Drilling in Saudi Arabia
In cities, drilling means cutting and core-drilling concrete to open doors and windows, or to pass air-conditioning, drain and electrical lines through walls and slabs. In villages and on farms it usually means drilling artesian wells to reach groundwater and fitting them with casing and a pump. People need it when altering an existing house, adding new services, or getting a water source for a farm or rest house.
Our pick in each city
| City | Our pick | Phone | Providers listed |
|---|---|---|---|
| Riyadh | مؤسسة آبار قطرة للمقاولات | 054 082 0868 | 10 |
| Madinah | – | – | 9 |
| Makkah | مصنع شركة الجزيرة للخرسانة الجاهزة | 056 977 5970 | 8 |
| Dammam | Saeed Ali Al Qahtani Sons Co. | 0138222011 | 7 |
| Abha | – | – | 6 |
Specialised services
Published prices (2026)
| Job | Unit | Low | Median | High | Sources |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Concrete core drilling (one hole) (Riyadh) | per hole | 45 SAR | 181 SAR | 350 SAR | 6 sources |
| Core hole for a split AC (Riyadh) | per hole | 50 SAR | 90 SAR | 150 SAR | 3 sources |
| Concrete wall cutting (Riyadh) | per linear metre | 50 SAR | 185 SAR | 550 SAR | 3 sources |
What the job includes
- Core-drilling concrete walls and slabs to pass pipes
- Cutting concrete walls to open or widen doors and windows
- Cutting concrete floors to lay drain pipes
- Drilling artesian wells on farms and rest houses
- Fitting well casing and the pump
- Cleaning and rehabilitating existing wells
How to choose
Ask and check
- For wells, ask for the number of the well-drilling contractor licence, and make sure the drilling licence was issued through Nama before work starts.
- Get a written quote stating the depth or the number and size of holes, and what the price includes: casing, pump or debris removal.
- For concrete cutting, have the site inspected before pricing, and consult an engineer if the cut is in a load-bearing wall or a slab.
- Ask for a written warranty on the work, and for wells on the pump and fittings too.
- Check for a valid commercial registration that matches the kind of drilling you need.
Warning signs
- Offers to drill a well without a drilling licence, or has no well-drilling contractor licence.
- Prices a well without stating the expected depth, or how drilling beyond the agreed depth is charged.
- Agrees to cut a wall or slab without asking whether it is load-bearing.
- Wants the full price of the well before drilling starts.
Permits and rules
Drilling a well needs a drilling licence from the Ministry of Environment, Water and Agriculture through the Nama portal, then a usage licence for the well within 30 days of finishing. The driller also needs a separate licence to practise well drilling. Concrete cutting and coring in cities have no service-specific licence a customer needs to ask for; ask for a valid commercial registration and a written quote.