DIY New well pump installed. Probably didn't save any $

Thanks to googling and posting this group I got a lot of good learning on diagnosing and repairing my water system. After eliminating all other possible causes, I finished installing the new pump around midnight yesterday. Had to update the wiring all the way back to the box as well, since the old, cloth-wrapped wire was a real fire hazard. I made a lot of stupid mistakes, concluding at 9pm yesterday with dropping a terminal screw from the pump's switchbox into the sand, never to be seen again. Sure is nice to have water though.

The pump and all related piping and consumables ran around $400. Considering the cost of my time, it would have been cheaper to call a plumber last week. Maybe not - I wonder what a plumber would have charged for a job like this. But as they say on the MasterCard ad: learning how to do major plumbing work myself - priceless.

Reply to
BobN
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BobN wrote: .....

I'd not call a plumber for the well portion if you do need something again...I'd get to know the well service guys as they (at least here) tend to be more responsive and adept at the well end than the plumbers. I think it's good to know them ahead of time although if I recall you have a shallow well where it's not as much an issue as deep wells that require significant effort to pull, for example.

Reply to
Duane Bozarth

Based on how deep your well is: $700 -> $1500 Wire replacement down to the pump is included into this price, but not the box, esp if one have to dig.

$700 for 100 ft deep $1500 -> 500+

Reply to
Brian

I think you are better off doing it yourself. It sounds like you did not just replace a pump, but a lot of other things to make it better. A plumber might not have gone to the trouble (and you probably would not want to pay for) the extra things you did. If (and when) the problem comes up again, you will have the fix pretty much in place already.

:D

Reply to
borgunit

Had a similar problem...pump sits down in a 10 ft deep pit in my basement. Motor went bad. After calling several plumbers and well people and not finding one who was interested in doing the job, I called my son who's 20 years younger than me and he and I did the job. It was simply a remove old pump and install new but no one would work on a shallow well. My cost was pretty close to yours but I didn't have to run the new wiring. Tom.

Reply to
Tom

I had much similar experience replacing the fuel pump on my truck. Two days work (had to replace a rotted out fuel pump relay, too). But it was good experience, and I'm sure saved 300 or more.

Congrats on a good job.

Reply to
Stormin Mormon

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