Water Tank Repair Costs:

This article describes typical costs for repairs to water pumps and well equipment to correct poor or lost well water pressure or to replace a damaged well pump.

The basics process of diagnosis and the costs of the repair are explained. We also discuss:

Cost for water pump replacement. Cost for well tank replacement. Cost for water pressure & flow repairs & improvements. Typical costs for well and pump repairs or improvements.

Consumer advice on saving money on well repair costs includes a review of the parts and labor costs of a typical well pump and pressure tank replacement case.

Typical Well Pump & Water Tank Repair & Replacement Costs

The following is an actual case of a correspondent who lost water pressure and called a well and plumbing contractor who made several repairs. At the end of the repair water pressure and supply were restored but the owner had a bit of "sticker shock" when he saw the bill. He wrote to ask our opinion.

Our reply, which follows the owner's note below, reviews the diagnosis, repair, and repair costs for this well pump and water tank replacement project.

We have a private well with the same components shown on your diagram (well pump, pressure tank, pressure switch etc..) We recently experienced loss of water pressure and actually a lack of any water flow at all from our faucets in our house.

As we waited 30 min to 1 hr, the water would return and run normal for several hours, only to return to no water again. This went on for about 24 hours.

We contacted the well contractor shown on our well cap. He quickly determine the bladder in the pressure tank was ruptured by just shaking the water tank.

After installing a new $600 dollar tank, the well contractor waited for the water pump to come on. It didn't. Then the contractor sold us a new well pump.

The total bill: $2000 and some change.

1. Is this a fair price for repair of a water pressure tank or pump or both? Did the contractor make the right repair? Was we overcharged?

2. Can we check his prognosis by inspecting the replaced tank and pump?

Were the well pump replacement and water pressure tank replacement costs reasonable?

The cost - sounds a bit steep if the pump was in the house but more plausible if the pump was a submersible in the well.

How can you check on the reasonableness of plumbing repair costs such as water tank and well pump replacement?

Most plumbers charge what seems to homeowners to be outrageous rates, but in fact plumbers, as a group, are more honorable than some presidents and certainly more so than some real estate agents.

1. Proceed with caution, respect for, and tact towards the repair person. We often are most suspicious of the work and charges by people whose specialty is a mystery to us. Don't accuse the contractor of bad behavior unless you have clear and certain data.
   
   By example: we just hired a plumbing contractor to put in a new main sewer line between a house and a septic tank. The site crew boss wrote up the job as "install 70 ft. of waste line, house to tank".
   
   The plumbing contractor bills charges "by the foot". In this case we measured the line, which was a straight run of 48 feet.
   
   We were able to ask that the bill be corrected to represent the more accurate case, not the site-man's "guesstimate" at he length.
2. Check out water pressure tank and pump prices at Home Depot or Loews for the same type of tank and pump as you had installed.

Here are some Typical Water Pressure Tank Prices and Costs

Here are some Typical Water Well Pump Prices and Costs

Water pressure tank prices (online) run from about $80 (Sears® 42-gallon) to $150. to $750. (Well Mat™ or Well-X-Trol™) for the water pressure tank itself, not including installation cost.

Submersible well pump prices (online) run from about $200. to $300. (Flotec and Wayne) to $500 (Flint Walling/Star) to $870 (Grundfos® 30 GPM) In the building, a deep well 2-line jet pump is about $250. (Jacuzzi®) In the building, a shallow well jet pump prices run from a cost of about $150. to $200.

(Other special types of water pumps such as for groundwater can of course cost much more).

Some online advertisers promise low prices but won't publish them on the web. We never ever call nor deal with people who hide their prices as we assume that they're counting on high pressure sales tactics to close the deal and that later we will find we over-paid.

Save and examine plumbing parts that were removed for replacement

Look at the water pressure tank that was removed - it may be possible to open it and confirm for yourself that the bladder was shot.

A water pump that has been removed can be tested on a test bench; in some cases it is economical to bring a pump to an electric motor repair shop for analysis and repair.

Why don't people do this? There are not enough such shops around, and second, people don't want to wait a week with no water while their pump is being repaired.

Typical overall well pump and pressure tank replacement cost examples

The retail price for the parts alone depends on what you had installed but could run between $300. to $1400. This leaves your labor cost running between $1700 at the low parts-cost end to $600. at the high parts-cost end. If the pump was a submersible (in-well), the costs to pull well line and old pump and get the new one in place will be more than an in-building pump replacement.

In sum, depending on what types of equipment you had installed, the price might be right-on. Don't accuse your plumber of cheating you, but don't be afraid to ask for a more detailed explanation of the make-up of your bill.

How to check on the success and reliability - the "prognosis" of a an expensive well pump and water pressure tank repair job

First of all, there should be no leaks, anywhere, on the equipment which was repaired. If something was left wet, wipe it off and check for leaks. We don't pay my plumber if s/he leaves her/his work leaking. We call the boss.

Second, everything worked-on should be working normally to your eye and ear.

An expert plumber or well contractor can check the operation of your system by a combination of observation and electrical testing, such as measuring the amperage draw on the well pump circuit during pump operation. If these parameters are in normal range you should be ok insofar as the equipment is concerned. Your repair person should have made these checks. Ask him or her.

If you have been in the home for several years you should have an idea whether or not you've had a history of the well running out of water.

You can understand more about your well and how the well itself is performing by noting its technical statistics such as well depth, water level, pump depth, static head, and well flow rate - topics we discuss at my website. If it is determined that you have a low-yield well, there are several solutions besides just drilling a new well - itself a shot in the dark.

Readers of this document should also see Water pressure tanks - how to diagnose the need for air, how to add air, stop water pump short cycling to avoid damage - water storage water pressure tank safety. The illustration at left is courtesy of Carson Dunlop, Inc. in Toronto.

Question: well service man says hire a well / pump installer not a plumber

First of all you should not hire a plumber to work on your well! You would not hire a well/pump installer to work on your hot water heater or your toilet. As far as cost you cannot compare some peice of junk at home depot or TSC, your not in the same park. - Well-Service-Man 1/13/2012

The comment from "well service man" is spot on, and the article well writtenand informative. Thanks - Oregon homeowner 8/9/12

Reply:

Oregon,

If we read well service man to mean "hire someone who knows what s/he is doing" I could not agree more.

But we should beware of self-serving advice. In at least some communities there are companies who have expertise in both well construction and building plumbing. So really, it depends ...

It makes sense to ask a contractor or repair person about the breadth and depth of their experience, training, and expertise.

Question: where to buy a rebuilt one or new well pump

Where can I find either a rebuilt one or a new well pump to buy? - Anonymous 8/29/12

Reply:

Start with your local well equipment & plumbing supplier; Also, in some communities you may find a company that offers well pump or electric motor rebuilding, offering rebuilt equipment that has been checked out and, hopefully warranted. Some well pump and tank brands and manufacturer information are listed

at WATER TANK LIFE & REPLACEMENT as well as in the REFERENCES section of this and other articles at InspectApedia.com.

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Reader Q&A - also see RECOMMENDED ARTICLES & FAQs

On 2020-05-19 by Anonymous

how much to replace a pressure tank manfold

On 2017-05-13 - by (mod) -

$400 - $2500 depending on well accessibility and depth comma and plumbing rates where you live.

Perhaps an old corroded well cap can't be removed intact. That part is not a significant expense but absolutely must be on place for sanitary and safety reasons.

On 2017-05-13 by Shar

How much should it cost to have a well foot valve replaced? And if the plumber broke the well cap, which was corroded, should we have to pay an additional service call fee when they come back?

On 2016-08-29 - by (mod) -

Gary, plumbing rates vary widely depending on where you live, from $25 to $75/hour or more + parts. What would make sense to me is to hire a plumber or electrician to install a new pressure control switch (discuss that with the person before hiring them to be sure they're familiar with the equipment). At that time you can ask for help diagnosing the cause of switch failure, such as a short cycling pump.

On 2016-08-28 by Gary

The switch on our pressure tank is wore out, what would it cost to have a plummer come in to check that and over all check out the tank to make sure it is functioning properly? Thank you

On 2015-09-01 - by (mod) -

what's a "broken well" ?

Sandy

"Broken"
is a bit of a broad term. I don't know what was in the mind of the person who gave you that word: a broken switch, tank, pipe, wire, well casing, pump, or heart.

On 2015-08-29 by SANDY

IS THERE ANY CHANCE THAT A BROKEN WELL CAN ALSO MEAN - THE WELL IS DRY. WHAT ARE THE ODDS OF THAT IN PA?

Question: what will it cost to replace the "top end" of the water system?

(July 13, 2014) Lisa in OK said:
We are buying a house from an individual. she had several people in the home at one time or another and then it set vacant for several years. She thinks the well needs the "top end" replaced....I am not sure what that is or what it will cost... any idea?

Reply:

Lisa

I don't know what the seller means either. Since this is an important a d possibly costly component of a home ans as it would also be a stumbling block in obtaining a mortgage, you want a qualified well company to inspect, test, determine well adequacy and price out any repairs, equipment, sanitation issues, etc. before completing the purchase.

Question: pump runs longer than previously

(Oct 29, 2014) Jackie said:
The water pump is running longer than it used to....issues with the pressure tank or other possibilities?

Reply:

Try the diagnostics

at WATER PUMP WONT STOP RUNNING and let me know if questions remain.

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Continue reading at WATER TANK LIFE & REPLACEMENT or select a topic from the closely-related articles below, or see the complete ARTICLE INDEX.

Or see these

Recommended Articles

• WATER TANK REPAIR PROCEDURES
• WATER TANK BLADDERS & CAPTIVE AIR
• WATER TANK DIAGNOSIS & REPAIR - home

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COSTS: WATER PUMP & TANK at InspectApedia.com - online encyclopedia of building & environmental inspection, testing, diagnosis, repair, & problem prevention advice.

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INDEX to RELATED ARTICLES: ARTICLE INDEX to WATER SUPPLY, PUMPS TANKS WELLS & SPRINGS

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