Well Flow Tests and Inspections for a Home Sale in Spokane County

Some buyers and sellers ask for a flow test or an inspection of a well. Ask your lender and agent what they require, and settle what a test should include in writing before it is done.

Email us about your well: contact@spokanecountywellpump.com

What a well inspection for a home sale involves

When a home with a private well changes hands, buyers and sellers sometimes ask for a flow test or an inspection of the well. The aim is to learn how the well is performing before the sale closes.

What is required depends on the people involved in the sale. Ask your lender and agent what they require. A written list of what the test or inspection will cover keeps both sides working from the same expectations.

When people ask for one

A buyer wants to know how a well performs before closing.
A seller wants to have information ready before listing.
A lender asks for a well test or inspection.
An agent suggests one for a home on a private well.
A well has not been looked at in a long time.
The home is in an area where neighboring wells have changed.

What the process usually looks like

Ask what is required. The lender and agent say what they need.
Choose who does it. A qualified, registered professional is chosen.
Agree on what it covers. What the test or inspection will include is put in writing.
Test the water too. Water testing is separate; see the Department of Health recommendations.
Receive the report. The results are written down.
Share the results. The report goes to the people who asked for it.

How to prepare

Before a flow test or inspection:

Ask your lender and agent exactly what they require.
Gather paperwork on the well, pump and tank.
Note any past problems with water quantity or pressure.
Ask the professional what the test or inspection will include.
Check the professional's registration on the L&I page.
Ask about water testing for coliform bacteria and nitrate separately.
Get the price in writing, with what it includes.

What affects the cost

Prices vary widely with the well, the pump and the work. For a home sale inspection, the cost depends on what is included.

What is covered. A flow test alone differs from a fuller inspection.
Who does it. Each company sets its own price.
Water testing. Testing water quality is a separate item.
Access. How easily the well and equipment can be reached.
Report. Whether a written report is included.
Follow-up. Any repair that follows is priced separately.

Water testing for a sale

A flow test and a water test answer different questions. The first looks at how the well performs, and the second at what is in the water. The Washington Department of Health recommends testing private well water for coliform bacteria and nitrate every year, and also after flooding or after replacing any part of the well system. Ask your lender and agent whether they want water tested as well.

Timing around a sale

Inspections for a sale tend to run against a closing date, so ask early. Settle who orders the work, who pays, who receives the report and what happens if the results raise questions. Having these points written down before the inspection keeps the conversation about the well, not about who was supposed to do what.

Sources and registration

Requirements. Ask your lender and agent what they require. Requirements for a sale come from the people involved, not from a single public rule cited here.

Water testing. The Washington Department of Health recommends testing private well water every year for coliform bacteria and nitrate, and also when you notice a change in taste, color or smell, after flooding, and after you replace any part of your well system. Your county health department can tell you how and where to have it tested.

Registration. Check a company's registration on the Washington Department of Labor & Industries “Verify a Contractor, Tradesperson or Business” page. Pump work can involve other trades: contractors are registered with the Department of Labor & Industries, electrical work generally requires an electrical contractor license, and plumbing work generally requires certified plumbers, with some exceptions.

City water. If you pay a water bill to a city or a water district, you are probably not on a private well, and this site's well pages may not apply to you. Check your water bill.

Reasons to trust this page

Most statements on this page name their public source, such as the Department of Health or the Department of Ecology.
Cost factors are explained in plain terms, and this site does not quote prices.
The email address is shown at the top of every page, and the Privacy page says what a quote request collects.

Common questions

Do I need a well flow test to buy or sell a home?

Some buyers and sellers ask for a flow test or an inspection of a well. Ask your lender and agent what they require, since requirements for a sale come from the people involved. Settle in writing what a test or inspection will include before it is done.

What should a well inspection include?

That should be settled in writing before the inspection. Ask the professional what the flow test or inspection will cover, whether a written report is included, and whether water testing is part of the price. Different companies include different things, so compare prices only on the same scope.

Should I test the water as well?

Water testing is separate from a flow test. The Washington Department of Health recommends testing private well water for coliform bacteria and nitrate every year, and after flooding or after replacing any part of the well system. Ask your lender and agent whether they want water tested too.

Who should do a well inspection?

A qualified, registered professional should do it. Check the company on the Washington Department of Labor & Industries “Verify a Contractor” page, and ask what registrations it holds for the work it will do. Get the price in writing, with what it includes.

How much does a well inspection cost?

Prices vary widely with the well, the pump and the work. For a home sale inspection, the cost depends on what is covered, who does it and whether water testing and a written report are included. Ask for a written price that lists what is included so prices from different companies can be compared.

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