Data recovery pricing is confusing because the range is enormous — from $50 to well over $1,000 — and most services won't tell you the price until after they've looked at your drive. Here's what actually drives the cost so you know what to expect before you call anyone.
The two types of data loss
Almost every data recovery situation falls into one of two categories, and which one you're in determines the price range almost entirely.
Logical failure — the drive is physically fine, but the data is inaccessible because of software corruption, accidental deletion, a failed partition, or a bad OS install. The drive still spins, it's just confused. This is the most common case and the most recoverable. A shop with the right tools can often get everything back for $50–$150.
Physical failure — the drive itself is damaged. It was dropped, got wet, won't spin, makes clicking or grinding noises, or was exposed to fire or extreme heat. This requires a cleanroom lab environment and specialized equipment. Professional cleanroom recovery starts around $300 and commonly runs $500–$1,500 depending on the damage.
What we charge
At Howard Resource Group, data recovery is $49.99 for logical failures — and if we can't recover anything, there's no charge. We're honest upfront about whether your situation looks like a logical or physical problem, so you're not surprised. If your drive has physical damage that requires a lab, we'll tell you that before starting and can point you toward a specialist.
Signs you have a logical problem (recoverable locally)
- The computer still recognizes the drive but says it needs to be formatted
- Files disappeared after a bad Windows update or OS reinstall
- You accidentally deleted something or emptied the Recycle Bin
- The drive shows up but files or folders are missing
Signs you have a physical problem (needs a lab)
- Clicking, grinding, or scraping sounds when the drive spins up
- Drive was dropped, especially while running
- Water, flood, or fire exposure
- Drive doesn't show up at all, even in Disk Management
- Burning smell
What to do right now
Stop using the drive immediately. Every write operation — even just booting to the same drive — can overwrite the data you're trying to recover. If it's a secondary drive, unplug it. If it's your main drive and the machine won't boot without it, leave it off until you've talked to someone. The less you do to it, the better the odds.
We're in Dawsonville
We serve all of North Georgia — Cumming, Dahlonega, Gainesville, Canton, Jasper, and surrounding areas. Logical data recovery is $49.99 — no charge if we can't get your files back. Call (706) 203-2563 or learn more about our data recovery service.