Ann Arbor particulars
Ann Arbor's public works page gives one number for four problems: for sanitary sewer back-ups, sewage leaks, plugged storm drains or basement flooding, call 734.794.6320 on weekdays from 7:30 to 5:30, and after hours call the Water Treatment Plant at 734.994.2840. Public Works is at 4251 Stone School Road. The same page says all stormwater is discharged untreated to the Huron River and its tributaries, which matters if you are pumping out a basement and wonder where the water goes.
The city has 121,179 residents, 64.3 percent of homes predate 1980, and the median home is worth $435,100, the highest among the 30 largest cities. Washtenaw County was named in the 2021 storm declaration, DR-4607, and again in the April 2026 one, DR-4925. Building permits come from Building, Rental and Inspection Services at 301 E. Huron St, 734-794-6263, a line the city lists among its staff numbers, so confirm it before you call.
Neither a footing drain disconnection page nor a fire-repair permit rule turned up on the pages we read. Ypsilanti, South Lyon and Wayne are the nearest places we cover.
Water damage in Ann Arbor: what to know
For basement flooding, sewer back-ups or sewage leaks, public works answers on weekdays at 734.794.6320, and after hours the Water Treatment Plant takes calls at 734.994.2840. The building office, 734-794-6263, handles permits for rebuilding. Washtenaw County was named in the 2021 and April 2026 federal declarations, and the median home here is worth $435,100, so a rebuild scope can be large and your insurer's review thorough.
Keep your own record too, because the city's staff and your insurer will each ask what you saw and when.
At these home values, the inventory DIFS asks for matters. List each damaged item with quantity, description, actual cash value and amount of loss, and attach the photographs. Keep damaged items until the insurer says you may discard them.
Permits for water damage in Ann Arbor
Water damage restoration is not one of the crafts in Michigan's residential maintenance and alteration license (MCL 339.2404), so we found no state license for the drying itself.
Many cities run their own building department, so start by asking the City of Ann Arbor building department who issues restoration permits.
When water damage cannot wait
- Water is still coming in or standing in rooms.
- Water is near outlets, the panel, a furnace or an appliance.
- Sewage is involved, or you cannot tell where the water came from.
- A ceiling is sagging, a wall is bulging, or the house smells musty after two days.
- A stain from an old leak that has been dry for some time, with no soft or musty material. Photograph it for your insurer first.
- A dry cosmetic repair after the insurer has inspected.
Your first hour, in order
Try this first: photograph the damage, then call your insurer and say water damage.
- If you smell gas or see smoke, leave and call 911, then call your gas utility from outside. DTE is (800) 947-5000 and Consumers Energy is 800-477-5050.
- Stay off wet electrical equipment, and do not stand in water to reach the panel. Turn off power to the wet area only if it is safe.
- Stop the water at the source if you can, and move small valuables and electronics out of the wet area.
- Before you clean, photograph and film the damage and list the wet belongings. Hold on to damaged items until the insurer says otherwise.
- Call your insurer, say you have water damage and ask what coverage is available, and keep notes of every call.
- After that, request a company on the form and keep your receipts.
What water damage costs
The estimate below is the Michigan-wide one, adjusted for Michigan wages and not for Ann Arbor in particular. The same table is on the water damage page. How we estimate costs. Prices as of Oct 19, 2026.
| Item | Figure | What it is |
|---|---|---|
| Estimated range, not a quote | $1,225 to $5,350 per job | 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. |
| Hazardous materials removal worker wage, Michigan median | $22.30 an hour (middle half of workers: $19.66 to $26.65) | What the nearest federal occupation is paid (BLS May 2025, read through O*NET OnLine), not what you are charged. BLS has no water or fire restoration occupation. |
| Same occupation, Detroit-Warren-Dearborn median | $22.30 an hour (middle half: $19.83 to $27.17) | Pay, not price. Mapping to restoration crews is our inference. |
| Same occupation, Grand Rapids-Wyoming-Kentwood median | $21.82 an hour (middle half: $19.66 to $27.50) | Pay, not price. |
| Insurer water damage and freezing claims, national average paid | $15,400 per claim; 1.50 claims per 100 insured homes | Insurance Information Institute, ISO data 2019 to 2023. National, not Michigan. The category includes mold damage if covered. |
How we estimate costs: the Estimated range row is a model, not a quote. It takes 3 published national ranges for this job (cost guides from third-party sites that we have not verified and do not cite) and multiplies them by Michigan's hazardous materials removal worker median wage ratio to the US (0.94, BLS May 2025 data read through O*NET OnLine), the nearest federal occupation to a restoration crew. The wage rows in the table are what that occupation is paid, which is not a price. Restoration is priced from measured damage and equipment and is often paid by an insurer, so a real quote can land outside the range. We have not collected quotes, and we found no Michigan restoration company that publishes a price we could count. Full method.
Questions about water damage
What is the difference between mitigation and restoration?
Mitigation stops further damage, and restoration puts the home back. DIFS says most policies require reasonable steps to prevent further damage, which is the mitigation part, and permanent repairs wait until the insurer has inspected or says to proceed.
How long does it take to dry out walls after water damage?
No source we could read states a drying time, so we cannot give one. EPA's 24 to 48 hours is the window to dry water-damaged areas and items to prevent mold growth, not the time drying takes. Ask the company for a drying log that shows moisture readings on each visit.
How do I get insurance to pay for water damage in Michigan?
Report it promptly, say you have water damage, document everything, and keep receipts. DIFS says to notify your insurer as soon as possible, take reasonable steps to limit the loss, cooperate as the policy requires, and give an inventory of damaged belongings. If the insurer is slow, DIFS takes complaints at 877-999-6442.