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The published numbers
HomeGuide puts a complete residential well, including drilling, casing, pump installation, electrical connections, and permits, at $30 to $80 or more per foot, or $6,000 to $16,000 for a 200-foot well, with a national average of $10,500. Drilling alone runs $20 to $30 per foot in its data. HomeAdvisor, updated in June 2026, gives $25 to $65 per foot and says most homeowners spend $3,000 to $9,000, with an average of $5,500.
The two averages are far apart because they count different things. HomeGuide’s total is a finished, working water system. HomeAdvisor’s figure is weighted toward the hole itself. When a driller quotes a per-foot price, ask what that price includes.
| Well depth | HomeGuide: complete installation / drilling only |
|---|---|
| 100 feet | $3,000 to $8,000+ / $2,000 to $3,000 |
| 150 feet | $4,500 to $12,000+ / $3,000 to $4,500 |
| 200 feet | $6,000 to $16,000+ / $4,000 to $6,000 |
| 300 feet | $9,000 to $24,000+ / $6,000 to $9,000 |
National estimates, not quotes, checked October 2026. Your contractor’s written estimate is the only price that counts.
Why depth is hard to guess in Marion County
Depth drives the per-foot total, and local geology drives depth. A U.S. Geological Survey study of the Silver Springs basin in central Marion County found the top of the limestone about 35 to 60 feet below land surface at several sites around Ocala, and cautions that the depth can vary widely over a short distance. A USGS monitoring well near Ocala is 153 feet deep, cased to 124 feet. The City of Ocala’s large public-supply wells go deeper still, 187 to 265 feet. A private well can stop well short of those, or not, depending on the water and the rock the driller finds. Ask how they estimate depth for your area and what happens to the price if they have to go deeper.
Line items to compare
HomeGuide lists these as the parts most often priced separately from the per-foot rate:
- Casing: $7 to $11 per foot for PVC, or $30 to $130 or more per foot for steel.
- Well pump: $400 to $2,500.
- Pressure tank: $800 to $1,500.
- Electrical wiring and connections: $1,000 to $3,000.
- Permit: $350 to $700 or more nationally. In Marion County the well permit comes from the Florida Department of Health in Marion County, so ask the contractor what its fee will be.
- Water testing: $100 to $350 at a private lab. The Florida Department of Health says county health departments can provide sampling instructions, usually for $20 to $30 per sample.
Distance from the well to the house matters too, because longer water and power lines cost more. On a new lot, the well also has to sit at least 75 feet from any new septic system under Florida’s septic rule, which can push it farther from the house than you expected.
Timing
HomeGuide says a typical residential well takes 1 to 3 days to drill and about 7 days for the full installation, including the pump, electrical work, and water testing. Permit review and weather can add to that.
Questions to put to every driller
- Does the per-foot price include casing, and to what depth do you expect to case?
- Are the pump, pressure tank, and electrical connection in this price or separate?
- Who applies for the well permit, and is the fee included?
- What is your water well contractor license number?
- Where will the well sit relative to the septic system and the house?
- What happens to the price if you need to drill deeper than planned?