Well Drilling Cost Ontario: Real Numbers, Hidden Extras, and How to Avoid Paying for a “Dry Hole” Surprise

💰What does a well typically cost in Ontario?

The honest answer: it depends on depth, geology, and how far you have to go to find reliable water. But for planning purposes, most Ontario homeowners end up in the five-figure range once you include the full system.

You’ll often hear per-foot drilling numbers tossed around at the coffee shop — and yes, drilling is a major chunk — but the total “I can turn on a tap in my kitchen” cost includes a lot more than a hole in the ground. If you budget only drilling, you’re budgeting like someone buying a truck and forgetting the price of fuel, insurance, and tires.

📏Per-foot drilling price: what you’re really paying for

Well contractors often price drilling on a per-foot basis because depth is the biggest driver. But “per foot” usually ties into more than just drilling: the work often includes casing (to keep the well stable), proper sealing/grouting (to protect against contamination pathways), and the time/equipment required to drill through whatever the earth decides to throw at you that day.

Here’s the key point: rock and conditions rule the number. Two lots, same road, totally different costs. One might hit decent water at 80–120 feet. The other might go 250+ feet and need more casing and more time. Same municipality, different universe.

What makes per-foot pricing jump?

• Hard rock (slower drilling, more wear on equipment)
• Depth (more footage, more casing, more time)
• Casing diameter and material (domestic wells often use 6″ casing, but confirm)
• Sealing / grouting requirements (critical for sanitation and compliance)
• Mobilization (getting the rig in and out on rural sites)

🧾The “hidden extras” most people forget to budget

If you want a realistic budget, you need to account for the full water system — not just drilling. Here are the common line items that turn a per-foot quote into a real-world invoice:

🪨Geology is the boss (and it doesn’t care about your schedule)

In Ontario, depth and drilling conditions can change dramatically even over short distances. One lot is mostly sand/gravel, another is rock. One hits good water early, another needs to chase fractures deeper. That’s why “my neighbour paid X” is only mildly useful information.

The smarter move is to look at historical well data near your property. Ontario provides tools to search and view well records, which can give you clues about typical depths and yields nearby. It’s not a guarantee — water is water — but it’s a very useful “directional” tool for budgeting and planning.

How to use well records (the smart way)

• Look up nearby wells and note depth and yield patterns.
• Don’t fixate on the cheapest well — look for the “typical cluster.”
• If nearby wells are deep, budget deep. Hope is not a water strategy.
• Use it to ask better questions when you call contractors: “Most wells here seem to be 180–240 feet — is that what you’re seeing too?”

The well record tool lives here: Ontario Well Records.

🧯Rules and licensing: why you want the right contractor

Wells are regulated work. This isn’t a “rent a machine and wing it” situation (and if someone offers that service, run). Ontario’s wells regulation sets out rules around construction, reporting, and other requirements for wells.

If you want to review the regulation directly, here it is: Ontario Regulation 903 (Wells). You don’t need to memorize it — but you do want the job done properly, with proper documentation.

🧭Do you need a permit for a well in Ontario?

People mix up “building permits” with “well rules.” The well itself is governed by provincial well regulations and contractor requirements, and your overall project (new build, addition, major servicing work) may involve municipal approvals and inspections as well. The safest approach is to coordinate early with your municipality and your builder so the well location, setbacks, and site plan all make sense together.

If you’re at the planning stage for a new build, this internal guide helps you understand the bigger picture: How to Get a Building Permit in Ontario.

📍Site access can add thousands (yes, access)

A drilling rig is not a Honda Civic. If your site is muddy, steep, tight, or blocked by “we’ll keep those trees for privacy,” costs go up. Sometimes fast.

Access issues that increase cost

• Soft ground needing mats or extra sitework
• Distance from the road (longer mobilization and longer trenching)
• Limited turning radius and tight corridors
• Overhead wires or obstacles that limit rig positioning
• Seasonal conditions (spring thaw is a special kind of chaos)

🚰Water quality: budgeting for treatment

A well can produce plenty of water that still needs treatment. Common rural issues include iron, hardness, sulphur smell, sediment, bacteria risks, and sometimes tannins depending on location. Water is “clear” right up until it stains your tub orange and makes your laundry look like it fought a rusty nail and lost.

The right approach is simple: test the water, then choose treatment based on results. Don’t buy equipment based on your neighbour’s water problem — your water might have a totally different personality.

Common treatment equipment (budget line items)

• Sediment filtration (protects fixtures and equipment)
• Water softener (hardness control)
• Iron/sulphur filtration (smell and staining control)
• UV system (disinfection support when needed)
• Reverse osmosis (RO) (targeted drinking-water polishing)

🧮Budget examples so you can “ballpark” realistically

I’m going to give you builder-style examples. These are not quotes (your geology decides your fate), but they’ll show you how the pieces stack up and where people get surprised.

Example A: “Straightforward rural build”

You’re on a lot with decent access, drilling hits usable water at a reasonable depth, and the trench run to the house is not a marathon. You still budget for: drilling + casing/sealing + pump + pressure tank + trench + electrical + basic filtration + testing. This is how you get a budget that matches reality.

Example B: “Deeper well + long runs + treatment”

Now you’re deeper, maybe more rock, and you’ve got a long run to the house (or the house location is fixed because the view is perfect — fair). Add: more drilling footage, more casing, longer trenching, longer electrical, and treatment because the water comes with iron/hardness. This is where the “we didn’t budget that” moment happens if you didn’t plan allowances.

🧠How to get accurate quotes (and compare apples to apples)

If you want to avoid the “cheap quote that becomes expensive,” use this checklist when calling contractors:

• Scope: What is included besides drilling?
• Depth assumptions: How many feet are included before per-foot overages?
• Casing/sealing: What casing size and what sealing approach is included?
• Pump system: Is the pump included? Pressure tank? Controls? Hookups?
• Trenching: Included distance? Depth? Restoration?
• Electrical: Included distance from panel? Any upgrades assumed?
• Testing: Who arranges tests and when?
• Treatment allowance: Even a placeholder number is better than pretending it won’t be needed.

🏡Plan well + septic + power together (your wallet will thank you)

If you’re building rural, treat servicing like a “systems package”: well + septic + power + drainage + access. When you plan those together, you avoid expensive rework and you keep the schedule tighter.

If septic is part of your plan, read this first (it’ll save you time and arguments): Septic Systems Ontario.

🧾Don’t forget the tax/rebate side of your overall build budget

Wells and septic are big-ticket servicing items. But your overall project budget also has Ontario-specific tax factors. If you’re building a new home and you want to understand potential rebates in plain English, use: New Home HST Rebate Calculator Ontario.

🏠Where this ties into the rest of your custom build

A well isn’t just “a well.” It affects where you can place your house, your driveway, your septic, and sometimes even your grading plan. If you’re building a rural custom home and want a smoother planning-to-build experience (especially for high-performance builds), take a look at ICF Home Builder. Even if you don’t build ICF, the planning mindset is the point: make decisions early, detail them properly, and reduce surprises.

❓FAQ: Well drilling cost Ontario

🔗Credible resources

• Ontario: Well Records
• Ontario Regulation 903 (Wells)
• ICF Home Builder

Bottom line: budget your well as a full system (not just drilling), use well records for due diligence, and confirm scope in writing so the “per-foot” price doesn’t become a surprise story you tell for the next 20 years.