How Much Does It Cost to Put in a Well and Septic System? Price Breakdown and Financing Options

For a well and septic system together, you’re looking at a cost of $6,600 on the low end, up to about $21,500 for most projects. The average falls around $13,500. Now, if you’re dealing with bedrock, need to drill way down to hit water, or your soil won’t pass a perc test—that number can jump past $35,000 quickly.

Rural land doesn’t come with city water hookups. Neither does most property outside municipal boundaries. No water main running to your lot means you need a well. No sewer line means you need a septic tank.

My wife and I built our house in Northern Indiana back in 2022. We are maybe half a mile past city limits—close enough to see the neighbors who had city water, far enough that we couldn’t tap into it. Between the well and septic, we spent right around $20,000. We were starting from scratch on bare land. If you’re tearing out an old system first, add demo costs to your budget.

Costs in this article are sourced from contractor estimates via Angi—well costs and septic system cost pages.

Table of Contents

1. Well and septic costs at a glance
2. How much does it cost to drill a well?
   1. Well drilling costs by depth
   2. Additional well components and costs
3. How much does it cost to install a septic system?
   1. Septic tank costs by size
   2. Septic tank costs by material
   3. Septic system costs by type
   4. Site preparation and additional septic costs
4. What factors affect well and septic installation costs?
5. How to finance well and septic installation
   1. Home equity loan
   2. Home equity line of credit (HELOC)
   3. Home equity agreement (HEA)
   4. Other financing options
6. How to save money on well and septic installation
7. FAQ
   1. Do I need both a well and septic system?
   2. How long do wells and septic systems last?
   3. Does adding a well and septic system increase home value?
   4. How far apart should a well and septic system be?

Well and septic costs at a glance

Component	Average cost	Typical range
Well drilling	$5,500	$3,000—$9,000
Septic system	$8,050	$3,600—$12,500
Combined total	$13,550	$6,600—$21,500

How much does it cost to drill a well?

$5,500 is a reasonable ballpark for well drilling. I’ve gotten quotes anywhere from $3,000 to $9,000—depth, casing type, and local labor rates all play into where you land.

Most companies quote by the foot—somewhere between $25 and $65 depending on conditions. Soft soil with easy access? You’ll be on the cheaper end. Granite ledge or a property that’s tough to reach with a drill rig? Expect to pay toward the top of that range.

Well drilling costs by depth

How deep does your well need to go? It could be 50 feet or 200. The water table where you live determines the depth, and there’s no way to know for sure until the driller starts.

Depth	4-inch PVC casing	6-inch steel casing
50 feet	$1,800	$3,050
100 feet	$3,550	$6,100
150 feet	$5,350	$9,200
200 feet	$7,100	$12,250

Most wells use four-inch polyvinyl chloride (PVC) casing and run $1,500 to $6,000. If your contractor recommends eight-inch casing—maybe the soil won’t hold or you need more water flow—expect to pay $4,200 to $25,000.

Additional well components and costs

Drilling gets you a hole. You still need a pump, a pressure tank, and supply lines to get water into your house. Here’s what all that costs:

• Well pump: $900 to $2,500
• Pressure tank: $300 to $500
• Casing pipe (PVC): $6 to $10 per foot
• Casing pipe (steel): $30 to $130+ per foot
• Electrical supply lines: $50 to $150 per foot
• Water purification system: $1,000 to $15,000
• Water testing: $50 to $600
• Permits: $200 to $500

Before you start drinking from your new well, get it tested. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) says private well owners should test annually for bacteria and other contaminants. Your first test happens during installation and runs $50 for basic screening, up to $600 if you want the lab to check for everything.

How much does it cost to install a septic system?

Septic systems average $8,050, though you might pay between $3,600 and $12,500. Labor eats up 50% to 70% of that total.

Septic tank costs by size

Tank size requirements are tied to the number of bedrooms in your house, not the number of bathrooms. This surprised me during our build, but it’s how Indiana’s building code works, and many other states follow the same approach. The bedroom count determines potential occupancy, which drives wastewater volume.

House size	Tank capacity	Cost
1 bedroom	500 gallons	$500—$900
2 bedrooms	750 gallons	$700—$1,200
3-4 bedrooms	1,000 gallons	$900—$1,500
5-6 bedrooms	1,200 gallons	$1,200—$1,600
6-7 bedrooms	1,500 gallons	$1,500—$2,500

Septic tank costs by material

Here’s what the different material options cost:

Material	Cost	Notes
Plastic	$500—$2,000	Lightweight, easy to install
Concrete	$700—$2,000	Durable, handles soil pressure well
Fiberglass	$1,200—$2,000	Resists corrosion, long lifespan

Most installers default to plastic tanks. They weigh less, which reduces shipping costs and speeds up the install. Concrete holds up better when you’ve got heavy, dense soil pressing in from all sides. Fiberglass won’t crack or corrode, but the price reflects that.

Septic system costs by type

System type	Cost	Best for
Anaerobic (conventional)	$3,000—$8,000	Standard installations
Aerobic	$10,000—$20,000	Smaller lots, efficient treatment
Mound	$10,000—$20,000	High water tables
Sand filter	$7,000—$18,000	Near bodies of water

Most residential systems are anaerobic—bacteria break down waste without oxygen, no electricity or chemicals needed. Aerobic systems pump air in to speed things up. That efficiency costs about twice as much, though these systems tend to need less attention over the years.

If you’ve got a high water table, shallow bedrock, or clay that won’t drain, you’re probably looking at a mound system or sand filter. Both cost more.

Site preparation and additional septic costs

Here’s what site preparation and other items cost:

• Land survey: $350 to $900
• Percolation test: $700 to $2,000
• Drain field installation: $5,000 to $12,000
• Permits: $450 to $2,300

A percolation test measures how quickly water drains through your soil. Your county will require one before approving any septic installation. Failed perc tests mean you’ll need a more expensive alternative system.

Once everything’s in the ground, maintenance matters. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has a guide worth reading—it walks through pumping schedules, things you shouldn’t flush, and red flags that something’s failing.

What factors affect well and septic installation costs?

The following also affect your final well and septic cost.

• Geographic location: Contractors in different areas charge different rates. City guys sometimes cost more per hour, but a rural contractor might tack on travel time if your property is way out there. Permit fees vary by county, too.
• Soil conditions: Rock is a pain to drill through, slowing everything down. Clay doesn’t drain, which complicates septic design. Sand drains great, but it might mean drilling deeper to find stable water.
• Water table depth: Shallow groundwater means a shorter well, which saves money. But it complicates septic placement, since drain fields must sit above the water table. Deep water tables require more drilling at $25 to $65 per foot.
• Site accessibility and layout: Steep grades or limited access for heavy equipment add time and expense. The farther apart your well and septic sit, the more you’ll spend on water lines and electrical runs.

How to finance well and septic installation

Most people can’t write a check for $10,000 to $25,000. If you’ve built up equity in your home, you have options for financing.

Home equity loan

A home equity loan hands you a lump sum that you pay back over time at a fixed rate. You have the same payment every month, start to finish. See our recommendations for the best home equity loans. Using a marketplace like LendingTree lets you prequalify and compare rates across lenders in one place.

Home equity line of credit (HELOC)

Picture a credit card, except your house is the collateral. That’s basically what a HELOC is. You get approved for a certain amount and draw from it when you need to, paying interest only on what you’ve actually borrowed. Most carry variable rates, so payments may change over time.

We have reviewed and recommend some lenders, like Aven, that offer fixed rates with each draw, which helps make your payments more predictable. RenoFi is the lender we specifically recommend for home renovations. See our full roundup of top lenders here.

Home equity agreement (HEA)

With a home equity agreement, you get cash without monthly payments. Instead, you share a portion of your home’s future appreciation with the investor when you sell or buy them out. HEAs appeal to homeowners with lower credit scores who might not qualify for a home equity loan or HELOC.

Hometap is our top choice for HEAs. Read about all the top HEA companies here.

Other financing options

• Personal loans: No equity required, but you’ll pay more in interest than you would with a secured loan.
• FHA 203(k) loans: Buying a place that needs work? This one rolls the purchase price and renovation into a single mortgage.
• USDA loans: Rural properties sometimes qualify for USDA financing programs.
• Contractor financing: A few well and septic companies offer payment plans. Compare their terms to what a bank would offer before signing anything.

How to save money on well and septic installation

Here’s how to get the most bang for your buck on a new well and septic system:

• Get multiple quotes. Three bids minimum. During our build, one contractor bid $4,000 more than another for identical work.
• Book in fall or winter. Contractors stay busiest in spring and summer. Call in the off-season, and you might find better rates.
• Bundle the work. Having one contractor handle both systems reduces equipment transportation costs.
• Right-size your systems. Bigger tanks cost more money. A four-bedroom house only needs 1,000 gallons.
• Pull permits yourself. Some counties let homeowners handle permit applications directly—it won’t save you a fortune, but $200 here and there adds up.
• Ask about tank materials. Plastic works fine in most soil types. Talk to your contractor about what your site actually needs before paying extra.

The EPA’s SepticSmart program is worth bookmarking once your system goes in—good stuff on maintenance schedules and early warning signs.

FAQ

Do I need both a well and a septic system?

Not always. Homes without access to municipal water typically use a well, and homes without sewer access use a septic system. Some properties have one but not the other, depending on local infrastructure.

How long do wells and septic systems last?

A properly maintained well can last 30 to 50 years or more, while a septic system typically lasts 20 to 40 years, depending on design, usage, and maintenance.

Does adding a well and septic system increase home value?

It can, especially in rural areas where public utilities aren’t available. However, the value increase depends on local market demand, system quality, and maintenance history.

How far apart should a well and septic system be?

Requirements vary by state and local code, but wells are typically required to be at least 50–100 feet away from septic tanks and drain fields to prevent contamination.