Septic & well
Well Drilling Cost Calculator
Prices drilling, which is the one job on this list where nobody can tell you the total in advance.
Result
A planning estimate, not a quote. Access, the age of the equipment, what is found once it is opened up and local labour rates all move the real figure, sometimes a long way.
Get a Free Business AuditHow the calculation works
Drilling is normally priced per foot, with casing per foot as a separate line, plus mobilisation and grouting or sealing. The arithmetic here totals the day rate equivalent, materials and the call-out, but the honest characteristic of the job is that the depth is unknown until water is found. That makes the total a function of something nobody controls. A well that hits adequate yield shallow is inexpensive; one that has to go several times deeper on the same road costs proportionally more, and the driller cannot promise which before starting.
What moves the number
- Depth to adequate yield, which is unknown at the start and is most of the cost.
- Formation, since rock drills slower than overburden and changes both time and bit wear.
- How much casing the hole requires, which depends on unstable formations rather than on total depth alone.
- Mobilisation and access, because a rig that cannot get close needs either site work or a longer setup.
Where this one goes wrong
This is the job where the contract terms matter more than the estimate. Be explicit in writing about what happens if the hole does not produce: whether a dry hole is chargeable, at what rate, whether it must be sealed and who pays for that, and whether a second attempt is priced afresh. Sealing an abandoned borehole is generally a regulatory requirement rather than optional, because an open hole is a direct path to the aquifer. Neighbouring well logs are the best available guide to likely depth and are often held by the state, so consulting them before quoting turns a guess into an informed range. Yield also matters as much as depth: a deep well producing very little may not serve the house even though it found water.
Before you quote
- Look up neighbouring well logs for likely depth before quoting a range.
- Put the dry hole and abandonment terms in writing before starting.
- Confirm the required yield for the property, not just that water was found.
Where the rules come from
Questions
About this calculator
How much does it cost to drill a well?
It is priced per foot, and the number of feet is unknown until water is found, so the honest answer is a range rather than a figure. Neighbouring well logs, often held by the state, are the best guide to likely depth in your area and are worth consulting before committing.
What happens if the well comes up dry?
That depends on the contract, which is why it needs settling in writing before drilling starts. Drilling time and materials are generally chargeable regardless of the result, an unproductive borehole usually has to be properly sealed as a regulatory matter, and a second attempt is typically priced as new work.
Is a deeper well a better well?
Not automatically. Deeper costs more, requires a larger pump and does not guarantee more water, since yield depends on the formation rather than depth. A deep well with poor yield can be less useful than a shallower one that produces well, which is why the yield test matters as much as reaching water.
How much yield does a house need?
Enough to meet peak demand rather than average use, and many jurisdictions set a minimum for a new well serving a dwelling. A low yielding well can sometimes be made workable with storage and a booster, which is an additional system rather than a free workaround.
The formula
total = hours x people x rate + parts + call-out, then sales tax
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How to use this calculator
- Hours on site (h). Enter your own figure; the page starts at 2.5 h.
- People needed. Enter your own figure; the page starts at 1.
- Labour rate charged ($). Enter your own figure; the page starts at $155.
- Parts and materials ($). Enter your own figure; the page starts at $120.
- Call-out or diagnostic fee ($). Enter your own figure; the page starts at $95.
- Sales tax (%). Leave at zero if you are quoting before tax.
The result updates as you type, so you can try a figure, see what it does to estimated total, and change it back. Nothing you enter is sent anywhere or saved.
A worked example
These are the figures the calculator opens with. Every number in the results column below is produced by the same calculation the page runs, so you can follow it through before putting your own figures in.
What goes in
| Input | Value |
|---|---|
| Hours on site | 2.5 h |
| People needed | 1 |
| Labour rate charged | $155 |
| Parts and materials | $120 |
| Call-out or diagnostic fee | $95 |
| Sales tax | 0% |
What comes out
| Result | Value |
|---|---|
| Estimated total main result | $602.50 |
| Labour | $387.50 |
| Before tax | $602.50 |
| Sales tax | $0 |
About $602.50: $387.50 of labour, $120 of parts and a $95 call-out.
How sensitive the answer is
Holding everything else steady and changing only labour rate charged, this is what happens to estimated total. It is worth knowing which of your inputs the answer actually hinges on, and which barely move it.
| Labour rate charged ($) | Estimated total |
|---|---|
| $78 | $410 |
| $116 | $505 |
| $155 example above | $602.50 |
| $233 | $797.50 |
| $310 | $990 |
Every other input is held at the example value while this one changes, which is not how a real job behaves. Treat it as a guide to which number matters most, not as five separate quotes.
What each figure means
- Hours on site (h)
- Measured in h, between 0 and 400, starting at 2.5 h.
- People needed
- A number, between 0 and 40, starting at 1.
- Labour rate charged ($)
- A money amount, starting at $155.
- Parts and materials ($)
- A money amount, starting at $120.
- Call-out or diagnostic fee ($)
- A money amount, starting at $95.
- Sales tax (%)
- Leave at zero if you are quoting before tax.
What the results tell you
| Result | What it is |
|---|---|
| Estimated total | The headline result. A money figure. |
| Labour | A money figure. |
| Before tax | A money figure. |
| Sales tax | A money figure. |
Estimating is the easy part
The jobs you never hear about cost more than the ones you mis-measure. BDEVY builds the marketing, systems and automation that bring them in.