When people compare well quotes, the most common mistake is comparing a drilling-only price with a complete-system price. The first is the cost of a hole in the ground; the second is the cost of water at your tap. This page lists every component of a complete installation so you can see what each quote leaves out. It does not quote prices: those depend on your site and should come from written estimates.
What is included in a complete well installation?
A Montana well-owner guide lists items that a written, itemized estimate can include: equipment mobilization, drilling per foot, casing per foot, sealing materials and labor, other materials such as a drive shoe or screen, development, pump testing, grouting, the pump and accessories, disinfection and testing. Montana DNRC well-owner guide (revised 2007) Add the parts between the wellhead and the house and you get the full picture: [MT-DNRC source note]
| Component | Part of a drilling-only quote? | Usually priced as |
|---|---|---|
| Mobilization and setup | Usually | Lump sum |
| Drilling | Yes | Per foot |
| Casing | Yes | Per foot |
| Grouting and sealing | Usually | Lump sum or per foot |
| Screen or drive shoe | Depends on geology | Materials |
| Development and yield test | Varies | Lump sum or hourly |
| Well cap and pitless adapter | Varies | Materials and labor |
| Pump, drop pipe, wire and controls | Often not | Lump sum |
| Pressure tank and fittings | Often not | Lump sum |
| Trench and water line to the house | Often not | Lump sum or per foot |
| Electrical connection | Often not | By an electrician or as quoted |
| Permits, notices and fees | Varies | Fixed fees |
| Disinfection and water test | Varies | Lab fee and service |
| Treatment or storage | Not until tested | Depends on results |
Why should well drilling and installation cost be itemized?
The National Ground Water Association suggests asking for an itemized price list covering drilling, casing, grouting, testing and disinfection instead of a single lump sum, and asking what costs are not included. NGWA: How to Hire a Water Well Contractor Its contract guidelines also recommend listing anything not included in the specification. NGWA: Guidelines for Written Contracts [NGWA-HIRE source note] [NGWA-CONTRACT source note]
An itemized quote lets you line up two offers component by component, which is what the quote checklist is built for.
Which costs can't be priced until the well is drilled?
Three parts of a complete budget depend on what the new well turns out to be:
- Depth. Contractors base estimates on typical depths for the area but cannot say exactly how deep they will need to go. Water Systems Council: Determining the Depth of a Well Budget a high scenario using the maximum depth you would approve.
- Storage. If the measured yield cannot meet peak demand, a storage tank may be needed. Penn State Extension describes intermediate storage as a reservoir added to receive water from the well, commonly sized around 100 gallons per household member. Penn State Extension: Using Low-Yielding Wells
- Treatment. Water quality is set more by the geology and aquifer than by depth, and deeper wells can carry more minerals, so testing comes before treatment decisions. Water Systems Council: Determining the Depth of a Well
Who supplies each part?
A complete installation often involves more than one company. Clarify who does what before comparing prices:
| Part of the job | Often done by | Licensing to check |
|---|---|---|
| Drilling, casing, sealing, development | Well driller | State water well driller license or registration |
| Pump, controls, pressure tank | Driller or a separate pump installer | Some states license pump installers separately, as Texas does |
| Trench and water line | Driller, plumber or excavator | Local plumbing rules may apply |
| Electrical connection | Electrician or pump installer | Local electrical licensing |
| Water test | Certified laboratory | Lab certification for drinking water |
Texas, for example, issues separate Well Driller, Pump Installer and combination licenses. TDLR: Water Well Driller and/or Pump Installer License When a quote says "complete," ask which of these parts it actually covers and who is licensed to do each one. The driller vetting questions help you check. [TDLR-APPLY source note]
Well drilling and installation cost: how the lines add up
Most of the total sits in three places: footage (drilling and casing, which scale with depth), the pump system, and site work between the wellhead and the house. Permits and the water test are usually small by comparison but are easy to forget. Treatment and storage are the wild cards, because they depend on the test results. Put your numbers in the calculator to see which line dominates for your site.
Put your quotes into numbers
Enter each component from your written quotes into the well drilling cost calculator. It shows the math line by line and a high scenario for extra depth. For the cost drivers behind each line, read what affects well drilling cost, and for the pump side of the system see planning a pump for a new well.
Common questions
What is the difference between a drilling quote and a turnkey well quote?
A drilling quote usually covers boring, casing and sealing the well itself. A turnkey or complete quote adds the pump system, pressure tank, water line, electrical connection and start-up so the house has running water. Ask each bidder to list exactly where their scope ends.
Why can't you tell me what a complete well costs?
Because the largest lines depend on your depth, geology, distance to the house, local fees and water quality, and those vary by property. Average figures from elsewhere hide those differences. Itemized written quotes for your site are the only reliable numbers; our calculator adds them up for you.
Do I need a water treatment system?
You will only know after a certified lab tests the new well's water. Some wells need no treatment; others need equipment for bacteria, hardness, iron or other contaminants. Keep a line for it in your budget until the test results are in.
Who installs the pump?
Sometimes the drilling contractor, sometimes a separate pump installer. Some states license pump installation separately from drilling, so check who is licensed to do each part where you live.
Does the cost to put in a well include the septic system?
No. A septic system is a separate project with its own permits and contractors, even though new rural homes often need both. Budget for it separately, and plan the two together so the well meets the required setback from the septic system.
Sources & claim context
Citations mark where guidance is grounded. They are general resources dated on retrieval, not guarantees for any property, project, price, licensure, permit or yield. No expert, attorney or reviewer signoff is claimed by this site.
Montana DNRC well-owner guide (revised 2007) · MT-DNRC · accessed 2026-10-10
https://dnrc.mt.gov/_docs/water/waterwelldrillowner.pdf
Historical Montana document; do not nationalize its licensing, bond, permit, yield, pricing or legal clauses; refresh with current local authority
Water Systems Council: Determining the Depth of a Well · Water Systems Council (wellcare) · accessed 2026-10-10
Undated industry sheet; typical-range figures are not a prediction for any property
Penn State Extension: Using Low-Yielding Wells · Penn State Extension · accessed 2026-10-10
https://extension.psu.edu/using-low-yielding-wells
Cost figures in the article are Pennsylvania-era estimates; not quotes
NGWA (Wellowner.org): Guidelines for Written Contracts · NGWA · accessed 2026-10-10
https://wellowner.org/basics/planning-for-a-water-well/guidelines-for-written-contracts/
Does not prescribe who pays for a dry hole
NGWA (Wellowner.org): How to Hire a Water Well Contractor · NGWA · accessed 2026-10-10
https://wellowner.org/resources/working-with-contractors/how-to-hire-a-water-well-contractor/
Industry guidance
TDLR: Water Well Driller and/or Pump Installer License · Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation · accessed 2026-10-10
https://www.tdlr.texas.gov/wwd/apply-driller-installer.htm
Licensing details only; not a license lookup
Claims are grounded in the dated source notes above; project-specific price, yield, licensure and permit answers require site-specific and local verification.