Hey all,

I am general contracting my own house and this is the first place I
have lived where I need a well. I've done some research and got a
number of bid from different well drillers, but all of them have a 50%
markup on the pump and pressure tank.

If I order just 3 parts from a well parts distributor I save over
$1000. Of course none of the drillers will let me supply just those
three parts, they want to either do everything or just drill the hole.

So my question is, how doable is it for a home owner to put in a well
system? I'm looking at a Grundfos constant pressure system
(22SQE-190).

The bids were all pretty consistent on the well sizing; 220' depth,
160' pipe, well screen, etc.

Does anyone know where I could get decent instructions for DIY?

John

On Aug 27, 11:45 am, Bonzai wrote:
Hey all,

I am general contracting my own house and this is the first place I
have lived where I need a well. I've done some research and got a
number of bid from different well drillers, but all of them have a 50%
markup on the pump and pressure tank.

If I order just 3 parts from a well parts distributor I save over
$1000. Of course none of the drillers will let me supply just those
three parts, they want to either do everything or just drill the hole.

So my question is, how doable is it for a home owner to put in a well
system? I'm looking at a Grundfos constant pressure system
(22SQE-190).

The bids were all pretty consistent on the well sizing; 220' depth,
160' pipe, well screen, etc.

Does anyone know where I could get decent instructions for DIY?

John

Here's something to consider. If the well contractor does the whole
project, he is responsible for you having adequate clean water for a
certain warranty period. Thus he is committed to doing a good job so
he doesn't have to come back. If he thinks you are nickle & dimeing
him, do you have confidence he has done the best job he is capable of?

Red

On Aug 27, 12:45 pm, Bonzai wrote:

If I order just 3 parts from a well parts distributor I save over
$1000. Of course none of the drillers will let me supply just those
three parts, they want to either do everything or just drill the hole.

So my question is, how doable is it for a home owner to put in a well
system? I'm looking at a Grundfos constant pressure system
(22SQE-190).

The bids were all pretty consistent on the well sizing; 220' depth,
160' pipe, well screen, etc.

Does anyone know where I could get decent instructions for DIY?


If you're just interested in saving money, have the driller drill the
hole and call a general plumber to install the pump and tank that you
supply. Hopefully you still have some equipment on hand to dig the
trench. As for DIY, I asked a similar question not long ago (hope the
link works):

http://groups.google.com/group/alt.h...4b2d3539ae5d40

I did basically the same thing by myself on a 100' well and was asking
how much more difficult the job will be on a 300' well.

Anyways, I don't know if there is a step-by-step set of instructions
on how to do it. How much do you know already?

On Aug 27, 10:16 am, Red wrote:
On Aug 27, 11:45 am, Bonzai wrote:





Hey all,

I am general contracting my own house and this is the first place I
have lived where I need a well. I've done some research and got a
number of bid from different well drillers, but all of them have a 50%
markup on the pump and pressure tank.

If I order just 3 parts from a well parts distributor I save over
$1000. Of course none of the drillers will let me supply just those
three parts, they want to either do everything or just drill the hole.

So my question is, how doable is it for a home owner to put in a well
system? I'm looking at a Grundfos constant pressure system
(22SQE-190).

The bids were all pretty consistent on the well sizing; 220' depth,
160' pipe, well screen, etc.

Does anyone know where I could get decent instructions for DIY?

John

Here's something to consider. If the well contractor does the whole
project, he is responsible for you having adequate clean water for a
certain warranty period. Thus he is committed to doing a good job so
he doesn't have to come back. If he thinks you are nickle & dimeing
him, do you have confidence he has done the best job he is capable of?

Red- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

??? Do any any well drillers gaurantee water. I hadn't heard of them
doing that.

Harry K

If he thinks you are nickle & dimeing
him, do you have confidence he has done the best job he is capable of?

I understand this, and I even offered a less substantial profit on the
parts. The pump I'm looking at (http://www.envisupply.com/pumps/
well_pumps.htm) is $762 and they want to charge me $1,485 for it. A
couple hundred profit on a part I can understand, but $700? I didn't
ask about the $120 for 8 brass 1" couplings or the $350 in misc parts,
manifold, and bracket. Labor was separate, drilling was separate,
pipe, wire, pitless adapter, even a gas surcharge.

The other parts were the SQE kit and the pressure tank. The kit costs
$485, though the driller wanted $775, and the pressure tank is $77,
and the driller wanted $135.

If you're just interested in saving money, have the driller drill the
hole and call a general plumber to install the pump and tank that you
supply.

not a bad idea... What did you end up doing?

Anyways, I don't know if there is a step-by-step set of instructions
on how to do it. How much do you know already?

I know bits and pieces. I understand the various components of a well
and generally how they are supposed to go together, though I've never
lived anywhere that had one.

I'm pretty handy, and I'm general contracting my house. I did all of
the electrical in my last house, and plan on doing both electrical and
plumbing in this one.

John

"Harry K" wrote in message

??? Do any any well drillers gaurantee water. I hadn't heard of them
doing that.

Harry K


Some will, at least in this region. Depends on the contract. You can pay
$X (fixed price) for a well that will deliver a given minimum amount of
water or you can pay by the foot until they get to a place that does supply
the water.

The choice depends on your pain threshold. I know a gut that went for the
"by the foot" price figuring he'd get away cheap and ended up with a $5000
over run.

As for the OP, yes, you can DIY the job if you know what you are doing, but
there are times that the extra money spent pays big dividends later. I don'
t know your skill level or the area you are in to say what will be best.

Bonzai wrote:
....
I understand this, and I even offered a less substantial profit on the
parts. The pump I'm looking at (http://www.envisupply.com/pumps/
well_pumps.htm) is $762 and they want to charge me $1,485 for it. A
couple hundred profit on a part I can understand, but $700? ...

Then you're not in retail. Take that $700, divide it up amongst the
driller and his crew, add in a little for such incidentals as his
insurance and benefits costs, office/warehouse expense, etc., and decide
if he's _really_ getting rich or not. I'd guess not...

I know bits and pieces. I understand the various components of a well
and generally how they are supposed to go together, though I've never
lived anywhere that had one.

I'm pretty handy, and I'm general contracting my house. I did all of
the electrical in my last house, and plan on doing both electrical and
plumbing in this one.

You got (or want to rent or build) the rig to hang 200 ft of pipe/well
down the hole and be _sure_ you don't drop it, etc., etc., etc., ...???

You'll have your hands full w/ the house methinks. I cringe when write
the check to the well guy here when needed (almost identical in
depth/water level, etc.), but I personally don't really want to have to
deal w/ the hassles when it comes to pulling it, etc. Once in,
maintenance or repair of the occasional above ground item is something
else again as long as one has sufficient knowledge to diagnose the
problem...

imo, $0.02, etc., etc., ...

--

Not a DYI project. WOuld not mess around with this. Also .. depending
on locality, Board of Health may require a licensed well-driller to do the
install.




"Bonzai" wrote in message
ups.com...
Hey all,

I am general contracting my own house and this is the first place I
have lived where I need a well. I've done some research and got a
number of bid from different well drillers, but all of them have a 50%
markup on the pump and pressure tank.

If I order just 3 parts from a well parts distributor I save over
$1000. Of course none of the drillers will let me supply just those
three parts, they want to either do everything or just drill the hole.

So my question is, how doable is it for a home owner to put in a well
system? I'm looking at a Grundfos constant pressure system
(22SQE-190).

The bids were all pretty consistent on the well sizing; 220' depth,
160' pipe, well screen, etc.

Does anyone know where I could get decent instructions for DIY?

John

Bonzai wrote:

Hey all,

I am general contracting my own house and this is the first place I
have lived where I need a well. I've done some research and got a
number of bid from different well drillers, but all of them have a 50%
markup on the pump and pressure tank.

If I order just 3 parts from a well parts distributor I save over
$1000. Of course none of the drillers will let me supply just those
three parts, they want to either do everything or just drill the hole.

So my question is, how doable is it for a home owner to put in a well
system? I'm looking at a Grundfos constant pressure system
(22SQE-190).

The bids were all pretty consistent on the well sizing; 220' depth,
160' pipe, well screen, etc.

Does anyone know where I could get decent instructions for DIY?

John

If you're GC'ing your house, you're saving enough money as it is. No
reason to try to nickel and dime the well where a problem will cost you
a lot more than the potential savings. Let the drilling company do the
complete job and warrantee it. If you're doing the plumbing in the house
yourself you'll have plenty of savings there. Replacing an existing well
pump is a relatively easy DIY project, but I wouldn't recommend DIYing
the first one in a freshly drilled well.

Does anyone know where I could get decent instructions for DIY?

John


If you try it and lose the pump in the well are you capable of having a new
well drilled?

Replacing an existing well
pump is a relatively easy DIY project, but I wouldn't recommend DIYing
the first one in a freshly drilled well.

Thanks for the advice everyone, I appreciate it. I think I'm going to
go ahead and let this one go (ie let the drillers do it) and spend my
time on other projects.

john

On Aug 28, 11:45 am, Bonzai wrote:

Thanks for the advice everyone, I appreciate it. I think I'm going to
go ahead and let this one go (ie let the drillers do it) and spend my
time on other projects.


Probably a wise decision.

Watch them set the pump and then you'll know how to replace the pump
if it ever quits.

The Reverend Natural Light wrote:
On Aug 28, 11:45 am, Bonzai wrote:
Thanks for the advice everyone, I appreciate it. I think I'm going to
go ahead and let this one go (ie let the drillers do it) and spend my
time on other projects.


Probably a wise decision.

Watch them set the pump and then you'll know how to replace the pump
if it ever quits.

And what it takes to (efficiently) pull/drop one...it ain't rocket
science but there are some "tricks of the trade", so to speak...

--

Bonzai wrote:

Replacing an existing well
pump is a relatively easy DIY project, but I wouldn't recommend DIYing
the first one in a freshly drilled well.


Thanks for the advice everyone, I appreciate it. I think I'm going to
go ahead and let this one go (ie let the drillers do it) and spend my
time on other projects.

john


Other possibilities:

Get a separate pump guy to set the pump. Around here (Northern
california) there are people that install and maintain pumps, etc.
but don't drill.

Also, the pressure tank can easily be DIY.