Well Pump Replacement Cost: $1,000 to $2,500 (HomeGuide)

National figures. American Home Shield's range is the 80th percentile of a 2024 ClearVantage survey it commissioned.

When to call: is a failing well pump urgent?

Shut the pump's breaker off before anyone opens the control box or switch; Franklin Electric's manual says to disconnect power before working on or around the system.

• Call now: no water in the house, or a pump that runs but delivers nothing. Franklin's first advice for a low well is to shut off the pump and wait for the well to recover, so turn it off rather than let it run dry.
• This week: falling pressure, spitting faucets from air in the lines, cloudy or dirty water, new noises, or a power bill that has crept up. HomeGuide and Bob Vila both list these as signs a pump is failing.
• Can wait: a pump that works but is past 10 years old. HomeGuide suggests planning a replacement then, which lets you price it before it quits.

How much does it cost to replace a well pump?

Replacing a well pump costs $1,000 to $2,500 for most homes in HomeGuide's guide, with a $1,800 national average, a $200 minimum and a $20,000 maximum at the windmill end. HomeAdvisor's normal range is $974 to $2,822 with a $1,898 average, and it says the job can run anywhere from $200 to $5,800. Bob Vila lands close, at $942 to $2,629 and $1,785 on average. American Home Shield's survey figure is lower, $70 to $1,700, the 80th percentile of what homeowners reported spending; ask any quote whether the pump, pipe, wire and labor are all in it.

Well pump cost by type: submersible, jet, constant pressure and solar

HomeGuide labels its figures installed. The other guides' figures are printed as each publishes them.

Submersible well pump installation

A submersible well pump is the usual choice for a drilled well. The Minnesota handbook says submersibles are most often used in drilled wells and in casings 4 inches or wider, while jet pumps are most common in wells 3 inches or narrower. Bob Vila places them in wells from roughly 25 to 400 feet. HomeGuide says a submersible can run for several hours or even days, where a jet pump should run no more than 2 to 3 hours at a time. Bob Vila adds $250 to $2,500 for new pipework when the old drop pipe has to go.

Shallow well pump vs deep well jet pump: how deep each one reaches

A shallow well pump is a jet pump, and every source agrees it works only to about 25 feet. They disagree on how far a deep well jet pump can reach, so the table shows each one as printed.

If your well is deeper than the low end of those deep jet figures, ask the installer why a jet pump is on the quote instead of a submersible.

Constant pressure well pump: what the extra cost buys

A constant pressure well pump costs $2,000 to $5,000 in all four guides, the one figure they agree on. HomeAdvisor calls it a premium pump with special controls. Franklin Electric's manual says these variable speed systems need only a small pressure tank to hold steady pressure, though a larger tank can be used, so the tank side of the bill can shrink; see pressure tank sizes and prices.

Solar well pump cost

A solar well pump costs $1,500 to $6,500 installed in HomeGuide's guide, $1,800 to $6,500 in HomeAdvisor's and $2,000 to $4,000 in Bob Vila's. Solar is worth pricing where running power to the well would be expensive; HomeAdvisor's drilling guide prices an electric line at $50 to $150 per foot plus $160 to $500 in labor.

Well pump size: horsepower and depth

Bob Vila's sizing examples show how depth drives horsepower: for 3 gallons a minute, a 1/2 hp pump at 15 feet or a 1 hp pump at 250 feet; for 15 gallons a minute, 1 hp at 15 feet or 1 1/2 hp at 250 feet. HomeAdvisor's FAQ says a 3/4 hp submersible can draw from up to 250 feet. HomeGuide gives no prices by horsepower, and none of the guides we used price brands such as Franklin Electric, Goulds or Grundfos, so ask the installer for the model and its curve.

Labor, wiring, the control box and the capacitor

Two electrical parts can be the fault instead of the pump. The well pump control box is $300 to $600 in HomeGuide's repair guide and $200 to $500 in HomeAdvisor's; a motor start capacitor is $150 to $300 (HomeGuide) or $100 to $150 (HomeAdvisor). Franklin lists damaged wiring as a cause of a motor that will not start and tells installers to look for loose or corroded connections. No guide we checked prices well pump wiring on its own. If one of these parts is the fault, the well pump repair page has the full parts list.

Well pump runs but no water: replace or repair?

When the motor hums but the taps stay dry, Franklin's checklist names six causes: a low water level in the well, a worn pump, a loose coupling or broken motor shaft, a blocked pump screen, a check valve stuck closed, or a leak in the system. Only some of those need a new pump. Franklin notes that a worn pump looks a lot like a leaking drop pipe or a low well, which is why the installer should test before quoting a replacement.

How long does a well pump last?

Sources give different numbers. HomeGuide says 10 to 15 years with proper care, and 40 or more for the well itself. HomeAdvisor says 8 to 15 years with regular maintenance. Bob Vila says about 15 years for a new pump, and American Home Shield says 14 years on average. Franklin adds that excessive cycling shortens the life of the controls, which is one reason a waterlogged pressure tank is worth fixing.

Questions to ask before you approve a well pump replacement

• Which pump type and horsepower, and why? Ask for the well depth and the pump setting depth the quote assumes.
• Is new pipe, wire or a control box included? Bob Vila's pipework range alone is $250 to $2,500.
• Will the pressure switch and tank be checked or replaced? An old tank can shorten a new pump's life.
• Will the well be disinfected and the water tested? Penn State Extension lists installing a new submersible pump as a reason to shock chlorinate, and the CDC says to test after any part of the well system is replaced; see well water testing.
• License and insurance. Ask the company for its well contractor or pump installer license number and proof of insurance yourself.

If the water itself has been cloudy or smelly, ask about it at the same visit; the well water treatment guide prices filters and softeners. A brand new well is a different job, priced on the well drilling cost page.

What to do before the well pump is replaced

1. Find the paperwork. The well log or the last service invoice shows the well depth, the pump depth and the pump's age.
2. Write down the symptoms: no water, low pressure, spitting taps, dirty water, noise, or a pump that runs but delivers nothing.
3. Check the breaker once. If the pump trips it again, leave it off.
4. Get the quote by line item: pump, pipe, wire, control box, labor, and whether the pull is included.
5. Book a water test for after the work. The CDC lists replacing or repairing any part of the well system as a reason to test.
6. Call the well line and ask what the service call costs before the pump is pulled.

Related prices: plumber cost and home repair costs. Calls go to an independent company that serves your area and takes this kind of job; hours vary. How calls work.