What Should I Ask Before Hiring a Water Well Drilling Company?

 

If you need a new well installed for your property, there are a number of questions to ask before doing so. In this article, we cover what those questions are and the answers to them so you can make the most informed decision when hiring a water well driller.

1.  Are you licensed and insured?

Well drillers must be licensed in New Hampshire and must have a 4×6 inch decal posted on each side of their drilling equipment or service trucks. Reputable well drillers also have insurance. Be sure to ask for proof of both before any work starts.

2. Are they reputable?

Inquire with your perspective well driller for references. Check with friends and neighbors about the company and what kind of work they have done. Usually if a well company has been in business for 20 or 30 years, like Boylan Water Well Service and Supply has, it means they do quality work and that work has brought more customers to them over time.

3. What does the contract cover?

It is also important to have an itemized list of project items and cost of the service when hiring a well drilling organization. So, this contract would specify the type of well being drilled, an estimate on cost, including man-hours as well as any guarantees on the work performed.

4. What are my water needs?

The well driller can discuss the average gallons of water your home uses based on the size of your home and amount of family members, and whether you’ll have other uses on your property that will need more water, like farming, housing large animals or a small business. Most homes need a well water flow rate of about 6 gallons of water per minute, but that rate may be higher depending on your water use.

5. What type of well should I install?

There are two types of wells for home use – bedrock and shallow. Bedrock wells are typical in New England because they produce significant quantities of quality water. They are drilled deep into the ground, tapping streams of water that move between the cracks in the earth’s bedrock.

Shallow wells, sometimes called dug wells, access water from the surrounding water table. They are prevalent in older houses and can serve as a satisfactory water supply in the appropriate region.

Options also include irrigation wells, which can give homeowners an additional source of water to feed gardens, animals or a small on-site business. These wells can be inserted even in gardens and lawn irrigation systems and save money for homes and businesses that pay for water through municipal systems.

6. Can I have sufficient water from my own well?

After your water needs are determined, the well driller should discuss with you the potential output for your new well. Your well driller should be able to give you an educated guess, using available geological data and water yield data from wells in your area, about whether a well on your lot will meet your water needs.

7. What do I need to do in order to get the lot ready for my well?

If you are building a home, you may need to do a lot of work to the lot before a well drilling service can perform their work. Clearing trees, leveling the surface site and building access roads to potential drilling spots falls on you. Because you review that components are expected before a drilling appointment is set

8. Where can I drill the well?

Much will depend on state and local laws and guidance related to where your well should be drilled. Well regulations specify minimums for setbacks from roads, property lines, wetlands and buildings. It seems logical to have the well to be relatively close to your home, however, if the well is far away from the house, you’ll have to discuss this with the well driller to ensure the well pump is designed to pump water over longer distances.

9. How will you drill it?

Discuss the well drilling procedure with your contractor before work starts. When will the crew arrive? How long will that process take? How big is the hole you make in the well? What kind of casing will be taken? What type of well screen will be installed? For how long is the tested for proper flow? Will I need to undergo any follow-up testing?

10. How much will it cost?

As with any significant expense, homeowners should obtain estimates from competing vendors. In, fact, the lowest bid isn’t necessarily going to provide the best results. Work with estimates that are acceptable price clever. Then ask for references from friends and former clients. Check on their reputation with builders and the community. Did the staff display a professional demeanor during your consultation? When you add price to these considerations, you will have a good sense of who the well drilling company should be for you.

Contact us today to learn more about drilling the well for your new home, commercial building or geothermal system. Boylan Water Well Service and Supply has more than 80 years of experience drilling water wells in Santa Fe, NM and the surrounding area.