How Much Does It Cost To Drill A Water Well?

How much does it cost to drill a water well on your property?

That’s the question I posed to Jerry Bonner, homeowner of an English cottage that he built for himself and his wife last year.

The home is incredible, and the landscaping they installed is on par with the home.

I’ve had several information-filled conversations with Jerry. I always have a plethora of questions for him and he responds in kind.

Here’s some info about digging a well that you’re sure to find helpful if you’re considering putting a well on your property.

Jerry has decades of experience in building feature-laden custom homes for his customers. And he was more than happy to share some of that information with me.

We both have a keen interest in architecture and homebuilding — so I always find myself imposing upon him longer than I probably should, but he doesn’t seem to mind.

Why Drill A Water Well?

I make mention of this because there was a strong need for Jerry to ensure the success of the heavily landscaped yard that he was planning. With water restrictions happening every summer in the metro-Atlanta area, Jerry knew that drilling a water well was the answer.

The well would supply all the water he would need to protect his investment surrounding his home. The well supplies untreated water direct from below the surface for landscaping purposes only.

They receive all of their home-use water from Marietta Water.

How Much Does It Cost To Drill A Water Well?

Plan on spending about $12 per foot (all inclusive) to do it right.

FYI, Jerry’s well went down around 475 feet through solid granite.

But there’s more to drilling a well besides — well — just drilling it. Your cost may be more, or less, depending on many different factors. But there’s your answer. That’s how much it cost to build Jerry’s well.

You have some options for the type of pipe to use for the well casing itself. Jerry chose to use galvanized steel. This would ensure longevity and strength to ward off rust, cracks, leaks, etc. to a much greater extent than most materials available.

TIP: Galvanized steel is a cost-effective material if you plan on keeping your well operational for the long run with minimal maintenance or problems. Each 20 foot section of galvanized pipe is screwed into one another for a solid well.

With all of the pumps, pipe, bladder and labor, Jerry’s water well came with a price tag of around $10,000.

It will pay for itself over the years and it will give the Bonners peace of mind knowing that they don’t have to worry about “Big Brother” looking over their shoulder every time they water plants.

A wise investment, indeed!

More About Drilling A Well

In addition to the links I’ve included above, here are some additional resources to help you drill a water well on your property:

About Randy

Writing a home building blog that chronicles new homes during different phases of construction from a consumers' point-of-view is rather unique and loads of fun. Basically, my tips are a collection of checklists for what I think should (and should not) go into building a quality home. So let's have fun seeing what's new in the housing market these days!

SAID

I AM LOOKING FOR SMALL WATER WELL DRILLING
bair welldrilling

in are parts a 6in steel well is 50 to 60$ A foot +drive shoe +well lid+well seal is added on to
Jacob Eversole

I want to house at least 6 modular homes to run off one well.
Johnwilson

I know a man that is renting a trailer where he only dug 50′ into his well. The people there never have any water and he should have this place condemned but they have no place to move. It is terrible.
Einstein

So, if it’s $12 a foot all inclusive and his well was 475 feet deep, how did he spend $10,000?
Randy

Hey Einstein…$12/ft. is a generality for what it will cost for most wells to be completed.. Please notice that I also mentioned that Jerry spent extra on some options, including galvanized steel well casing. I’m certain that there were a few extras that he didn’t mention to me when he threw that figure out there.
Rational νεόφυτος

This was helpful for a house we’re considering.
- Randy
  
  Thanks Rv
Cbair56

How can you drill a well for $12.00 a foot when 6in casing is 11.14 a foot and fuel is 4.14 a gall =15.28? Wo labor.
- Randy
  
  Cbair56…this article was written several years ago when gas was cheaper and parts were probably cheaper, too. Also, you’ll notice that I say that your costs may vary dependent upon your particular situation. The costs I gave at the time of publishing were accurate.
Cbair56

In northern it the Wells are around $t50.00 a foot . I hope this hellps.
Ron B

Until Big Brother starts taxing them for the water they get from their own well. Already been done in Florida.
john

all depends in your location,my mother and fathers place thr well is around 35 ft deep, and have no problem with thr well.
john

oh yea so is other houses in that location
suburban_j

The well in your example costs $10,000. If I invest $10,000 at 10% per year (less than average stock market return), I will make $1000/yr. This is about double my annual water bill total in the Detroit area (about 200 gallons per day consumption, family of 4) for city water. The well will never pay for itself. Wells also require dealing with a water softener (buying salt, etc.) Seems to me that a well is more of a prepper item than a necessity.
- Tim Jones
  
  Until the City water goes off….
  - Guest
    
    Water in my village is costing us almost $200/month and we live 5 minutes outside of London Ontario.
    That one would pay for itself for me in 8 years.
- Jean
  
  You just based savings on the stock market… Your assumption that you base your entire response on is that you’ll make 1000.00 a year for every 10,000. Please do share this confirmed and guaranteed method with the rest of us and personally back it to show it’s not for the show of argument. So you admit your paying 500.00 a year for water. So I think you’ve proved his point that the well will pay for itself many times over. And also, he owns his water, you don’t. And his water is not at the whims of government, the city or companies. Yours is.
  - Kendrick
    
    Lol yah plus what he doesn’t understand is that it also increases your property value when you decide to sell.
deborah billups

Do you have an idea how much it would cost to drill a well on land in Fraser idaho? Or some one who does
Ericka Austring

Sweetwater country, Wyoming I will need drilling water ground I would like funds monthly payments 10,000. 00 if you accept my savings account up never refund until everything water is turning on ! I may pay more money if I had to go because I plan for people camping trip in my acres maybe I get 200 acres my agency in Colorado is working with me. Once drill once 10.000 ? I am deaf I hope that We deaf and hearing people together ! Buffet cafe cabin restaurant camping ? I get deaf people jobs !
Amy

It costs $67 a foot for a well in WA. $12 a foot is nothing, you guys got a hell of a deal.