How to choose a well driller: questions to ask before hiring

To choose a well driller, check the contractor's license or registration with your state, confirm their insurance, ask about local experience and references, and compare written, itemized quotes from at least two companies. The best choice is the contractor whose written proposal is clearest about depth, construction, testing and what happens if the well comes up dry, not simply the lowest per-foot rate. Use the questions and worksheet below with each bidder.

Is the well driller licensed?

Most states require licensing or registration of water well contractors, though not all do. NGWA (Wellowner.org): Licensing Check the license with the issuing agency rather than relying on a logo or a listing. Several states offer lookups: Pennsylvania's licensed driller database, for example, can be searched by name, county and service. Pennsylvania DCNR: Licensed Water Well Drillers In some states the license is held by an individual, so ask who at the company holds it and will supervise your job, and whether it covers the work you need; Texas, for example, issues separate driller and pump installer licenses with endorsements. TDLR: Water Well Driller and/or Pump Installer License Water well permits by state lists the agencies we've checked. [NGWA-LICENSING source note] [PA-DCNR-DRILLERS source note] [TDLR-APPLY source note]

Association membership is a different thing. The National Ground Water Association says to verify state-specific compliance and does not endorse or guarantee the contractors in its member lookup. NGWA: Find a Contractor It also offers voluntary certification, with Master Ground Water Contractor as its highest level. NGWA (Wellowner.org): How to Hire a Water Well Contractor [NGWA source note] [NGWA-HIRE source note]

What questions should you ask a well driller?

1. Experience: How many wells have you drilled near this property? How deep were they and what did they yield?
2. Depth and method: What depth do you expect, based on what? Which drilling method will you use, and why?
3. Construction: What casing material, diameter and depth? How will you grout the casing? Will the well need a screen?
4. Testing: How will you develop the well and test its yield? Will I get a written report?
5. Limits: What is the maximum depth you will drill without my written approval?
6. Dry hole: What do I owe if the well is dry or too weak? Is a second location priced differently?
7. Paperwork: Who files the permit or notice and the well report? Will I get a copy of the log?
8. Scope: Is the pump, pressure tank, water line and electrical work included, or separate?
9. Insurance and references: What liability and workers' compensation coverage do you carry? Can I contact recent customers nearby?

NGWA's hiring guidance covers the same ground: licensing, insurance, reputation, a written contract, filing well logs, familiarity with local codes, and an itemized price list rather than a lump sum. NGWA (Wellowner.org): How to Hire a Water Well Contractor [NGWA-HIRE source note]

Describe the job and site first

Tell each bidder the intended use, where the well may go, and what you know about access, utilities and nearby structures, so their assumptions are comparable. Nearby well records help; a Montana well-owner guide suggests reviewing local well logs and contractor checks before hiring. Montana DNRC well-owner guide (revised 2007) See how to find water well logs. [MT-DNRC source note]

Compare written, itemized proposals

Ask every bidder to separate drilling and casing (usually per foot) from sealing, development, testing, pump work, connections and cleanup, and to list exclusions. NGWA's contract guidelines also call for stating the casing size, drilling deeper or a second well, abandonment and sealing if necessary, guarantees, code compliance and a start date. NGWA (Wellowner.org): Guidelines for Written Contracts The Montana guide recommends a written maximum depth the driller cannot exceed without your agreement. Put the offers side by side in the quote checklist and add up each one in the cost calculator. [NGWA-CONTRACT source note]

Red flags when hiring a well driller

• A guaranteed depth, yield or "we always hit water" promise
• A single lump sum with no itemized lines or exclusions
• Reluctance to give a license number you can check
• No written contract, no maximum depth, or no dry-hole terms
• Pressure to sign before you've compared another quote

Know the contract terms that matter most before signing; see who pays for a dry hole.

Record answers side by side

For each contractor, fill in the evidence requested, who can check it, and what remains unresolved. "Not yet verified" is a valid answer.

Gaps to resolve before signing: ____________________________________________________________

Print this page with your browser's Print command to use it as a worksheet. When you're ready to find candidates, start with the well driller directory and verify each one yourself.