About 7 years ago we replaced our water atmosphere tank with a tank with a diaphragm. We had an air volume control gizmo before the tank.
A few weeks ago the diaphragm failed on the tank. We had a 30 gallon tank replaced with a 20 gallon tank.After the installation,the problem we had been having with the pump continually going on and off, worsened. My belief, that I told the electrician (who also does plumbing) was that the system we had before worked fine and that the problem had to do with the pressure. In my estimation, all that needed to be done using the original setup was to bleed the new tank down to 20 pounds. The new diaphragm tank was set at 40 and needed to be set at 20, which the plumber who installed it didn't discover until 9 hours into all his extra "troubleshooting labor" at $70 per hour. This included repipeing the pressure switch, installing new ball valve, capping off old tubing and adding pressure gauge. He finally called the company where he had purchased the tank and they told him to bring the pressure down to 20. Do you think that the replacement of the 30 gallon tank with a 20 gallon tank should cost us $1200?

Did you sign any agreements? Without a contract his only recourse will be to file a lien. I am a general contractor, we don't do any work without a signed work order which outlines the work to be performed and the costs. He did perform a lot of work... it sounds like much of it was unnecessary, but he does have the right to file a mechanics lien. If he discussed the work with you and told him to do what it takes unfortunately you are on the hook to some degree for hiring an incompetent electrician and or plumber. I'm guessing he's not licensed in both or perhaps either...

I fully agree with response #1. In addition, any reputable plumbing contractor will come back to correct his installation free of charge. As far as price goes: Depends how much he had to do and what materials he had to supply. Also, it depends where you are located: prices will be much higher in Manhattan than in heartland Kansas. Back to you. Milo

It would presumptuous for any one to answer the question of what's a reasonable cost. We don't know the labor rates in your area and we don't know work had to be done. You could have old galvanized pipe that had to be reworked completely or you could have copper or plastic pipe and all the plumber had to do was cut the lines, set the new tank in place and reconnect the lines.

However, 9 hours to "trouble shooting" sounds far out of line. It is just not that complicated.

A 20 gallon bladder tank should cost about $200.

I'm not sure that I follow your post completely. It sounds like you had an old galvanized pressure tank (water atmosphere tank) with an air volume control valve, that was replaced with a bladder tank. Assuming that the new tank sits in approximately the same location, the work should involve simply cutting the existing pipe, removing the old tank, sitting the new one in place and then reconnecting. There shouldn't really be any "trouble shooting'.

Bladder tanks are pressurized to 2 lbs below the pressure switch cut on setting. That's all the adjustment there is.

From reading your post I get the impression that the new system did not and is still not functioning properly.


My belief, that I told the electrician (who also does plumbing) was that the system we had before worked fine and that the problem had to do with the pressure.

From that statement I assume that you are now discussing things with another person.

I can't tell how much you know about well systems. If you had a air volume control valve as indicated and you or the plumber don't understand the principle of how it functions, that may be source of your problems. Assuming of course, that you are still having problems.

Tell us more.