Steel vs PVC well casing: $6–$10 a foot against $20–$130

PVC casing costs $6–$10 per foot against $20–$130 for steel on the published prices we compiled. PVC is the cheaper choice for drillers, per a 2023 trade article in The Driller, but may not suit very high water pressure. State codes set the minimum for each. Utah, for one, requires 0.250 inch steel on 5 to 20 inch casing.

^1,2,3,4

Key figures

Item	Figure
PVC casing	$6–$10 per ft¹
Steel casing	$20–$130 per ft^2,1
Utah steel wall, 5 to 20 inch	0.250 in⁴

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Cost

Steel and PVC casing, published per-foot prices
Material	Per foot	Source
PVC	$6–$10	This Old House, 2026
PVC	$10–$20	Southern California Well Service, 2026
Steel	$20–$45	Weeks Drilling (CA), 2026
6-inch black steel, state contract	$48	Minnesota, 2023
6-inch steel, installed	$55–$90	Wenatchee Well Pros (WA), 2026
Galvanized or stainless steel	$30–$130	This Old House, 2026

Sources^1,5,2,6,7

What the code requires

Your state code decides more than the price does. Utah's well construction rule is one example of how specific it gets: steel casing to 200 feet must have a 0.250 inch wall in 5 to 20 inch diameters, and under 5 inches the wall must equal Schedule 40. PVC in non-production wells of 4 inches or less must meet SDR 21 or Schedule 40; larger and production wells need SDR 17 or Schedule 80. In consolidated rock the casing must be driven or sealed at least 5 feet into competent rock.

Sources⁴

Trade-offs

Jeremy Verdusco, writing in The Driller in 2023, calls PVC a cost-effective choice versus other materials and warns it may not be a good option where water pressure is very high. Drillers in rocky ground often use steel where casing has to be driven into rock. We found no agency guide that ranks the two outright, so ask your driller which your state and ground call for.

Sources³

Common questions

Can I choose PVC to save money?

Only where your state code and ground allow it. Utah, for example, sets separate PVC grades for small non-production wells and for larger or production wells.

For the cost of a finished well in your state, see costtodrillawell.com.

Sources

Well Installation Cost , This Old House. Accessed November 9, 2026. Updated 03/30/2026
Cost to Drill a Water Well in Northern California , Weeks Drilling & Pump Co. (Sebastopol, CA). Accessed November 8, 2026. Published 2026-04-30. Drilling $35-$130/ft; steel casing $20-$45/ft; pump and pressure tank $3,500-$9,000; permitting $500-$2,500.
The Pros and Cons of PVC for Water Well Installations , The Driller (Jeremy Verdusco). Accessed November 9, 2026. April 5, 2023
Utah Admin. Code R655-4-11 Well Drilling and Construction Requirements , Utah Division of Water Rights (via Cornell LII). Accessed November 9, 2026. Effective July 26, 2022 (Utah State Bulletin 2022-15)
Cost to Drill a Well in California 2026 , Southern California Well Service (San Diego / Riverside / San Bernardino, CA; lic. 1086994). Accessed November 8, 2026. Templated marketing page; weaker. Soft $25-$50/ft, mixed $40-$70/ft, hard rock $50-$100+/ft; PVC casing $10-$20/ft, steel $25-$50/ft; remote mobilization $1,500-$5,000; San Diego permit $500-$1,500; plumbing to house $1,000-$3,000; electrical $500-$1,500; testing $200-$500.
D-203(5) Statewide Drilling Services, Exhibit D Price Schedule (Thein Well Co., contract 226711) , Minnesota Office of State Procurement. Accessed November 8, 2026. 2023 state-contract unit rates from a licensed MN driller: 6-in borehole $30-$31/ft (mud rotary/auger), $75/ft air rotary in rock; 6-in casing $28/ft (code) to $48/ft (black steel); mobilization $1,000/project; 34-gal pressure tank installed $1,000, 62-gal $1,450; submersible pump 3/4-1 hp $1,250-$1,350 each; drop pipe $7/ft; pitless and lateral $2,000; trench $20/LF. Agency-buyer rates, not retail quotes.
Well Drilling Cost in Washington: 2026 Price Guide , Wenatchee Well Pros (pump and water-system installer, Wenatchee, WA; does not drill). Accessed November 8, 2026. Published 2026-07-02. Soft formation $45-$65/ft; basalt $65-$95/ft; installed 6-inch steel casing $55-$90/ft; pump systems $4,500-$7,500 (200 ft) to $8,000-$12,000 (over 400 ft); mobilization $500-$2,500; trenching and hookup $1,500-$5,000; water testing $150-$400; 200-ft well complete $18,000-$25,000. Not a licensed driller; weaker evidence.

How these figures are built: methodology. Updated November 2026.