Well Pump Replacement in Gainesville and Across North Florida
FL Water Well Contractor License #5016 · FGWA · NGWA · NCFWA Member · Google 5.0 Rated · Wisetack Financing
If your pump is at the end of its life, the motor is shorted, the impeller stack is worn out after 12+ years, or it is experiencing chronic short-cycling from undersizing, full replacement is usually the right answer. Perry-Pump is a family-owned, state-licensed well pump shop in Gainesville serving 17 North Florida communities across 9 counties. Eric Perry is a 3rd-generation specialist; the Perry family has worked North Florida wells for 50+ years.
Replacement is the highest-cost service we offer, so we are careful about recommending it. Most "my pump is dead" calls are actually a switch, tank, or control box, and we route to the right repair before talking about a new pump. When the math says replace, we quote on the spot, install the same day on most residential wells under 300 ft, and put the 5-year parts + labor warranty in writing before you sign.
Call (352) 320-2412 Mon-Fri 8 AM - 5 PM. After hours, leave a message, and we'll return the call at our earliest availability.
FREE SERVICE CALL
$0 service-call fee + $0 diagnostic on routine residential work.
Manufacturer-Authorized
Grundfos, Franklin Electric, Flint & Walling, Clack, Stenner.
5-Year Warranty
Parts AND labor on most residential submersible replacements.
Same-Day on Most Installs
Residential wells under 300 ft typically finish in one visit.
Submersible + Jet
Full systems, submersible from $5,000, jet from $4,000.
FDEP-Licensed #5016
Fully state-licensed Water Well Contractor, public registry.
Three Failures Where Replacement Is the Right Answer: Not Another Repair
Across 15+ years and three Perry-family generations of wells, almost every pump that genuinely needs replacement falls into one of three categories. If your situation doesn't match one, replacement probably isn't the call yet — we'll tell you on the phone.
End-of-life motor failure, submersible windings shorted.
Submersible windings short out, usually after a nearby lightning surge, sometimes from contaminated water or age. Rebuilding costs more than installing new; the rebuild warranty is short, and the rebuilt pump is the oldest component in an aging system. Diagnosis: megger below spec; no amp draw. Replacement is the long-term answer.
Worn impeller stack on a 12+ year-old pump.
Multi-stage submersibles lose head as impellers and diffusers wear due to years of sediment, iron, and mineral buildup. Pump still runs; windings fine; bearings + seals + capacitor do not fix yield loss. Symptom: pressure that used to be 50 PSI at cut-off now tops out at 35. At 12+ years with impeller wear, the rebuild math does not work.
System mismatch from a previous undersized install.
A pump too small for the well or the household short-cycles, burns capacitors, overheats motors, and failures repeat every 2-4 years. The fix is not another rebuild; it is resizing. We run a drawdown, calculate peak demand, and install a pump and tank matched to both. One properly sized replacement ends the cycle.
Symptoms That Usually (Not Always) Point to Full Replacement
If any of these sound like what you are dealing with, call us. Most diagnoses happen on the phone: we will tell you straight whether replacement is the right call or a component repair gets you back online for a fraction.
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• Pump won't draw amperage at the control box (open winding)
• Insulation resistance test (megger) reads below spec
• Pump tripped breaker and won't reset (motor short)
• Pump has been dead since a recent storm (we confirm whether it's the pump, switch, or control box)
• Burnt-electrical smell at the control box or wellhead
• Pump pulled at the surface, discolored motor housing, scorch marks at the leads
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• Pressure used to hit 50 PSI cut-off, now tops out at 35 PSI, no matter what
• Flow rate at the house has dropped year over year
• Pump runs constantly at peak times, even with a new tank and switch
• 12+ years on the original pump in North Florida water chemistry
• Sediment in the first pour of the day (impeller damage symptom)
• Pump rebuilt once already; same yield problems coming back
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• Pump motor has burned out 2+ times in less than 5 years
• Capacitor failure every 18-24 months
• Short-cycling every 30-60 seconds even after tank replacement
• Pump is sized below what the household actually demands (large house, low-flow pump)
• Pump is set higher in the well than it should be (too shallow for the static level)
• Original installer used galvanized drop pipe in iron-heavy water; corrosion is now systemic
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• New pump (Grundfos, Franklin Electric, or Flint & Walling, selected to use case)
• New drop pipe (PE-100 polyethylene on most residential installs)
• New wire (jacketed submersible cable, sized to motor HP and run length)
• New torque arrestor + safety rope on submersibles
• Pressure tank check and resize if the existing one is mismatched
• Pressure switch and conduit reseal at the wellhead
• Wellhead cap-and-seal inspection, extension added if the property is in a flood zone
What Actually Happens When You Call Perry-Pump About a Replacement
From the call to the final invoice, the first job on every replacement call is to be sure replacement is actually the right answer. We do not sell new pumps to people who need a $400 switch.
Phone diagnostic, replacement vs repair.
Call (352) 320-2412 Mon-Fri 8 AM - 5 PM. Three or four questions (age? what is happening? tank or switch replaced? after a storm?) tell us whether it is a switch/tank/box issue or actual replacement. After hours, leave a message; we return at our earliest availability.
Schedule + en-route notification.
Most replacements are scheduled within the same week. No-water emergencies move to the top, often same-day pull and reinstall if diagnosis is clean. We text or call en route.
On-site verification: no service call fee, no diagnostic charge.
Marked Perry-Pump truck; verify the diagnosis at the wellhead, tank, switch, and panel. Routine residential diagnostics are no charge. Paid pump-pull diagnostic applies to specific commercial situations only; we tell you before we start. If verification shows a $400 switch is the answer, that is what the quote becomes.
Plain-language quote on the spot, including the sizing logic.
If we are replacing, we walk through pump sizing on-site, depth, static level, demand, and target pressure. Brand and model matched to the use case, not the most expensive. Submersible from $5,000; jet system from $4,000; shallow-well jet at $3,200. VFD retrofit adds $4,000-$5,000. Prices subject to change: suppliers have been volatile lately, and we are upfront about that.
Installation done by the same crew: most replacements same-day.
The crew that quoted does the job. Submersible replacement on a residential well under 300 ft: typically one visit, pull old, install new pump + drop pipe + wire, reset pressure, full cycle test. Jet replacement is same-day. We do not subcontract.
Written warranty + final paperwork.
Everything on the invoice before you sign. Most residential submersibles: 5 yrs parts + labor on pump + wire + control box. Pressure Package: 5 yrs. Residential jet and commercial: 1 yr. Always in writing, explained up front. Wisetack terms shown before signing.
Follow-up, call us first if anything is off.
Pressure not holding, unusual noise, warranty question, call us first. Warranty calls are same-day on average; letting a small issue grow is the worst thing for everyone.
Pump Replacement Pricing: What Things Cost
Every replacement is different, depth, brand, HP, drop-pipe run, and what comes up with the old pump all move the number. Ranges are accurate as of writing; we will quote the current number on the call. Routine residential diagnostic is free.
Diagnostic
$0 service call fee + $0 diagnostic on routine residential. Exception: paid pump-pull diagnostic on specific commercial situations; we tell you before we start.
Full system replacement (the headline pricing)
Submersible system replacement (pump + new drop pipe + installation + reset pressure): starts at $5,000
Jet pump system replacement (deep or shallow, pump + plumbing + installation + reset pressure): starts at $4,000
Shallow well jet pump: $3,200
Constant-pressure VFD retrofit add-on (Franklin SubDrive or Grundfos): $4,000-$5,000 over base submersible install
When replacement isn't the answer (yet)
Pump pull only — diagnostic, no replacement: $600-$1,000 (commercial situations primarily)
Pressure switch replacement: few-hundred-dollar range parts + labor
Pressure tank, standard residential size (sized to your pump's run time, not a fixed gallon count): about $1,000 installed
Control box capacitor replacement (3-wire submersible): under $500 typical
Drop-pipe-only repair without pump replacement: typically not the right call, drop pipe goes with the pump on a full replacement
What's included with a full replacement
New pump (Grundfos, Franklin Electric, or Flint & Walling, selected to use case)
New drop pipe (PE-100 polyethylene on most residential installs)
New jacketed submersible cable, sized to motor HP and run length
New torque arrestor and safety rope on submersibles
Pressure tank check + resize quote if the existing tank is mismatched
Wellhead cap-and-seal inspection and reseal
Full pressure-cycle test before we leave the property
Wisetack financing on full replacements (minutes to apply, terms before signing). Military and first-responder discounts case-by-case, by scope — ask when you call.
Our Reviews
Why homeowners choose Perry-Pump
Fully licensed and insured. Florida Water Well Contractor License #5016.
Experienced well repair specialists. Third generation, 50+ years working North Florida wells.
Quality workmanship and straightforward customer service.
Free service call and $0 diagnostic on routine residential work.
5-year parts and labor warranty on the Pressure Package and most residential submersibles, in writing on the invoice.
Seven North Florida Conditions That Shape How We Spec a New Pump
Replacing a pump in North Central Florida means specifying around seven specific local conditions that do not apply the same way in other regions. Each one moves the answer on brand, sizing, drop pipe material, or wellhead build.
1
Floridan Aquifer wells dominate at 100-400 ft
Almost every residential well in our footprint draws from the Floridan at 100-400 ft, deeper east of Gainesville, and shallower across the Suwannee basin. Spec starts with depth + static level: those numbers set the minimum head, HP, and drop pipe run.
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Hurricane and tropical storm season (June-November) is the replacement season
Lightning takes out windings and capacitors, and we see a real share of our replacement calendar land from June through November as a result. We spec a fresh surge arrestor at the control box on every replacement, storm season or not.
3
Summer lightning peaks in July-August, motor windings take the hit
Nearby lightning strikes that surge the power line can take out windings (open) or capacitors (will not start), same as age and normal wear eventually do. When a megger test confirms a short, replacement is usually the answer, whatever caused it.
4
Karst geology affects how we set the new pump
North Florida sits on karst limestone. Subsidence shifts soil around the casing, which is important when setting a new pump because we need clearance from cracked or eroded casing sections. Casing inspection on every replacement pull.
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Iron, sulfide, and hardness drive the brand choice
Most North Florida wells produce iron, sulfide, and hardness. The chemistry accelerates impeller wear and corrodes the galvanized drop pipe from the inside. Default: PE-100 polyethylene on most residential replacements, corrosion-immune, with no threaded joints to leak.
6
Fire ants and surface contamination, the wellhead reseal at replacement
Every replacement is also a wellhead reseal, cap off, casing termination inspected, conduit re-sealed with pest-blocking foam, and every external opening siliconed. Switch goes back in a clean, sealed housing: fire ants are the #1 cause of switch failure in North Florida.
7
Flood-zone properties get a wellhead extension at replacement
Suwannee, Santa Fe, and St. Marys basins, plus low-elevation rural lots, sit in FEMA flood zones. Flooding overtops low wellheads and contaminates source water. For flood-zone replacements, we recommend an extension at the same visit, as it is the most cost-effective time to do it.
Seven Technical Topics Where Most Shops Pick a Default on Replacements
Seven places where the easy answer is not the right one. One-line take? Call us. The actual reasoning is here.
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A tank's job is not to store water: it is to keep the pump from cycling too often. Drawdown x target cycle time (1 min for submersibles) sets minimum size, and the right size scales up with pump horsepower and whole-house or irrigation demand rather than defaulting to one gallon count. We check the existing tank with every replacement. A new pump on an undersized tank restarts the short-cycle clock.
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If the property is in a flood zone: Suwannee, Santa Fe, St. Marys basins, or a low-lying rural lot, the most cost-effective time to add an extension is during replacement. The well is already open, the conduit is already pulled, and the cap-and-seal goes on the same invoice. We size to FEMA Base Flood Elevation plus a safety margin.
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All three are quality manufacturers with strong North Florida parts availability. Franklin Electric: broadest catalog, default for standard 1/2 to 1 HP residential. Grundfos: strongest VFD pairing (SubDrive), default on constant-pressure retrofits. Flint & Walling: strong on shallow-well, irrigation, and jet. The brand is named at the time of the quote.
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The math is age times accumulated repair cost vs new install. A 10-year-old submersible with a $1,200 rebuild and another switch or tank likely failing in 18 months is a different decision than a 4-year-old pump that took one lightning hit. A $5,000 replacement with a 5-year warranty vs a $1,500 rebuild with a 90-day warranty, long-term math usually favors replacement at the threshold.
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A wrong-sized pump is the #1 reason replacements fail within 5 years. A pump bigger than the well's safe yield draws the static level past the intake and runs dry, burning the motor. Right answer: drawdown test (pump 1 hr at known rate, watch the drop, time the recovery), then pick a pump whose continuous flow sits below safe yield. Peak demand is met by tank drawdown and cycle time, not raw GPM.
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Galvanized corrodes from the inside in iron-heavy water, scale narrows the bore, eventually perforates, and drops the pump. Schedule 80 PVC works to approximately 150 ft but has thread-stress limits. PE-100 is what we install on most submersible jobs: flexible, corrosion-immune, no threaded joints, covered under the 5-year warranty.
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2-wire keeps the start components inside the motor. 3-wire uses a Franklin or Pentek control box at the wellhead with a capacitor and relay above ground. Diagnostic advantage: when something fails on a 3-wire, we test from the surface before pulling. Most replacements end up 3-wire at 1 HP and up.
Frequently Asked Questions
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Full system: submersible from $5,000, jet from $4,000, shallow-well jet at $3,200. VFD constant-pressure retrofit adds $4,000-$5,000. Prices subject to change: suppliers are volatile lately.
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Most of the time, repair. About 80% of "my pump is broken" calls are a waterlogged tank or fouled switch, not the pump. Replacement is the right call when windings are shorted, the impeller stack is worn on a 12+ year pump, or undersizing keeps causing failures. We diagnose before we quote.
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Submersibles in North Florida water typically last 8-15 years; the lifespan depends on chemistry, sizing, lightning, and run hours. Jet pumps vary more. Most submersible failures occur at year 10-12, when we tell customers to start planning.
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New pump (Grundfos, Franklin Electric, or Flint & Walling, selected to use case), PE-100 drop pipe, jacketed submersible cable, torque arrestor + safety rope, pressure tank check/resize, switch + conduit reseal, wellhead cap-and-seal inspection, full pressure-cycle test before we leave.
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Submersible replacement on residential well under 300 ft: typically same-day. Jet system replacement: same-day. Deeper commercial wells or complications (broken casing, stuck pump, custom controls) may run a second day; we tell you in the quote.
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Grundfos, Franklin Electric, or Flint & Walling, selected for the use case. Franklin Electric: default for 1/2 to 1 HP residential submersibles. Grundfos: default on VFD retrofits. Flint & Walling: default on jet and irrigation. Brand and model are on the quote before you sign.
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Most residential submersibles (pump + wire + control box): 5 years parts + labor. Pressure Package: 5 yrs parts + labor. Residential jet and commercial pumps: 1 year parts + labor. Always in writing on the invoice, explained up front.
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Yes, through Wisetack. Application takes minutes, terms shown before signing. Most replacement customers finance some portion: we do not push it, but it is there.
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No on routine residential work: $0 service call, $0 diagnostic. Exception: paid pump-pull diagnostic on specific commercial situations; we tell you before we start.
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Likely yes. Service area: Gainesville (HQ), Lake Butler, Lake City, Alachua, Newberry, High Springs, Starke, Keystone Heights, Branford, Trenton, Waldo, Hawthorne, Glen Saint Mary, Bell, Brooker, Raiford, and Melrose. Not sure if we cover your community? Call (352) 320-2412: we will tell you straight.
Ready to Replace Your Well Pump? Call Perry-Pump Today.
Whether your pump finally gave out, your impeller stack is worn after a decade, or the original install was the wrong size from day one, call (352) 320-2412, and we will get you on the schedule. We verify replacement is actually the right call before we quote, and the 5-year parts + labor warranty on most residential submersibles goes on the invoice before you sign.