I’m not being dramatic—I’ve seen it happen. A guy quotes you $4,000 for the drilling, but once they hit bedrock, they switch to a “rock bit” that costs extra. Then the water is 300 feet down, so the pump needs a boost. Suddenly, your $4,000 well is a $14,000 well. Jim’s finished well? Total: $12,500. And he still had to rent a soil tester for the septic system. Live and learn, or pay and weep.
But here’s the twist—if your property already has a well casing from a previous owner, you can sometimes “redrill” or deepen it for half the cost. Always check county records first. It’s like finding leftover pizza in the fridge.
Drill Cost Per Hole at Kevin Davidson blog
When is it actually worth it?
If you live in a rural area where city water hookups cost $20,000 or more, drilling a well is a no-brainer. You’ll pay back the investment in 5 to 10 years if you use a lot of water. But if you’re in a residential neighborhood where the city line is 50 feet away? Please, just pay the water bill. Your sanity is worth more than the maintenance of a pump.
One more secret: well water is often better quality—no chlorine, no additives. But you become the utility company. When the power goes out, your water goes out too. When the pump dies at 2 a.m. on a Saturday? That’s your problem, not the city’s. You wanted independence? You got it.
