- Request an estimate. We do 2 different types of estimates: on site and over the phone. If you are on a lake, in a tight area, or are requesting an irrigation well quote, then the site must be looked at. When we do an over the phone estimate we must have an address, based on that address we can look up wells on the internet to find out how deep wells are in the area. By looking at the different depths of wells near your address we can estimate a depth we think we will get water. We will base our estimate on that depth and email/fax/mail it to you.
- Apply for the Permit. You’re county’s Environmental Health Department requires a permit to be pulled before we drill the well and water samples taken after we drill the well. If you want to do the permit and water samples yourself it will save you some money, or we can do them for you at an extra cost. Our price for pulling the permit and doing the water samples includes the cost of the permit fee and sampling bottles charged by the Environmental Health Department. It also covers our costs for fuel and our employee’s time to apply for the permit before we drill the well and take the water samples after the well is complete. Because each county charges a different fee for the permit our price varies from county to county. If you decide to do the permit and water samples yourself, go to your county Environmental Health Department to apply for the permit. You will need to complete a form, draw a site plan of the property, and pay the permit fee. The process varies by county. Washtenaw & Livingston County: Apply for permit and pick up water sample bottles: arsenic, bacteria, and nitrates. Oakland County: Apply for permit. Oakland County does all water sampling for the homeowner. Jackson & Lenawee County: Apply for permit and pick up water sample bottle: bacteria required only. When there is a no water condition you can get a permit right away, the sanitarian must look at the site first and then he/she will issue the permit. If there is water then your permit will take 1-2 weeks for the county to complete.
- Send Cribley a copy of the permit if you pulled it yourself.The county can fax it to us upon request. If we applied for the permit they will automatically fax it to us.
- Sign the estimate. If you would like to go ahead with the well sign the estimate and send it back to our office by mail, fax, or email.
- Pay the deposit. You can pay the deposit over the phone by credit card, in person with cash or a check, or mail a check to our office. (Many people mail the signed estimate and check together to our office.)
- Schedule the work. Once we have a signed estimate, deposit, and a copy of the permit we can schedule the work. Our director will call you to schedule the well drilling.
- Well Drilling & Well Hookup. The well drilling usually takes ½ a day to 1 day to complete depending on the well’s depth. After the drilling portion is complete our director will call you to schedule the hook up. The hook up will usually take ½ a day to complete. The old well is left for use until the new well is hooked up. When the new well is hooked up the old well is abandoned.
- Billing. After the well is complete the deposit is applied and we send the bill in the mail. You have 30 days to pay the bill. It can be paid cash, check, or credit card.
- Water Sampling. When the well is hooked up the crew chlorinates the well. This is to clean/disinfect the well and get it ready for water sampling. After the chlorine has sat the recommended time you must run a couple outside hoses to purge the water from the well. Once the water is chlorine free you are good to take the water samples. If Cribley is to take water samples they will contact you to arrange it or take samples from an outside faucet.
- Payment, Well Log, Warranty, and Water Sample Results. As soon as we receive payment we will send you a well log, warranty card, and your water sample results in the mail. We automatically send all well logs to the county for record keeping.
By Allison Clark-Dondzila