Garbage Disposal Cost

• Residential garbage disposals with a 1/3 horsepower (HP) motor cost about $50 -$115; a 1/2 HP model runs around $60 -$180; disposals with a 3/4 HP motor are about $120 -$350; and 1 HP motors can be $150 -$380 depending on brand name and quality of construction.
• Light-duty commercial-grade garbage disposals start around $500 -$2,500 and go up depending on size, brand and features.

• Also called a garbage disposer, a garbage disposal comes in two basic types -- continuous feed, which usually has a wall-mounted switch so the unit keeps running as you drop more waste in; and batch feed, which requires a food cover be in place to operate the unit. Continuous feed is common and the easiest to use; a batch feed model is safer but can be slower to use on large amounts of food waste because you have to process it in batches. An Ohio plumbing supply company provides an overview of garbage disposal types and styles.
• Stainless steel blades are generally preferred because they're less prone to rust. Other good options are overload protection, which turns off the motor if it starts to overheat; an auto-reverse feature to prevent jamming; and a dishwasher-drain connection so food particles from the dirty dishes get ground up in the disposal. And if your house is on a septic system, you'll need a disposal specifically designed to be used with a septic system. AskTheBuilder.com gives an overview of garbage disposals and septic systems.
• Although models vary, installing a garbage disposal generally requires moderate skills plus basic tools. HomeTips.com provides written installation instructions and ThisOldHouse.com offers a how-to video.

• If you can't install the garbage disposal yourself, it's generally not a difficult or time-consuming process and you can usually hire a handyman, for anywhere from $30 -$150 an hour. Installation typically takes about 1-2 hours for a straightforward replacement and 2-3 hours or more if it's necessary to add electrical wiring or plumbing, so installation can cost anywhere from $50 -$450 but generally is about $80 -$150. If your home is not set up for a disposal, hiring a plumber to do the installation usually runs around $100 -$200, but can go as high as $250 -$450. Hiring an electrician to add an electrical outlet can run $70 -$250.
• New models of garbage disposals might need to be hard-wired into a dedicated electrical circuit from the electrical panel; if this isn't available in an older home, hiring an electrician to add a circuit costs around $150 -$250.
• If needed, garbage disposal cleaner-deodorizer products are available at most hardware stores for about $3 -$9.

• Home Depot provides a garbage disposal buying guide.
• Major manufacturers include GE, InSinkErator, KitchenAid, Waste King and Whirlpool.

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