Well pump repair or replacement: how to get a good quote

When the water stops, it is tempting to approve the first quote that gets it running again. A few minutes of preparation will help you compare quotes, avoid paying twice to pull the same pump, and make sure the work is done by someone licensed to do it in Washington.

Know what kind of pump you have

Two pump types dominate household wells, according to the National Ground Water Association (NGWA): jet pumps above ground and submersible pumps down in the well.

• Jet pumps are mounted above ground, often in a small enclosure or a pump house. NGWA says they are most often used on shallow wells “up to a depth of 25 feet or so”, although they can be configured for wells several hundred feet deep. They lift water by suction, so they generally have to be primed (filled with water) to work.
• Submersible pumps sit under water in the well casing and push water up a drop pipe. NGWA says they are more efficient than jet pumps, and “can be very reliable, not requiring service for years or even decades”. The catch is that they must be pulled out of the well to be serviced. That pull, with a truck-mounted hoist, is a large part of the labor on any submersible job.
• 2-wire submersibles have their starting components inside the motor. Franklin Electric’s 2-wire motors use a solid-state starting switch built into the motor.
• 3-wire submersibles need a control box above ground. Franklin says the box holds starting capacitors, a starting relay and, in some sizes, overload protectors. Because some of those parts are at the surface, some starting faults can be checked without pulling the pump. Franklin also says the box and motor are “two pieces of one assembly”: the box must match the motor’s horsepower and voltage, and running a motor with the wrong box “can result in motor failure and voids warranty”.
• Constant-pressure (variable-speed, VFD) systems vary the motor speed to match demand. NGWA says they need only a two- to four-gallon pressure tank. Some drives are made to retrofit an existing pump: Franklin’s SubDrive Utility, for example, works with 2-wire, 3-wire and three-phase systems up to 2 hp. Others need a matched pump. Grundfos says its SQE pump must never be connected to any control box other than its own CU 300 or CU 301.

Your well log (find it with Ecology’s well report search) shows the well’s depth and static water level. If you have an old invoice, it may name the pump model, horsepower and setting depth. Have both ready when you call.

Symptoms and what they usually mean

These come from manufacturer troubleshooting tables. Treat them as a starting point for a diagnosis, not the diagnosis itself.

The Water Well Care Hotline warns that surging pressure “will eventually lead to pump failure”, and Franklin says a waterlogged tank causes rapid cycling. Franklin limits how often its motors should start: up to 300 starts a day for single-phase motors up to 0.75 hp, 100 a day for 1 to 5.5 hp, and at least one minute of running per start. A tank or switch problem that makes the pump cycle can wear out a good pump, so fix it promptly.

NGWA’s warning signs include pressure drops or surges, frequent cycling, reduced flow, and cloudy, discolored or foul-smelling water, which it says “should be tested immediately”.

Repair or replace?

Ask the contractor to measure before recommending parts. NGWA’s annual inspection checklist calls for checking the motor’s amp load, grounding and line voltage, the pressure tank and the pressure switch contacts, and the water level before and during pumping. The same measurements help diagnose a failure.

• Faults above ground (pressure switch, tank pre-charge, control box parts, wiring) can often be fixed without pulling the pump.
• Faults in the well (pump end, motor, cable, drop pipe, check valve) need a pull. Once the pump is out, ask what else is worth replacing on the same trip, such as the wire, drop pipe or check valve, and what it would cost to come back and pull it again later.

NGWA says only that pump systems “typically have a shorter lifespan and may need replacement before the well itself”. It does not give a number of years, and nor do we. Don’t let a contractor tell you a pump is “due” just because of its age; ask what the measurements show.

Pressure tank pre-charge and switch settings

A pressure tank stores water under pressure so that the pump doesn’t have to start every time you open a tap. NGWA says household tanks are typically 20 to 80 gallons. Amtrol, which makes Well-X-Trol tanks, says a larger tank gives more drawdown between cycles, so the pump runs less.

• Switch settings. The pump turns on at the cut-in pressure and off at the cut-out pressure. The Water Well Care Hotline gives 30/50, 40/60 and 50/70 psi as example settings.
• Pre-charge. Amtrol says to set the tank’s air pre-charge 2 psi below the cut-in pressure, for example 38 psi for a 40/60 switch. Check it with the power off and the tank drained of water. Amtrol’s factory pre-charge on Well-X-Trol tanks is 38 psi.
• Safety. Amtrol warns not to add air to a corroded tank or one with diminished integrity, because it can burst. A tank that won’t hold its pre-charge is usually a replacement, not a top-up.
• Placement. Amtrol says to install the tank as close as possible to the pressure switch.

If your quote includes a new tank, ask what size it is, what drawdown it gives at your switch setting, and whether the pre-charge will be set on site.

Check valves

Check valves hold pressure in the system when the pump stops. Franklin’s installation rules for submersibles:

• Always use at least one positive-sealing check valve.
• If the pump has no built-in check valve, install one in the discharge line within 25 feet of the pump, below the drawdown level.
• For Franklin pumps with built-in check valves set deeper than 200 feet, add more valves as the pump maker recommends, but don’t use more than recommended.
• Never use swing-type check valves with submersible pumps.

Grundfos lists a check valve stuck closed as a cause of “no water”, a blocked one as a cause of reduced flow, and one that is leaking or stuck half-open as a cause of frequent starts. In each case, the fix is to pull the pump.

Warranties: read what they don’t cover

Manufacturer warranties on residential pumps are short, and the ones we checked do not pay for the labor of pulling and reinstalling the pump.

Because the manufacturer won’t pay for the next pull, ask the installer whether it warranties its own labor, for how long, and who files a parts claim.

Generator sizing for power outages

If you want to run the pump on a generator, size it for the motor’s starting load, not its running load. Franklin’s minimum generator ratings for externally regulated generators:

Franklin also says:

• The generator must deliver at least 65% of the motor’s rated voltage during starting.
• Start the generator before turning on the pump, and turn off the pump before shutting down the generator.
• Letting the generator coast down or run out of fuel with the motor running can damage the motor’s thrust bearing.
• Derate for altitude or natural gas as the generator maker recommends.

For Grundfos SQ/SQE pumps, Grundfos recommends a generator output equal to the motor’s input power (P1) plus 50%, and at least P1 plus 10%. Ask your pump contractor for your motor’s horsepower and whether it is 2-wire or 3-wire, then check the generator maker’s sizing too.

Who is allowed to do the work in Washington

Pump work is regulated by the Department of Labor & Industries (L&I), not Ecology.

• Plumbing plus electrical. L&I says workers doing pump and piping work on domestic and irrigation water systems need both plumbing and electrical licenses. It also says state law bars placing a pump in someone else’s well without a proper license.
• Plumbing certificates. The PL03 (pump and irrigation) certificate needs at least 4,000 hours of supervised experience. The PL03A (domestic well) certificate covers pumps up to 100 gpm or 7.5 hp, single phase, and needs at least 2,000 hours. L&I says both also require electrical certification.
• Electrical specialties. Under WAC 296-46B-920, the 03 (pump and irrigation) specialty covers circuits, feeders and controls for domestic, public and irrigation water systems, and includes the 03A scope. The 03A (domestic pump) specialty covers pumps up to 7½ hp at 250 volts single-phase, in residential water or sewage systems.
• Contractor license. L&I issues a combined “Pump Installer” plumbing and electrical contractor license, which needs a certified plumber and a licensed electrician assigned to the business.

Check the company and the technician with L&I’s Verify tool. Listings in our pumps directory show the L&I registrations we have checked.

The wellhead matters too. Washington’s well rules say pitless adapters must use Department of Health-approved fittings. Anyone who removes part of the surface seal to install one must have it restored to land surface by a licensed or otherwise qualified person. Ecology’s homeowner guide says that if your pump installer breaks the surface seal, fixing it is their responsibility.

What it costs (indicative only)

There is no authoritative Washington price survey for pump work. These are dated figures from a national home site and a Washington pump company. Use them only to judge whether a quote is in the right range:

• This Old House (updated March 2026, national): $900 to $2,500 to replace a well pump. It notes submersibles typically cost more to install because of the labor of pulling and resetting them.
• Wenatchee Well Pros (June 2026, north-central Washington): pump replacement $1,800 to $4,500 installed, and raising or repositioning a pump $400 to $900.
• Wenatchee Well Pros (July 2026): a complete pump system for a new well, installed, at about $4,500 to $7,500 for a 200 ft well and $8,000 to $12,000 for wells over 400 ft. A constant-pressure upgrade adds about $1,500 to $3,000.

Deep wells, long wire runs and steel drop pipe all push costs up. Get at least two written quotes.

Line items to ask for

A good quote names each of these, or says it isn’t needed:

• Diagnosis or service-call fee, and whether it is credited against the repair.
• Pull and reset labor, and the setting depth.
• Pump and motor: brand, model, horsepower, flow at your pressure, 2-wire or 3-wire.
• Control box (3-wire) or constant-pressure drive, matched to the motor.
• Drop cable: size and length.
• Drop pipe: material and length, and whether the old pipe is being reused.
• Check valves: how many, where, and what type.
• Torque arrestor and safety rope, if used.
• Pressure tank: size and drawdown, and the pre-charge setting.
• Pressure switch, gauge and any pump protection device.
• Electrical work and any permit.
• Surface seal restoration, if the pitless adapter is disturbed.
• Disinfection after the well is opened, and a bacteria test.
• Manufacturer warranty, and the contractor’s labor warranty, in writing.

After the work: disinfect and test

Any job that opens the well can let bacteria in. Ask the contractor to disinfect the well when the work is done. Tacoma-Pierce County Health Department’s shock chlorination guide says not to take a repeat bacteria sample until all the chlorine has flushed out, which can take two to three days. Washington DOH recommends testing for coliform bacteria and nitrate every year. See our guide to testing your well water.

Questions to ask before you approve the work

1. What did you measure (amps, voltage, pressure, pre-charge), and what do the readings show?
2. Can this be fixed above ground, or does the pump have to come out? Why?
3. If you pull the pump, what else should be replaced on the same trip, and what would a second pull cost?
4. What pump are you installing, and what flow and pressure did you size it for? How deep will it be set?
5. Is the control box or drive matched to the motor?
6. How many check valves, where, and what type?
7. What is the manufacturer’s warranty, who files the claim, and do you warranty your labor?
8. Who on the crew holds the plumbing and electrical (03 or 03A) certificates?
9. Will you disinfect the well and restore the surface seal if you disturb it?

Red flags

• No L&I registration, or nobody on the crew with plumbing and electrical certification for pump work.
• A pump replacement recommended without any electrical or pressure measurements.
• A new pump sold to fix short-cycling before anyone has checked the tank pre-charge, pressure switch or check valve.
• Swing-type check valves on a submersible.
• A 3-wire motor paired with a control box from a different maker.
• “Lifetime” or vague warranty promises that aren’t in writing, or that turn out to be the manufacturer’s short parts-only term.
• A pump with more capacity than the well can supply. Grundfos warns that the well must yield at least as much as the pump delivers.
• The well left open, or the seal around the pitless adapter left unrepaired.
• No disinfection or bacteria test after the pump has been pulled.