Well drilling quote checklist: compare per-foot and turnkey offers

Use this well drilling quote checklist to compare two written offers line by line. "Per-foot" names a charging unit; "turnkey" describes a proposed scope, not a standard list of included tasks. Neither label tells you who pays if drilling does not produce usable water. Compare the written terms for the same property, asking each bidder to identify inclusions, exclusions, assumptions and approval points. A Montana well-owner guide recommends written estimates and an agreed maximum depth; it is older, Montana-specific guidance, not a nationwide contract rule. Montana DNRC well-owner guide (revised 2007) [MT-DNRC source note]

Use this page as a blank worksheet. Print it from your browser's Print command or save it as a PDF using your browser's print dialog. Nothing on this page needs to be submitted to compare your offers, and your entries are handled only in your browser. Do not record sensitive personal information on a shared or public device.

What details should you record from each quote?

Property or project identifier (your own shorthand): ____________________

Attach or retain both original proposals. A verbal explanation should be reflected in a revised written offer if it changes the work or price.

What does each well drilling quote actually include?

For each offer, enter I (included), E (excluded), or U (unclear), followed by its written line or page reference. Leave unknowns as U until clarified; never treat a missing line as included. The rows are questions, not a standard turnkey package.

Which line items remain unclear? Offer A: ____________________ Offer B: ____________________

Which tasks would need another contractor or separate proposal? Offer A: ____________________ Offer B: ____________________

How do you control extra depth and changes?

Ask both bidders: What depth is assumed? Is there a written maximum or decision point? Who must approve going deeper, what price basis applies beyond the assumption, and can work pause while you review a change? What happens if access or geology changes the method? Write the exact proposal references below. The Montana guide's maximum-depth suggestion is a prompt to ask; the enforceability of any term depends on your actual agreement and jurisdiction. Montana DNRC well-owner guide (revised 2007) [MT-DNRC source note]

Do not infer that a quoted per-foot figure includes completion equipment or that a lump-sum figure cannot change. Have material contract terms reviewed by a qualified adviser in the applicable jurisdiction.

What happens if the well is dry?

Ask what the proposal means by an unsuccessful attempt: insufficient yield, unusable quality, or another specified condition. What drilling and mobilization work is payable even if the well does not meet your intended use? Who decides whether to stop, deepen, test again, relocate or attempt another hole, and who must authorize and pay for that work? Is any remedy actually written, with conditions and limits? There is no universal dry-hole payer or water guarantee implied by this worksheet.

What deliverables should a quote list?

Ask who supplies the completion record or well log, any tests and results, equipment documentation and site cleanup. Ask for the proposed schedule and how delays or changes are communicated. Then ask the authority responsible for wells at your property which permits, construction requirements, records or inspections apply; do not adopt a Montana-specific rule elsewhere. Montana DNRC well-owner guide (revised 2007) [MT-DNRC source note]

Water quality requires a separate question. The EPA provides private-well owner guidance; federal Safe Drinking Water Act standards for public water systems do not regulate private domestic well drinking-water quality in the same way. That does not settle local testing requirements or prove that water is safe. Ask who samples, what is tested, who receives the results and what happens if a result raises concern. EPA: Private Wells [EPA source note]

Per-foot vs. turnkey: which is better?

Neither is better in every case. A per-foot quote is transparent about the drilling rate but leaves the final price open until the depth is known, so it needs a written maximum depth and clear dry-hole terms. A turnkey quote prices a defined scope, sometimes a finished, producing well, so it can be easier to budget, but it often builds the contractor's risk into the price and its exclusions matter. NGWA's contract guidance recommends itemizing charges either way, including drilling and casing per foot, grouting, development, test pumping, disinfection, drilling deeper or a second well, abandonment and sealing if necessary, and anything not included. NGWA: Guidelines for Written Contracts [NGWA-CONTRACT source note]

To compare a per-foot quote with a turnkey one, price the per-foot offer at its expected depth and at its maximum depth in the well drilling cost calculator, add any lines it excludes, and set both totals beside the turnkey price. The dry-hole clause often decides which is cheaper in a bad outcome; see who pays for a dry hole. For the full list of components a working system needs, see complete well installation cost.

Print or save this blank worksheet; decide from signed terms

Use your browser's Print command to take this page to a meeting, or save a local PDF. Fill the blanks from actual written offers. Circle every U, request clarification in writing, and retain revised copies. If you first need a breakdown of cost drivers, read What affects the cost of drilling a water well?. To identify potential bidders, consult the applicable local authority or an independent source such as NGWA's contractor lookup; this page does not claim a provider directory, and no directory listings exist yet. [NGWA source note]

This worksheet is not legal advice, an estimate, a contract, or a promise of water. Before signing, check the final agreement and local requirements with appropriately qualified professionals.