What a sump pump does
The pump sits in a pit below the lowest floor, or on a drain line, and pushes the water it collects out through a discharge pipe. Where that pipe ends matters as much as the pump, so ask where it will run.
An installed sump pump in Texas: our estimate
Our model puts an installed pump at $660 to $2,050 per pump, installed. It isn't a quote. It comes from 3 national published ranges scaled by the Texas construction laborer wage ratio, and no Texas company price for a pump is in it.
| Item | Figure | What it is |
|---|---|---|
| Estimated range, not a quote | $660 to $2,050 per pump, installed | Built from 3 national published ranges, adjusted by the Texas construction laborer wage ratio (0.82). Ten Texas foundation 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 Texas company price for this job), national estimate only. |
| Texas construction laborers, mean per hour | $20.63 an hour | BLS May 2025 mean for the occupation nearest to pump installers in Texas; a wage, which you won't see on a bill. |
| US construction laborers, mean per hour | $25.02 an hour | The same release's national mean, which the Texas mean is divided by. |
Estimated range. Built from national published ranges (3 sources), adjusted by Texas's construction laborer wage ratio to the US (0.82, BLS May 2025). Not a quote. Ten Texas foundation 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 Texas company price for this job, so the range is our national estimate alone. Full method. Prices as of Oct 23, 2026.
What the state list shows
The state's licensing agency, TDLR, lists 41 programs, and foundation repair, structural repair, concrete and general contracting aren't among them.
Pump failures that can't wait
- The pit is filling and the pump isn't running.
- Water has reached an outlet, a power strip or the panel.
- The pit is overflowing in a storm.
- A pump that cycles a lot after rain but keeps the pit empty.
Before you buy a pump
- Fill the pit from a bucket and watch whether the pump kicks on and empties it.
- Find where the discharge pipe ends outside.
- Ask the installer how the pump will be wired and who does the wiring.
Permit position for a sump pump
None of the Texas permit pages behind this site names sump pumps, so ask your building office whether the pump's electrical connection or its discharge line needs a permit.
Texas has no state license for foundation repair, so ask for the contractor's certificate of insurance and call the insurer listed on it before you sign anything.
Questions people ask
What does a sump pump cost in Texas?
We estimate $660 to $2,050 per pump, installed with installation, a model and not a quote. National cost guides scaled to Texas wages are the base. Ask for the pump, the pit and the discharge line as separate lines on the price.
- TDLR: Programs Licensed and Regulated by TDLR Read Oct 23, 2026.
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS May 2025: Construction Laborers (SOC 47-2061), Texas, mean hourly wage Read Oct 23, 2026.
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS May 2025: Construction Laborers (SOC 47-2061), United States, mean hourly wage Read Oct 23, 2026.
- FoundationMatch: how we estimate costs, Texas (editorial policy) Read Oct 23, 2026.
- San Antonio DSD: Residential Permits Read Oct 23, 2026.