How much does a borehole cost to drill?

The cost of a borehole is largely dependent upon the Geology of the site we’re drilling on and the borehole survey. Many people expect the easiest drilling to be into soft and loose geologies, however the opposite is generally true. One of the main difficulties with drilling is keeping the borehole open during the drilling process; this is made more difficult if the hole is collapsing owing to the geology being loose and unstable. We employ many methods to prevent this from happening, including the use of drilling additives and fluids and the installation of temporary steel casing. All these factors are reflected in the cost of a borehole.

All our quotes are broken down to make them easy to understand and for the customer to be aware of costs at every stage of the project. A breakdown of a quote is detailed below as an example:

Meterage cost for drilling
The charge per meter for drilling the borehole, this is dependent on geology and site conditions. Typically this will be between £25–£50 per linear Meter.

Meterage cost for lining and packing the borehole
The charge per meter for the supply and installation of well screen and casing to form the borehole. This also includes the installation of a glass/gravel filter pack. Typically this will be around £17.00 per linear meter.

Supply and installation of well head
The purpose built poly sump man hole chamber we install over the head of the borehole to allow access to the borehole and protect it from contamination. These generally cost in the region of £200 dependant on site conditions and location.

Pump system
The cost for the supply and installation of a submersible pump and control system. The cost of these is dependent upon the depth of the borehole, flow and pressure requirements of the system and distance the water has to travel. A recent system including a pump located at a 80 meter depth, supplying a 4 bedroom house with land and outbuildings with water at 3bar pressure across the system cost the customer £1396.00 for the entire system including pressure vessel, control system and pipe work.

Mobilisation
The cost of moving equipment and personnel to and from site.

Water Analysis
A full chemical water analysis of the borehole is obtained and the customer is provided with a cost to treat the water to meet current drinking water regulations. This test costs £145.00. A full chemical (Suite B) water analysis certificate is provided for the customer’s reference.

The costs of water treatment are only possible to quote for once the water has been found, pumped clean and a sample taken and analysed.

(All costs listed above are quoted at 2009 supplier price lists, and are subject to VAT.)

It is very important when receiving quotes for your borehole project that all quotes are on a like for like basis. As Members of The British Drilling Association we only supply and install the best quality equipment and components. The well screen and casing we install meets WRAS (Water Regulation Advisory Scheme) standards as does the recycled glass filter material we use. The pumps are from one of a handful of the leading pump manufacturers in the world. Contact us for more information or advice.