Dig a Well or not? Questions re economics too.

meanwhile · #1 12/22/10, 04:25 PM

Our Main House has no water well nor spring on the actual piece of land (25 acre plot) the house sets upon. We use a well and spring system that are located on our Cabin & Cottage pieces of property.....which are next door on a separate 12 acre plot.

The well and spring worked fine for years and provided plenty of water.....until last winter when we had grit in the water a few times. We added a 1000 gallon cistern and technically we do have enough water to "get by" but I am trying to plan ahead.

A local Well Digger has a special "No Water No Pay!" and he came out and said he thinks he can dig a new well on my Main House land for about $6,000. This would mean later, when I am old and ready to sell the Cabin land or the Cottage land or even my Main House, all three would have their own water system.

I do not have cash $6,000 to pay for the new well, however, I have one account with very low interest rate (2.66) and I could pay for the new well from that account......thus avoiding higher interest rate later.

It seems to me a good idea to dig the new well now, when I have the low interest rate and while the Well Company still have the "No Pay" offer.

Any thoughts?

kirkmcquest · #2 12/22/10, 04:39 PM

I think investing in your own property improvement is almost always a sure bet. Not sure what you mean about your account and avoiding higher interest later....(wouldn't you want to get more interest on your money??)

Either way, if you can afford it, it will be a good investment both present and future.

TnAndy · #3 12/22/10, 04:45 PM

"no water, no pay".....hmmmm

Does that mean any certain gallon per minute ? Technically, a quart an hour is "water".....but probably won't supply what you need.

How about depth ? My well driller said he can drill 5,000 if my checkbook can stand it. What happens if your guy drills a 1,000 feet, and you need a 3 phase pump to pull any water out ?

Drilling a well is a near to going to a casino as you can get without actually going to a casino.

#4 12/22/10, 04:46 PM

I have heard of those no water no pay deals . My understanding is they'll just keep drilling until they hit water & there is no guarantee how much water you'll get . You could end up with a very deep expensive hole with very little water in it . Also when he says he thinks he could do it for about $6,000 that doesn't mean that's what your final bill would be . No way would I agree to a deal like this .

Wolf mom · #5 12/22/10, 05:40 PM

Drilling a well on your property is an investment - Do investigating. See how deep wells are in your area. Get various bids. Find out what wells pump per min also. This is something I wouldn't skimp on. It sounds like you're playing roulette with this guy.

I have one well at 350 feet, the other, an ag. well, at 450 feet that cost me $12,000 a few years ago & now will be a selling point when my land goes up for sale.

palani · #6 12/22/10, 05:53 PM

Mine the atmosphere instead

http://www.rexresearch.com/airwells/airwells.htm

rambler · #7 12/22/10, 05:54 PM

That sounds like a pretty good basic investment to me.

I'd prefer to get a good well person, than one with some sort of gimmick. I'd check around for folks that have worked with this fella, a good well person will treat you fair & get you good water at a useable volume which ultimately is what you want.

A gimmick sales pitch means you'll get some sort of water, but who know what, how dep, how much, etc. etc. I'd be uncomfortable with a set dollar amount, what kind of materials and effort will he use, he won't come with an offer that will lose him money???

The good well digger often ends up cheaper?

Be careful.

--->Paul

agmantoo · #8 12/22/10, 07:21 PM

I do not understand your statement "The well and spring worked fine for years and provided plenty of water.....until last winter when we had grit in the water a few times." Is the problem the grit or did the volume of water diminish? I can fix the grit from getting into the house plumbing.

#9 12/23/10, 12:36 AM

My understanding was the main concern is that the water source is on property that they may want to sell later .

meanwhile · #10 12/23/10, 11:38 AM

Thank you everyone -
To answer some of the questions:
-The Well Company is well respected in the area, I checked references and he is thought to be one of the best. His "special" is just his way of offering a service to attack customers during this time when fewer people are drilling.
-Agmantoo: The volume of water is diminished. We did run the well dry twice (by accident after power outages) but it did recover however, the well is used by three houses (including my Main House) and by 2 sets of outdoor hydrants.
-Agmantoo: We do have a grit problem and we were planning to install the rope-style particle filter. What else can we do to remove the grit from the well? Also, we need particle filters for the spring system. Can you suggest something to filter it too?
-Thanks for the tip about finding out how deep he will drill and what volume of water. I will check on that part.
-By "higher interest rate" I mean that right now I have access to a very low interest rate to borrow the money to pay the Well Man. Later, I might not have that low rate. I think it will be best to borrow the low rate money now, which I can pay back within six months, instead of waiting and risking a possible higher rate of interest later and worse a higher cost from the Well Man.

Thanks and I will ask more questions from the Well Man and
Agmantoo - thank you for tips about the grit.

#11 12/23/10, 11:53 AM

How far away are you? I had a well drilled a last year ago for about $8 a foot. Those guys were out of Reidville.

meanwhile · #12 12/23/10, 12:54 PM

Zong -
I am on the Tryon side of Saluda.......way up on the side of a ridge.....off 176. The Well Company is Camp's and they have good reputation here. They are coming out this afternoon and I have list of questions for them. They did say they want to "douse" and there is no charge for that so two of them are doing two different methods of "douse"....I think that is how to spell it. I am not a big fan of magic however, if they want to use sticks or wires to find water, that is OK with me as long as I am not paying for it!

Dowsing - they are going to Dowsing. One said he uses metal rods and the other uses wood.

#13 12/23/10, 01:26 PM

That's way too far for these guys. Interestingly, I was born just a few miles down 176 from you, near Inman, SC.

oregon woodsmok · #14 12/23/10, 01:40 PM

I'd go with the new well. You'll enjoy having it and it will add value to your property.

You can do a shared well when you sell but it has possibilities of causing trouble, especially since water is limited. Let the new owner of the cabin hassle with the water supply and not shut you off because there is not enough water for them to live like they are still on a meter in the city.

Is there a Water Master in your area? If so, he can tell you the average depth of wells in your neighborhood.

If not, call a couple of different well drillers and get a couple of opinions. They will know how deep they would probably have to go in your neighborhood.

oregon woodsmok · #15 12/23/10, 01:44 PM

Well drilling is usually by the foot and you want to make sure the quote you get includes the casing and the pump and pump installation. A collapsable hole in the ground doesn't have much value. The well needs to be finished before it is useful.

meanwhile · #16 12/23/10, 01:51 PM

Thanks - I am making a whole list of questions to ask about. The head Well Man is supposed to be here later this afternoon.

Wells in this area are tricky. I have one well that is 850 feet deep but only gets 1 gallon per minute. At another piece of property, just down the road, I have a 350 feet deep well but it gets 1.5 gallon per minute. I do not know of anyone around here who gets more than a few gallons per mins. even though we have many springs and creeks.

Sawmill Jim · #17 12/23/10, 01:57 PM

Here we got a well driller that will finance a well for you if he knows you or have good references . When i ask him he said pick what you can pay per month and stick to it till it's paid . Not many of those guys left around

meanwhile · #18 12/23/10, 05:24 PM

The Well Company owner came out, did the "dowsing" and oddly enough, selected a spot for the well that my owner elderly Father had been saying all along was the best spot! I did not tell the Well Man where my Father had suggested and I just waited to see what he was going to pick as the spot to dig. I was very surprised when he picked the same place!

We have the price and details and he is going to get the permit so I do not have to do that part. Then, we dig.

Wish us luck! Thanks everyone.

Sawmill Jim · #19 12/23/10, 06:28 PM

May your well come in at a 1,000 barrels a day

And remember your friends if it does

meanwhile · #20 12/24/10, 09:28 AM

Good Grief! 1,000 barrels a day? We would flood! I will be happy if we get 5 to 8 gallons a minute. Around here, that would be a lot!

I am hoping they will come out next week while my older boys are here to help, if need be. The Well Man is going to get a permit from the Health Department? I did not know we had to get a permit and why the Health Department is involved........why? That seems odd. But anyway - he said he knows them and will deal with them. He also said the Health Dept. Permit man might claim he has to come "examine" the site? I don't like people coming to sniff around.......

Anyway - I am hopeful we will hit water sooner rather than deeper.