We swap out dead or worn sump pumps in crawl spaces and basements, and we clear bathroom sinks and tubs that drain slowly, for homes in Cedar Mill, Beaverton, Bethany and nearby. Around Portland, a pump replacement usually costs $500 to $2,000 with the new pump included, about $1,000 being typical (market data, November 2026) . The full price list has the rest.
Slava has 7 years of hands-on experience.
What drain and sump pump work do we take on?
On the pump side: pulling a failed submersible or pedestal pump out of the pit you already have and setting a new one, replacing a worn check valve or float switch, and strapping a loose discharge pipe back to the framing . On the drain side: bathroom sinks and tubs that hold water because of hair, soap and a gunked-up pop-up stopper.
Some calls belong to other trades. If several drains back up together, or the tub fills when the washer empties, the main sewer line is the problem, and that needs a plumber with a camera and a power auger. French drains, regrading and yard drainage are landscape work. A brand-new circuit for a pump is an electrician's job. A kitchen sink that backs up through the disposal is covered on our disposal and dishwasher page, and the list of work we pass on names the rest.
How much does sump pump replacement or installation cost in the Portland area?
| Job | Portland-area range | Typical | Unit | What the price includes | Labor time in the estimate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sump pump repair and replacement | $500-$2,000 | $1,000 | per job | with materials (the pump is in it; roughly 40 % of the total is parts) | about 6 hours |
| Slow sink or tub drain cleared | $150-$350 | $225 | per job | labor only | about 2 hours |
Market ranges from November 2026, not quotes. A pump swap can take longer in a tight crawl space or with a rusted-in pipe .
The pump itself moves the number most: a basic thermoplastic model costs far less than cast iron, and a battery backup adds parts and time. After that comes access. Working on your belly in a low crawl space is slower than standing in a basement. Reusing a sound discharge line and check valve keeps the bill down, and so does an existing GFCI-protected outlet next to the pit. Digging a first-time pit isn't covered by these figures.
Why do so many west-side crawl spaces have a sump pump?
Many houses built here in the 1960s through the 1980s sit over a crawl space with a dirt floor. Through the wet months, groundwater and runoff drift toward the lowest corner of that dirt, and a pump in a pit at that spot keeps it from turning into a puddle under your floor joists. Searches for sump pump installation in Portland run about 50 a month and climb to around 110 in December, which tells you when people find out theirs has stopped.
Often the cheaper fix is letting less water get under the house at all. Gutters stuffed with Douglas fir needles overflow, and downspouts that empty right at the wall pour roof water straight toward the crawl space, so downspout extensions are worth a look before a bigger pump. If water comes in through a vent or the access hatch, see where water gets into the crawl space.
What kills a sump pump, and how can you tell yours is failing?
The float gets hung up on the pit wall or its own cord. Silt and pebbles get sucked into the intake when the pump sits on loose dirt instead of a solid base. A check valve wears out, so the water in the pipe falls back into the pit and the pump turns on and off every minute. An air-locked pump hums and moves nothing, which is what the small weep hole between pump and valve is there to stop. Age catches up with the rest .
Signs worth a text: it runs in dry weather without stopping, it hums but the pit stays full, it cycles constantly during a storm, the GFCI keeps tripping, or water sits above the float.
You can test it yourself. Leave it plugged in and slowly pour a bucket of water into the pit. The float should rise, the pump should empty the pit and shut off. If nothing happens, check the outlet and its reset button first. Unplug the pump before your hands go anywhere near the pit.
What size sump pump do you need, and is a battery backup worth it?
For a replacement, start with the old pump. Its label gives the horsepower and the outlet size, and pump makers say to match or go above it. Then think about the last big storm: a pump that ran nonstop in December may be too small, while one that kicked on a few times a day is fine at the same size. A submersible pump sits in the water; a pedestal pump stands above it and is easier to reach.
A battery backup earns its cost where heavy rain and a power cut tend to arrive on the same windy night, and where the crawl space holds ductwork or insulation you don't want soaked .
Where should the water from a sump pump go?
Out and away. The discharge should end on ground that slopes off from the house, not at the foundation the water just came from, and not onto a neighbor's yard or a sidewalk. A line that dumps beside the wall means the pump moves the same water twice.
Our area spans Washington County and parts of Portland, and drainage rules aren't the same everywhere, so where a line ends gets checked before anything is rerouted .
Why does a bathroom sink or tub drain keep slowing down?
In a bathroom it's nearly always hair wrapped in soap scum, caught on the pop-up stopper or on the crossbar a few inches below it. That's within reach. We pull the stopper, fish the drain with a barbed plastic strip or a small hand auger, and flush it with hot water. If the trap has to come off, a dried-out washer can start a drip afterward, and that repair falls under faucets, toilets and sinks .
When two or more fixtures slow down at the same time, or a tub gurgles every time the toilet flushes, it isn't the sink. That's the main line, and it goes to a plumber.