Advice with well pump replacement cost

**scotworthy** · 08-22-2005, 10:21 PM

Greetings all,

My well pump went out this week and I need to have it replaced. It's 280ft deep. I have a quote for a new Gould pump (1.5hp) and controller @ $1200.00 and labor @ $150/hr. Does this sound like it's in the ball park or should I shop around. Any input is appreciated, thanks.

Scott

**speedbump** · 08-23-2005, 08:44 AM

I would think that is in the ballpark Scott. The gallon per minute of the pump has a lot to do with the price. The smaller number the more it costs. As in 5 gallon per minute is much more than a 20 gallon per minute pump.

Our swap out price on a 1hp 20 gallon per minute here in Florida is $1195.00. This price includes the rig labor, submersible pump cable and the pump of coarse. The pumps here are hung anywhere from 21' to 168'.

bob...

**scotworthy** · 08-23-2005, 09:07 AM

Bob, thanks for the reply. I'm looking at a 10gpm pump. Your deal sounds alot more affordable than what I'm seeing here in Washington. My quote so far is looking like:
pump & controller = $1200
Labor $150/hr*5hrs = $750
plus misc fittings, well seal, wire....
I could be looking at $2000 - $3000
Thanks again,

Scott

**Gary Slusser** · 08-23-2005, 09:36 AM

Why such a large pump for only 260-270'? What's your elevation above sea level?

Here in PA someone suggesting pricing the job that way might be shot!! Just joking, but then it depends on how far out in da woods! The price for the pump is good, but $150/hr says your drop pipe must be on galvanized. Here it would be PE tubing or sch 80 PVC so we wouldn't need a derrick truck down to 500'. And we wouldn't replace the cable unless there was a proven need to. My pump puller machine sits on the top of the casing and hauls at 50'/minute from 500' or a max of 625 lbs..

Gary
Quality Water Associates

**scotworthy** · 08-23-2005, 09:55 AM

We're at least 300' above sea level. Yes, the pipe is galvanized, house was built in 1969 so everythings getting old. We may replace the old piping while were at it. Cable is a drop in the bucket and we need to run a ground down to the motor anyway. Whoever did it before only ran three conductor wire down to the motor.

Scott

**speedbump** · 08-23-2005, 10:35 AM

To make you feel better, a Myers 1.5hp 12 gallon per minute lists at just under $1200.00.

I always replace the wire no matter what shape it's in, cheap insurance. What I might question is the 5 hours. With a pump hoist properly equipped it shouldn't take that long. If he replaces the pipe all the way down with new galvanized that would seem more realistic. I stack galvanized pipe up through a hoop at the top of my boom at 42 feet. This way we only have to disassemble every other joint. And we don't lay the pipe down in the grass where the dogs have been doing... well you know. Makes the job go much faster. I guess that's why we don't charge by the hour for small pumps.

bob...

**Gary Slusser** · 08-23-2005, 08:13 PM

The effect of elevation above sea level is to increase the hp but, it is based on 1000' increments.

One way to decrease the cost of your replacing the old galvanized is to go with PE or PVC. There's a PVC system that is very easy to assemble and disassemble without threadign or cementing, it's called Shur-A-Lock by Modern Products Industries.

http://www.shur-a-lock.com/

Gary
Quality Water Associates

**scotworthy** · 08-24-2005, 09:12 AM

Bob and Gary,

Thanks very much for all your input. Today the new pump goes in. If the galvanized pipe looks bad, we'll be replacing it with PE or PVC. Once it all up and running again, I'm going pump water like there's no tomorrow.

Scott

**Gary Slusser** · 08-24-2005, 10:03 AM

I suggest replacing the galvanized regardless. It causes iron in the water and clogs up over time.

Gary
Quality Water Associates

**mikelectric** · 07-14-2008, 03:21 PM

To Speedbump Bob, I am new and see all your posts, thus ask with humility for clarification befitting a child: I am confused by the cost arithmetic. Why would a pump which uses more power to pump more water, thus with a bigger number, let's say 100 gpm, be cheaper than a pump with a smaller number, let's say one gpm?

**mikelectric** · 07-14-2008, 03:33 PM

To Scotworthy, The National Electric Code Nomenclature for cable includes only the conductors, not the ground. So if you say you have 3-wire cable it means 3 wires plus a ground cable. Even if you had a total of three wires you could run either 120 volts or 240 volts two pole on two wires and use the third wire as the ground. The only alternative I can think of is if you have three phase power to your pump, in which case, yes, you would need a fourth wire.

**Bob NH** · 07-14-2008, 07:04 PM

A 3-wire motor with a controller requires 3 wires + ground to the motor. A 2-wire motor (available up to 1.5 HP) requires 2 wires + ground.

Old installations didn't require a ground so none was installed. A new pump requires a new cable with ground.

The issue of "smaller gpm costs more" applies only to pumps of the same horsepower. A 5 GPM pump requires less HP per stage than a 20 GPM pump. Therefore, if you have enough stages to require a 1.5 HP motor you have more stages with a 1.5 HP 5 GPM pump. You could have 3 to 4 times the stages of a 1.5 HP 20 GPM pump (and it would deliver a lot more pressure or head).

More stages cost more money so a 1.5 HP 5 GPM pump costs more than a 1.5 HP 20 GPM pump.

That condition applies to pumps with substantially the same housing diameter. If you have large differences in capacity (your 1 GPM to 100 GPM example) it may not always apply.

**speedbump** · 07-15-2008, 06:13 AM

To Speedbump Bob, I am new and see all your posts, thus ask with humility for clarification befitting a child: I am confused by the cost arithmetic. Why would a pump which uses more power to pump more water, thus with a bigger number, let's say 100 gpm, be cheaper than a pump with a smaller number, let's say one gpm?

BobNH pretty well cleared that one up for me.

The 5gpm simply has more impellers than the 20 gpm, thus costing more. Same Motor, just more Impellers.

bob...

**Leaky Boot** · 07-19-2008, 06:17 AM

Originally Posted by scotworthy

Greetings all,

My well pump went out this week and I need to have it replaced. It's 280ft deep. I have a quote for a new Gould pump (1.5hp) and controller @ $1200.00 and labor @ $150/hr. Does this sound like it's in the ball park or should I shop around. Any input is appreciated, thanks.

Scott

New 1 hp 10 gpm Goulds, installed on your pipe and cable $995 plus tax. Includes labor. Need new pipe? Sch 80 Eagle Brand PVC, add .70 per ft. Couplings $1 each. Cable for the Goulds 2 wire pump---add another .70 ft. Goulds will have a Franklin Motor. LB

**redracer999** · 05-26-2009, 12:38 PM

I am looking at a 1/2hp 3 wire submersible pump for my 100ft well. My local contractor is wanting $1700 for the job. Another told me they wouldn't do it for less than $1500. They replaced the check valve on the pump a few months ago and it took them no more than 2 hrs. I have priced pumps and they seem to run around $600. From what I understand there is nothing special about my set up. It has the soft black plastic pipe that is in good shape, the wireing is good and it has a crowes foot connection. Am I missing something that a company could charge $500 an hour for labor for this job?