To all,
HO here. The well driller came up dry on 3 spots on a new construction, found a good flow rate on fourth.
What would you expect to pay above and beyond the original estimate for the well drilling? I was charged about $4,000 above the original estimate of roughly $4,800. He didn’t lose any pipe in any of the holes.
I am paying him, but I am curious if this is standard? Thanks.
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Replies
Drilling wells is just poking a hole in the ground. Nobody knows if will produce when it is started. So, yes, you owe him for the holes that didn't produce. And you'll also have to cap the holes that didn't produce. Drilling in central NJ is about $8.00 per foot. I would think he wants something for set-up also.
Typically the first fifty feet get cased with steel and that is usually done before you know if the hole will produce or not. Is that what you mean when you say he didn't lose any pipe in any of the holes?
Rich
"Didn't lose any pipe" was my attempt to be efficient in providing info that I thought someone would ask me later, like did he lose any sticks in the process. The builder told me that had he not been able to retrieve them from the hole then he would have charged me for those as well. I could have been more clear, I was tired and not a little lazy.
west
You mentioned in your original post that you planned on paying the guy but were curious, well if you've been around here very long you'll notice that one tends to get jumped on if they question a bill.
Apparently you do get charged even if they drill empty holes!
Nothing wrong with questioning something.
Doug
I like what shoeman said, any chance you can go ground source heat pump?
Rich
Not that cheap here. Don't know of any driller anymore who guarantees water. All they're selling is a hole in the ground. You got 4 for $8800? That's not a bad deal at all.
You thought he guaranteed water for the $4800? This is something that should have been addressed before starting work. You should have asked, and he should have brought it up.
Avoids bad feelings.
PAHS works. Bury it.
Hey westmich, just clicked on your info, you're quote has me LOL.
Rich
Waht was the agreement before he started drilling?
No, he didn't loose any drill stick but he sure did use up some time on the drill head and left some casing, burned plenty of diesel, and ran up a bunch of hours maintenance-wise on his equipment. Would you expect that to be free?
I think he's being fair with you (3 for the < price of 1 and 1 producer at full charge). He could've quit after 3 and told you to find someone else or buy a tank and truck your water in and still charged you for it.
I am not bitter about paying for it, I am wondering if there is a standard, plain and simlpe. Thanks for the helpful and friendly reply.
The standard is there is no nationwide standard in residential construction (other than codes). Might try cold calling other drilling companies in your locale but I bet they have the same policy. If there's any group that's close to standardized in res. I've found that to be well drillers since they cover broader ranges and less competition (and probably more consistent overhead).
How deep are the holes?
Sounds like with the three that didn't produce, you got a start on a geothermal system.
That sounds like a bargain!
I have never known a well driller to gaurantee water. They charge by the foot to drill a hole. Whether it is a wet hole or a dry hole is not his job, unless he claimed to be a water witcher.
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West,
I'de say he's being fair w ya.
I don't think I would want to move a rig 3 times to make "extra money".
A dishonest driller may "deep hole" you,,,,, drilling deper than is required to get more footage.
You should be happy you have a good producing well.
Cheers, Harry
A neighbor of my father's has been a well driller most of his life - semi-retired now, I believe.
I remember him talking about giving a firm price for X amount of flow before.
Subject came up because he would often give a fixed price vs. a price per foot, based upon his knowledge & estimate of how deep he'd have to go. Customer could pick.
Sometimes he'd get lucky and hit water a lot shallower than expected. Customer would then sometimes try to get a better price. His response was usually: "so would you have paid me more if I had to go deeper than expected?"
Very rarely would he pull up & move the hole - usually around here, you just keep going deeper until you hit water. 400' + wells aren't that uncommon. Don't know how deep mine is, but most of the ones around mine that I've heard depths on were in the 300'+ range.
Don
you brought up water witching, have you ever tried to do this?
I did and can witch, but I can't figure out how they determine depth.
Me too and me too
Welcome to the Taunton University of Knowledge FHB Campus at Breaktime. where ... Excellence is its own reward!
you brought up water witching, have you ever tried to do this?
It seems to work for more than not, of those who try it. The first time I heard of it, I watched a well driller cut a fresh forked branch from a young maple tree (one of many species which work), hold it firmly in both hands and walk across the open area near the new house foundation.
The small branch started to turn in his hands as he passed a particular spot. After testing a fairly large area he returned to the first spot and walked over it from several directions. The branch twisted very noticeably in his hands each time, it's pointed end turning down.
There were several people there, including one girl about eight years old. She was the most anxious to try it so the well driller handed the branch to her. Same result, from several passes. She was completely amazed.
Then everyone took a turn. When it came around to me I was still skeptical, but very interested. Sure enough, that darned branch nearly twisted the flesh off my palms, I was trying so hard to keep it still.
It worked very strongly for some of us, less so for others but no one said that they felt nothing.
I know I can do it with just about anything, coat hanger wood in fact i feal it now oh woops
My grandfather was a witcher.
one of those local guy's everyone knows about. He built seven ponds
on his place up in Frankfort.
I'm one of those who can't, but check this out.
He was teaching me about it when I was young, and it's not working.
So he stands behind me and touches my elbows. The darn stick bends in
half!
I did ask him about how they figure the depth. You can feel how hard
it's pulling, but you have to balance that against how much water your
over.
I thought following an underground stream was the coolest.
When I built a house in westmoreland, I paid a witch, let me try, we came up with the same spot! Didn't put the well there because when digging the septic, ran into a spot with 5 springs!
Westmoreland, that's my old stomping grounds. I'm a Clintonian actually.
This has me thinking I should try it again.
Think I'll use welding rods, I've heard they're easier.