Key Takeaways

Which Government Codes Cover Restoration Work?

No single code covers the trade, so any total is a proxy. The code used most often here, 562910, is the best available, and it is a partial view.

Water damage restoration industry statistics: NAICS codes where restoration work is filed, with SBA size limits Figure 1: Restoration work is split across remediation and construction codes, and each carries a different small-business limit. Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2022 NAICS Index File, Jul 2026, and 13 CFR 121.201 via eCFR, Oct 2026. Table assembled by this site from both sources, captured 21 Oct 2026.

What does NAICS 562910 include?

  • Code 562910 covers remediation and cleanup of contaminated buildings, mine sites, soil or ground water, plus asbestos, lead paint and other toxic material abatement (Census Bureau, NAICS, Jul 2026).
  • Mold remediation services are indexed to 562910 (Census Bureau, NAICS, Jul 2026).
  • Disaster recovery services such as cleanup and salvaging, without remediation, are indexed to 562998 instead (Census Bureau, NAICS, Jul 2026).

How does the SBA size limit compare across these codes?

  • The SBA small-business limit for remediation services is $25.0 million in average annual receipts (eCFR, 13 CFR 121.201, Oct 2026).
  • Residential remodelers, which hold single-family fire and flood restoration by general contractors, have a $45.0 million limit (eCFR, 13 CFR 121.201, Oct 2026).
  • All other miscellaneous waste management services, which hold disaster recovery work, have a $16.5 million limit (eCFR, 13 CFR 121.201, Oct 2026).
  • Plumbing, heating and air-conditioning contractors have a $19.0 million limit (eCFR, 13 CFR 121.201, Oct 2026).

How Big Is the Water Restoration Industry?

Receipts rose sharply between the last two censuses. The numbers below are nominal dollars, so part of the gain is price growth.

US remediation services receipts of $16.08 billion in 2017 and $22.74 billion in 2022 Figure 2: Receipts at remediation firms grew 41% in five years, from $16.08 billion to $22.74 billion in nominal dollars. Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Economic Census 2022, Dec 2024, and Economic Census 2017, Jun 2020. Chart drawn by this site from the source files, captured 21 Oct 2026.

How much do remediation firms pay out?

How does it compare with the wider waste and remediation group?

  • The whole remediation and other waste management services group (NAICS 5629) had $41.07 billion in 2022 receipts (Census Bureau, Economic Census, Dec 2024).
  • The sister code for miscellaneous waste services (562998), which holds disaster recovery work, had $3.59 billion in receipts and 1,279 firms (Census Bureau, Economic Census, Dec 2024).

What do wages add up to?

How Many Restoration Firms Operate in the US?

The count has climbed for a decade, with a small dip in 2023. Federal programs count differently, so use each one for its own trend.

Employer establishments in NAICS 562910, 4,103 in 2012 to 5,826 in 2023 Figure 3: Employer establishments in the closest federal code rose about 42% from 2012 to 2023, with 2023 slightly below 2022. Source: U.S. Census Bureau, County Business Patterns, Jun 2025. Chart drawn by this site from the 2012 to 2023 source files, captured 21 Oct 2026.

How many establishments are there by year?

What does the BLS count?

How many disaster recovery establishments sit next door?

How Many People Work in Restoration?

About 100,000 people are on payrolls in the closest code, and the trend points up. Workforce data for the trade itself is thin, so the occupation figures below come from the hazmat removal job, which is the nearest match.

Employees at NAICS 562910 firms, 75,028 in 2012 to 91,239 in 2023 Figure 4: Paid employment in the closest federal code grew from 75,028 to 91,239 between 2012 and 2023, with a dip in 2021. Source: U.S. Census Bureau, County Business Patterns, Jun 2025. Chart drawn by this site from the 2012 to 2023 source files, captured 21 Oct 2026.

How many employees do the Census files show?

What does the BLS show?

How many hazmat removal workers are there?

What Do Restoration Workers Earn?

Pay varies a lot by state. The industry average is well above what a hazmat removal worker makes, because the code covers other jobs too.

Average annual pay in NAICS 562910 in 2025: US $86,072, Washington $110,200, Texas $83,754 Figure 5: Average pay is $26,446 higher in Washington than in Texas for the same federal code. Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, Aug 2026. Chart drawn by this site from the 2025 annual averages, captured 21 Oct 2026.

How much is average pay across the industry?

How do pay levels differ by state?

What do hazmat removal workers earn?

How Small Is the Typical Restoration Shop?

Small. Nearly half of establishments have fewer than 5 employees, and the Census shows firms of that size account for only a sliver of revenue. A shop with a handful of people is the norm, not the exception.

Employer establishments in NAICS 562910 by employee count in 2023, from under 5 to 250 to 499 Figure 6: Establishment counts fall steadily as size rises, from 2,741 with fewer than 5 employees to 11 with 250 to 499. Source: U.S. Census Bureau, County Business Patterns, Jun 2025. Chart drawn by this site from the 2023 source file, captured 21 Oct 2026.

How many establishments have 5 or more employees?

How many firms are small, counted by company?

How much revenue does a typical firm earn?

Do a Few Large Companies Hold Most of the Revenue?

Not most, but a lot. A tiny group of big firms takes a third of the money, while the many small shops split a small share. That is the gap a small shop is competing against.

Share of firms and share of receipts in NAICS 562910 by company size in 2022 Figure 7: Firms with fewer than 5 employees are 49.3% of firms and 5.5% of receipts, while firms with 500 or more employees are 1.8% of firms and 33.8% of receipts. Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Statistics of U.S. Businesses 2022, Apr 2025. Shares calculated by this site from the source file, captured 21 Oct 2026.

What do the largest firms look like?

What does the biggest public owner say about the market?

Which States Have the Most Restoration Firms?

California, Florida, Texas and New York lead on both firm counts and revenue, but the order changes with the measure. Florida has more establishments than New York and about half the revenue.

Employer establishments in NAICS 562910 by state in 2023, California 511, Florida 446, Texas 420 Figure 8: California, Florida and Texas have the most remediation establishments, with New York close behind. Source: U.S. Census Bureau, County Business Patterns 2023 state file, Jun 2025. Chart drawn by this site from the source file, captured 21 Oct 2026.

How many establishments does each state have?

Where are the jobs?

Where is the revenue?

Who Are the Franchise and National Restoration Players?

One franchise system dwarfs the rest, and the national players split into residential franchises and commercial large-loss firms. The private ones publish little financial detail, so the figures here are what the companies state about themselves.

Locations or offices stated by SERVPRO, Paul Davis, 911 Restoration and First Onsite Figure 9: SERVPRO states more than 2,400 locations, more than six times the 372 franchises at Paul Davis. The units differ (locations, franchises, offices), so read the bars as scale only. Source: FirstService, Annual Information Form 2025, Feb 2026, and company websites, Oct 2026. Chart drawn by this site from company statements, captured 21 Oct 2026.

What do SERVPRO and Paul Davis report?

What do the large-loss firms report?

What does BELFOR report?

  • BELFOR describes itself as a $3 billion company (BELFOR, Oct 2026).
  • It operates in 34 countries (BELFOR, Oct 2026).
  • It employs more than 14,000 people (BELFOR, Oct 2026).

How Much Restoration Work Is Driven by Insurance?

Insurance is central to how the big brands sell. No public figure gives the share of jobs paid by a claim, so the evidence here is how the companies describe themselves.

SERVPRO page titled Preferred Vendor for Storm and Water Damage Insurance Claims Figure 10: SERVPRO addresses insurance agents and adjusters directly and sells on lower claims costs and a low loss ratio. Source: SERVPRO, Property Damage Insurance Claims Professionals, Oct 2026. Screenshot of the source page, captured 21 Oct 2026.

How do the brands position themselves to carriers?

  • Paul Davis provides water, fire and mold cleanup and construction rebuild for property damaged by natural or man-made disasters (FirstService, Annual Information Form 2025, Feb 2026).
  • First Onsite lists insurance companies among its blue chip national clients (FirstService, Annual Information Form 2025, Feb 2026).
  • BELFOR’s history page says its predecessor, Quality Awning & Construction, began focusing on insurance work in 1980 (BELFOR, Oct 2026).
  • BELFOR bought INRECON, short for INsurance RECONstruction, in 2001, a firm it says had $180 million in annual sales and 1,000 staff (BELFOR, Oct 2026).

What do carriers require of vendors?

  • SERVPRO says local franchises must agree to 21 requirements to receive insurance referrals (SERVPRO, Oct 2026).
  • It offers a two-year labor warranty and a one-year materials warranty (SERVPRO, Oct 2026).
  • 911 Restoration says its technicians arrive within an average of 45 minutes and document conditions for the insurance claim (911 Restoration, Oct 2026).

What did Florida require of contractors on insurance-paid jobs?

  • For policies issued from July 1, 2019 to before January 1, 2023, an assignment agreement had to include a written, itemized, per-unit cost estimate (Florida Legislature, Dec 2022).
  • It had to let the policyholder cancel without a fee within 14 days (Florida Legislature, Dec 2022).
  • The contractor had to send the insurer a copy within 3 business days (Florida Legislature, Dec 2022).

A job paid by a carrier needs a clear, itemized estimate and a record of what was found and done. That is the daily work of a price book and a quoting tool.

Which Standards and Licenses Govern Restoration Work?

The rules are set by a private standards body, one federal agency guide and a handful of state laws. The standards are voluntary, and insurers and courts lean on them.

IICRC statement of more than 49,000 active certified technicians and 6,500 certified firms Figure 11: The IICRC states its size in its own words: a global body with more than 49,000 active certified technicians and more than 6,500 certified firms. Source: IICRC, About the IICRC, Oct 2026. Screenshot of the source page, captured 21 Oct 2026.

How is the IICRC run?

  • The IICRC was founded in 1972 (IICRC, Oct 2026).
  • Its board has 15 industry leaders elected by shareholders (IICRC, Oct 2026).
  • The board meets four times per year (IICRC, Oct 2026).
  • The Water Damage Restoration Technician certification has no prerequisites (IICRC, Oct 2026).

How often are the standards updated?

  • The ANSI/IICRC S500 water damage standard is in its fifth edition, published in 2021 (IICRC, Oct 2026).
  • The fourth edition came out in 2015 and the first in 1994 (IICRC, Oct 2026).
  • A new S500 consensus body has begun work to revise the 2021 edition (IICRC, Oct 2026).
  • The S520 mold remediation standard reached its fourth edition in 2024 (IICRC, Oct 2026).
  • The S590 standard for assessing HVAC systems after water, fire or mold damage is in its first edition, from 2023 (IICRC, Oct 2026).
  • The S700 fire and smoke damage standard is in its first edition, from 2025 (IICRC, Oct 2026).
  • The S700 standard covers contractor qualifications, administrative requirements and documentation of project events (IICRC, Oct 2026).
  • On February 10, 2026, the S500 consensus body said wind-driven rain and other weather water are not automatically Category 3 water (IICRC, S500 position statement, Feb 2026).

What do the EPA and Florida require?

  • The EPA says a moldy area under about 10 square feet can usually be handled by the owner (EPA, Jun 2026).
  • Florida defines mold assessment as work on mold growth of greater than 10 square feet (Florida Legislature, Oct 2026).
  • Florida requires documented training for mold assessors from July 1, 2011 (Florida Legislature, Oct 2026).

Standards call for records on every job: moisture readings, drying logs and what was replaced. Shops that quote and invoice from the same system keep those records with the price.

Glossary

  • AOB: assignment of benefits, a policyholder signing over insurance claim rights to a contractor.
  • ANSI: American National Standards Institute, which approves consensus standards.
  • CBP: County Business Patterns, the Census Bureau’s yearly count of employer establishments.
  • IICRC: Institute of Inspection Cleaning and Restoration Certification, the standards and certification body for restoration.
  • NAICS: North American Industry Classification System, the federal code list for industries.
  • OEWS: Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, the BLS survey of jobs and pay by occupation.
  • QCEW: Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, the BLS count of jobs and wages from unemployment insurance records.
  • SBA: Small Business Administration.
  • SUSB: Statistics of U.S. Businesses, the Census Bureau series that counts firms by size.
  • WRT: Water Damage Restoration Technician, an IICRC certification.

Methodology and Sources

Every figure comes from the agency, standards body or company that published it, and every link opens the file or page that holds the number. Census and BLS figures were read from the downloaded data files. Government files are dated by their release month. Company, association and statute pages show no publication date, so they carry the month they were read, October 2026. No single federal code isolates water damage restoration, so NAICS 562910 is used as a proxy; it also covers asbestos, lead and mold work, and it leaves out restoration done by general contractors under construction codes. Census and BLS count establishments differently, so their totals do not match, and the Statistics of U.S. Businesses totals differ slightly from the Economic Census because that series blends County Business Patterns with the Economic Census. The page is refreshed monthly.

Sources

Cite this page

Every number here links to the source that published it. Quote any of them with a link to this page or to the source.

plumbingcontractorsoftware.com. "137 Water Damage Restoration Industry Statistics October 2026." October 2026. https://plumbingcontractorsoftware.com/statistics/water-damage-restoration-industry-statistics/
<a href="https://plumbingcontractorsoftware.com/statistics/water-damage-restoration-industry-statistics/">Water Damage Restoration Industry Statistics</a> (plumbingcontractorsoftware.com, October 2026)
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