Buying a House with a Well: The Buyer's Workbook
A private well is the house's water supply, and EPA's drinking water rules don't cover it. Checking the well and testing the water before you buy is up to you. This workbook walks you through it in the order you'll actually do it.
It's a 32-page PDF with diagrams, every common water test result explained, typical repair and treatment costs, and 7 printable worksheets to bring to the showing and the inspection.
- What to ask and look up before you make an offer
- What a real well inspection and water test cover
- Every common test result explained, with typical costs
- 7 printable worksheets for the showing and the inspection
Who it's for
- Buyers looking at a house with a private well, especially first-time well owners
- Buyers with a well inspection or water test coming up who want to know what a thorough one includes
- Buyers with a water test result in hand who need to know what it means and what to ask for
What's inside
- Wells in five minutes. How a well works, the well types you'll see on a listing, and how long each part lasts.
- Before you make an offer. What to look for in the disclosure, how to pull the well log, what to ask the health department, and what to look for in the yard.
- Writing the offer. What your well and water contingency should cover, which states require testing at sale, and what FHA, VA, and USDA lenders ask for.
- Hiring the inspector and the lab. The non-negotiables for a purchase inspection, what it costs, and which water tests to order.
- Inspection day. The wellhead, the pressure system, and how a real flow and yield test works.
- Reading the water test. Every common result explained in plain English, with the EPA benchmark and the fix, plus red flags in the report itself.
- Negotiating the findings. How big each problem is, your four options, a worked example, and a before-closing checklist.
- Special situations. Dug wells, well pits, shared wells, old wells, low yield, known contamination, and water rights in the West.
- Your first year as a well owner. What to do in the first 30 days, a testing schedule, and yearly upkeep.
Plus a glossary of the terms you'll see in well logs and lab reports.
A look inside
The 7 worksheets
- Seller questions
- Well records lookup
- Hiring the inspector and the lab (compare up to three)
- Inspection day checklist
- Water test results
- Findings and negotiation tracker
- Well and water log
How it's sourced
Every rule in the workbook comes from a primary or official source, including EPA, CDC, the New Jersey and Oregon well testing laws, state health departments, university extension programs, and FHA guidelines. Every cost range matches The Well Guide's published cost guides, like our well inspection cost guide and well water testing cost guide. If you'd rather start with the free version, read our guide to buying a house with a well.
- What to ask and look up before you make an offer
- What a real well inspection and water test cover
- Every common test result explained, with typical costs
- 7 printable worksheets for the showing and the inspection
Frequently Asked Questions
What do I get?
A 32-page PDF you can read on any device or print. It includes nine chapters, illustrated diagrams, cost charts, a glossary, and 7 printable worksheets.
Can I print the worksheets?
Yes. The whole workbook is laid out for standard letter paper, and the worksheets are on pages 22 to 28.
Does it cover my state?
It explains how the process works anywhere in the U.S. and covers states with testing rules at sale, like New Jersey's Private Well Testing Act and Oregon's seller testing law. Since well rules often vary by county and town, it also tells you exactly what to ask your local health department.
How is this different from the free guides on this site?
The free guides cover one topic at a time. The workbook puts the whole purchase in order and adds what you'll want in hand: the inspection-day checklist, every common test result explained, typical costs for each finding, your negotiating options with a worked example, and worksheets to fill in as you go.
What if it isn't useful?
Email within 30 days for a full refund. The contact address is on your receipt.
Is this legal or medical advice?
No. The workbook explains how the process usually works and what to ask. Confirm local requirements and questions about a specific test result with your health department, and have your agent or a real estate attorney review contract language.