$300 – $600That is the typical garbage disposal replacement cost for a new unit plus a plumber to install it, according to Fixr, which puts the average at $500 for a ½ HP stainless steel batch-feed model. This Old House gives an average of $400 to $500 inside a wider $150 to $950 range, and Empire Home Protect says most homeowners pay $300 to $450. The unit’s horsepower and whether the sink already has a suitable outlet move the price most.
Swapping a disposal is a short job. Fixr counts about three hours of plumber time and This Old House says one to four hours, so labor is a large share of the bill. In Fixr’s $500 example, roughly $300 is the plumber. This guide sets the published numbers side by side: unit price by horsepower, what a plumber or handyman charges, how a swap differs from a first-time install, and when a repair is enough.
Garbage disposal cost by horsepower
| Motor size | Fixr (unit only) | This Old House (unit only) | Bob Vila (older, unit only) |
|---|---|---|---|
| ⅓ HP | $50 – $150 (1–2 people) | $75 – $150 | $75 – $200 (⅓ or ½ HP) |
| ½ HP | $100 – $225 (1–4 people) | — | see above |
| ¾ HP | $175 – $300 (3–6 people) | $100 – $250 | — |
| 1 HP | $200 – $400 (5–8 people) | $200 – $500 | $200 – $500 |
| 2 HP | — | $300 – $1,000 | — |
Bigger is not always better. Fixr and Bob Vila both tie motor size to household size, with ⅓ to ½ HP for one or two people and 1 HP for five to eight. Material and feed type matter as well: This Old House lists batch-feed units at $200 to $650 and continuous-feed at $75 to $500, while Bob Vila’s older page puts aluminum at $75 to $300 and stainless steel at $400 to $1,100. Fixr’s cheapest example project is $200 (a ⅓ HP aluminum unit with an existing outlet) and its most expensive is $750 (a ¾ HP stainless batch-feed unit with a new outlet).
| Motor size | Plumbing Price Guide (installed) | Empire Home Protect (installed) |
|---|---|---|
| ⅓ HP | $200 – $300 | $150 – $250 |
| ½ HP | $250 – $375 | $200 – $350 |
| ¾ HP | $300 – $450 | $200 – $375 |
| 1 HP | $400 – $575 | $200 – $400 |
| 1.25 – 1.5 HP | $575 – $750 | — |
The two guides agree on the small units and split on 1 HP. Empire’s $200 to $400 for a fully installed 1 HP disposal is the same as Fixr’s unit-only price for that size, so it looks low next to the others and the page does not explain how it was built.
Our estimate: for a ½ or ¾ HP unit, the two installed tables above run from $200 to $450. Fixr’s $500 average (a stainless batch-feed unit with about three hours of plumber time) and Homewyse’s $493 to $578 for a ¾ HP continuous-feed unit in May 2026 sit above that, so budget toward $500 if your quote includes a premium unit or a plumber with a high hourly rate. This is a range we combined from published figures, not a measured price.
Estimate your garbage disposal replacement cost
Our estimate: the published ranges above multiplied out for your inputs. Not a quote. Installed prices by motor size from Plumbing Price Guide (May 2026); extras from Fixr (January 2025). Empire Home Protect (September 2026) is lower for 3/4 HP and 1 HP. Your local plumber rate and the unit you pick will change the result. State adjustment: BLS construction wages (May 2025), applied to an assumed 50% labor share. How we calculate
What a plumber charges to install a disposal
| Source | Labor figure | What it covers |
|---|---|---|
| Fixr | $75 – $200 per hour | Master plumber; a typical install is about 3 hours at $125, roughly $300 |
| Fixr | $50 – $125 per hour ($150 – $375 total) | Handyman |
| Fixr | $120 – $360 | Electrician labor for an installation |
| This Old House | Up to $150 per hour | Licensed plumber; install takes 1 to 4 hours |
| This Old House | $50 – $75 per hour | Handyperson |
| Plumbing Price Guide | $120 – $200 | Independent local plumber, replacement |
| Plumbing Price Guide | $149 – $189 | Lowe’s ($149 – $185) and Home Depot ($159 – $189) installation |
| Plumbing Price Guide | $75 – $150 | Handyman or unlicensed installer |
| InspectandTest | $150 – $350 | Labor only for a swap when you supply the unit |
| Empire Home Protect | $100 – $250 | Labor on a replacement |
Per-job labor figures run from about $75 to $375. Plumbing Price Guide adds that after-hours or weekend service adds $75 to $150 and a service-call fee is $65 to $125, so ask whether the quote includes the trip. For wage context, the Bureau of Labor Statistics reports a median of $30.67 an hour ($63,800 a year) for plumbers, pipefitters and steamfitters in May 2025 (BLS). That is what a plumber earns, not what a company bills you.
Swap vs first-time install
| Job | Fixr | InspectandTest | Empire Home Protect |
|---|---|---|---|
| Like-for-like swap, installed | $350 – $700 (remove old unit and install new) | $250 – $700 for a ⅓ to ¾ HP unit; $500 – $1,000 for 1 HP or more | $300 – $450 standard replacement |
| Swap, labor only | — | $150 – $350 | $100 – $250 |
| First-time install or complex job | — | $500 – $1,500 or more | $453 or more (new wiring or plumbing changes) |
A swap reuses the sink opening, drain connection and outlet. A first-time install may need all three. InspectandTest says electrical work can “easily cost more than the disposal itself” and lists add-ons such as an air switch, flange, P-trap parts or a new circuit at roughly $50 to $600 each. Empire also lists a “simple like-for-like swap” at $74 to $200, but does not say what is included, so we left it out of the table.
Power connection changes the price. Fixr puts a corded unit at $300 to $450 installed and a hardwired one at $400 to $600. Some units ship without a cord: InSinkErator’s page for its 3/4 HP Power 900 says it includes a hardwire adapter and no cord, with the cord sold separately (InSinkErator). Check what is in the box before you compare prices.
What adds to the price
| Item | Fixr | This Old House |
|---|---|---|
| New grounded outlet | $120 – $200 | — |
| Sink-top switch system | $75 – $125 (push-button kit alone $30 – $50) | $40 (freestanding push button) |
| Removing an old unit (added to a new installation) | $50 – $100 | — |
| Replace 1½″ drain pipes | $20 – $100 | — |
| Mounting ring replacement | $20 – $35 | — |
| Dishwasher hookup or drain connector | $10 – $20 | $9 – $15 |
| Splash baffle | — | $5 – $13 |
| Anti-jam wrench | — | $7 – $10 |
If you are also replacing the sink or faucet, Fixr puts a sink plus disposal installation at $700 to $1,600 and This Old House puts faucet plus disposal at $410 to $1,300. On a septic system, Plumbing Price Guide lists a ¾ HP InSinkErator Evolution Septic Assist at $440 to $545 installed, against $345 to $445 for the ¾ HP Evolution Compact.
Repair or replace?
| Problem | Fixr repair guide | Plumbing Price Guide |
|---|---|---|
| Typical repair | $100 – $250, average $200 | $75 – $250, average $150 |
| Jammed impeller | — | $75 – $150 |
| Minor leak (gasket or sink flange) | $60 – $100 | $100 – $175 |
| Will not turn on, electrical | $100 – $300 | $100 – $250 |
| Will not turn on, burnt-out motor | $200 – $400 | — |
| Humming, no rotation | — | $80 – $175 |
| Leak from the bottom of the housing, or bearing failure | — | Replacement required, $200 – $575 |
Fixr says disposals last 10 to 12 years, and This Old House says about 10. Fixr suggests replacing when the unit is near the end of its life, underpowered, has had multiple problems recently, or when you are remodeling the kitchen. Plumbing Price Guide says to replace when the repair quote is over 50% of a comparable new installed price and the unit is over 6 years old, or on any failure once the unit is 10 years or older. A leak from the bottom of the housing also means replacement.
Our arithmetic: Fixr’s burnt-out-motor repair of $200 to $400 against its $500 average replacement means a motor repair can reach about 80% of a new installed unit. At that point a new disposal with a fresh warranty is the better use of money. A simple jam or a $60 to $100 gasket leak is clearly worth fixing. Also rule out a clog first: Fixr lists clearing a slow-draining kitchen sink at $250 to $400 as a separate cost.
How to keep the bill down
- Match the motor to the household. Fixr lists ⅓ to ½ HP for one to four people; a 1 HP unit costs $200 to $400 for the unit alone against $50 to $225 for those sizes.
- Buy the unit yourself if the installer allows it. InspectandTest puts labor-only swaps at $150 to $350 and contractor-supplied swaps at $250 to $700.
- Check for an outlet under the sink. Fixr’s $200 low-end project assumes an existing outlet, and a new grounded one adds $120 to $200.
- Compare the store installer with a local plumber. Plumbing Price Guide lists $149 to $189 at Lowe’s and Home Depot against $120 to $200 for an independent plumber.
- Do it yourself only if you are comfortable with wiring and drain fittings. Empire says a DIY swap saves the $100 to $250 labor charge.
Questions to ask before you sign
- Is the disposal included in the price, and which motor size, brand and warranty?
- Does the quote cover removing and hauling off the old unit?
- Is there an outlet and switch, or will the job need electrical work and who does it?
- Are the dishwasher connection and drain fittings included?
- Is there a service-call or after-hours fee?
For more on vetting the person you hire, read how to find a contractor.
More plumbing and kitchen costs
A disposal is often replaced alongside other plumbing work. See our guides to water heater replacement cost, toilet installation cost, whole-house repipe cost and, if the sink is being redone, kitchen remodel cost.
Sources
- Fixr, Garbage Disposal Installation Cost, updated January 31, 2025.
- Fixr, Garbage Disposal Repair Cost, updated August 29, 2025.
- This Old House, Garbage Disposal Installation Cost, updated 06/07/2026.
- Bob Vila, How Much Does Garbage Disposal Installation Cost?, updated July 8, 2022 (older).
- Plumbing Price Guide, Garbage Disposal Repair Cost, last updated May 22, 2026.
- InspectandTest, Garbage Disposal Installation Cost: Typical 2026 Price Ranges, October 18, 2026.
- Empire Home Protect, Garbage Disposal Replacement Cost in 2026, September 10, 2026.
- Homewyse, Cost to Install a Garbage Disposal, May 2026.
- InSinkErator, Power 900, 3/4 HP Garbage Disposal, product page.
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Outlook Handbook: Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters, pay data for May 2025.
