Broward · Miami-Dade · Jacksonville
Garbage Disposal Installation
Garbage disposal installation is the fitting of a new unit under your kitchen sink — replacing one that has quit or adding a disposal where there was none — sized to how your household actually cooks. The right horsepower, a properly seated flange, and aligned connections separate a quiet unit that stays dry for years from one you will be mopping under next spring.
What the job includes
- Sizing guidance before anything is bought — matched to your household, not the priciest box
- Septic-aware recommendations for homes not on city sewer
- Removal and haul-away of the old unit on a swap
- A new sink flange seated in fresh plumber's putty — the most common leak point, done right
- Discharge and dishwasher connections aligned and secured, with new gaskets
- A full leak test with running water, plus a walkthrough of what stays out of it
How you know it’s time
Your current unit leaks from the body
Water seeping from the housing means the internal seals are gone — not repairable. It is how disposals announce retirement.
Resets and jams have become a routine
A unit that needs the red button every few weeks is on borrowed time. Replacing on your schedule beats replacing on the unit's.
The disposal is original to a 2000s-built home
Builder-grade units from that construction wave are past their typical service life. When symptoms start, replacement is usually the honest call.
There is no disposal and you want one
Most kitchen sinks can take a first-time installation. The extra considerations are power to the cabinet and, on septic, the right unit.
When to make the call
The most convenient time is before the old unit quits entirely — when body leaks or weekly resets have made the direction obvious — so you choose the replacement calmly instead of grabbing whatever is in stock the day the kitchen stops. Installation also pairs naturally with a new faucet or sink, when the cabinet is already open. For first-time installs, a quick conversation about your sink, wiring, and septic status is all we need to quote it.
Local knowledge
Garbage Disposal Installation is a different job in Broward than in Jacksonville. We know both.
Broward & Miami-Dade
We install disposals across Broward and Miami-Dade, sized for the household and wired properly, and we check the drain line under the sink while we are there — in older Hollywood and Hialeah kitchens it is often the original galvanized trap arm that needs replacing at the same time.
Jacksonville & the First Coast
The first question we ask about a new disposal in Jacksonville is where the wastewater goes. Plenty of homes in Mandarin and Middleburg still run on septic, and a disposal on septic is workable — but it deserves a septic-rated unit and more restraint in what goes down it, since everything ground up ends up in the tank. On JEA sewer, sizing is purely about the household. And in Nocatee, Oakleaf, and Yulee, builder-grade disposals from the 2000s boom are aging out street by street.
What it looks like
Before we came. After we left.
Pull the handle across. More on the work page.
Questions
Garbage Disposal Installation. Ask us anything.
Last reviewed September 16, 2026
What size garbage disposal do I need?
For most households, a 1/2 to 3/4 horsepower unit is the honest sweet spot — enough for everyday scraps without paying for capacity you will not use. A 3/4 to 1 horsepower unit earns its keep in homes that cook heavily, and higher-end units run quieter. We size to your household and say when the cheaper option is right.
Can I have a garbage disposal with a septic tank?
Yes — homes on septic can run a disposal, which matters here because much of Mandarin and Middleburg is still on septic. The sensible adjustments: choose a septic-friendly unit, be more selective about what goes down it since ground solids end up in your tank, and keep your pumping schedule in mind.
How long does garbage disposal installation take?
A straightforward swap typically takes about an hour, sometimes more if old fittings put up a fight. A first-time installation runs longer because the drain needs reconfiguring and the unit needs power — if there is no switched outlet in the cabinet, an electrician's work comes first, and we say that upfront.
How much does garbage disposal installation cost in Florida?
The total depends on the unit you choose, swap versus first-time install, whether power already exists in the cabinet, and the condition of the existing drain parts — corroded fittings are worth replacing while everything is apart. We separate unit cost from labor in the quote, and the estimate is free.
Do garbage disposals cause plumbing problems?
Not when installed carefully and used sensibly — a properly fitted disposal runs for years without troubling the drain. Problems come from sloppy installation, which shows up as drips, and from treating the unit like a trash can — grease, fibrous peels, and coffee grounds build kitchen-line clogs. A clean install plus a habits briefing prevents nearly all of it.
Also in the family
Serving Broward County, Miami-Dade County, Jacksonville & the First Coast.