How a sump pump moves water out
A pump sits in a pit and starts when a float rises, pushing water through a discharge line outdoors. A check valve on that line stops the water running back into the pit.
A pump stops when the power does, so ask about a battery backup.
What a sump pump install costs in Florida
An installed sump pump comes to $620 to $1,950 installed on our model, from 3 national published ranges adjusted to Florida pay. It is an estimate, not a quote, and it counts no permit fee.
| Item | Figure | What it is |
|---|---|---|
| Estimated range, not a quote | $620 to $1,950 installed | Built from 3 national published ranges, adjusted by the Florida plumber wage ratio (0.78). Four Florida plumbing 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. |
| Plumber wage, Florida mean | $26.94 an hour | Mean hourly pay of a Florida plumber per BLS (May 2025), apart from any company's billing rate. |
Estimated range. Built from national published ranges (3 sources), adjusted by Florida's plumber wage ratio to the US (0.78, BLS May 2025), plus the local permit fee where the city publishes one. Not a quote. Four Florida plumbing 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.
Fix the pump, or buy a new one?
A stuck float or a clogged intake is a service call. A pump that no longer starts, or one past the age its maker lists, is worth pricing as a replacement.
- The float sticks or the intake is clogged.
- The pump runs but the check valve has failed.
- The motor no longer starts.
- The pit has cracked or collapsed.
Florida storm records since 2023
OpenFEMA lists 13 distinct Florida disaster declarations dated from January 1, 2023, among them DR-4709 (April 2023 severe storms, tornadoes and flooding) and the Idalia, Debby, Helene and Milton declarations of 2023 and 2024. The most recent, EM-3655, is dated October 9, 2026.
NOAA's 1991-2020 normals give annual precipitation of 53.40 inches in Jacksonville, 49.48 in Tampa, 51.45 in Orlando, 58.81 in Tallahassee and 67.41 in Miami.
Where the discharge line ends
No Florida agency page behind this site sets a sump pump or sewer-backup rule, so ask your city or county where a discharge line may end (the yard, the street or a storm drain) before a company runs it.
A pit and discharge line are dug work, and Sunshine 811 needs notice two full business days ahead of any excavation (556.105).
Water that can't wait
- Water is rising in the pit or the basement and the pump is silent.
- Water is near the electrical panel or an outlet.
- A pump that runs but cycles more often after rain.
- A noisy pump with a dry floor.
Before you call
- Pour a bucket of water into the pit and watch whether the pump starts and empties it.
- Check that the pump is plugged in and its outlet has power.
- Look at where the discharge pipe ends and whether water flows back toward the house.
- Note the pump make and horsepower on its label.
Will a Florida sump pump install need a permit?
Section 553.79 puts permits with your city or county building department, and each department must post its permit application types on its website.
Ask that department whether a pit and a discharge line are permitted work.
Before any work starts, ask for the company's plumbing contractor license number and search it on DBPR's license search.
Questions people ask
Who decides where the discharge line can go?
Your city or county. Ask its building department before the line is run, since Florida's permit statute leaves permits to local offices (553.79).
What does a sump pump cost in Florida?
$620 to $1,950 installed installed, by our estimate. No Florida company price was counted for this job, so the figure rests on national ranges scaled to Florida pay.
Does a sump pump need a permit?
Ask your building department. Section 553.79 puts permits with the local department, so the office for your address answers.
Has Florida had federal storm declarations lately?
FEMA lists 13 declarations since 2023. OpenFEMA's Florida declarations from 2023 include April 2023 floods and the Idalia, Debby, Helene and Milton storms.
Do I need to call 811 before digging a pit?
Yes, two full business days before excavation. Section 556.105(1)(a) requires notice at least two full business days before excavation or demolition not beneath state waters.
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS May 2025: Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters (SOC 47-2152), Florida, mean hourly wage Read Oct 24, 2026.
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS May 2025: Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters (SOC 47-2152), United States, mean hourly wage Read Oct 24, 2026.
- PlumberMatch: how we estimate costs, Florida (editorial policy) Read Oct 24, 2026.
- Fla. Stat. 553.79 (2025), Permits; applications; issuance; inspections Read Oct 24, 2026.
- OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations Summaries v2 Read Oct 24, 2026.
- NOAA NCEI 1991-2020 Annual/Seasonal Normals: Jacksonville Intl Read Oct 24, 2026.
- NOAA NCEI 1991-2020 Annual/Seasonal Normals: Tampa Intl Read Oct 24, 2026.
- NOAA NCEI 1991-2020 Annual/Seasonal Normals: Orlando Intl Read Oct 24, 2026.
- NOAA NCEI 1991-2020 Annual/Seasonal Normals: Tallahassee Read Oct 24, 2026.
- NOAA NCEI 1991-2020 Annual/Seasonal Normals: Miami Intl Read Oct 24, 2026.
- Fla. Stat. 556.105 (2025), Procedures; Sunshine 811 home page Read Oct 24, 2026.