Kraai Well Drilling & Water Softening
Kraai Well Drilling & Water Softening (pronounced "cry") is a family-owned business boasting over five decades of expertise in well drilling, pump repair, and water treatment throughout Northwest, West, and Southwest Michigan. Our mission is to deliver excellent craftsmanship and unparalleled customer service, ensuring the complete satisfaction of each of our customers. The key to the success of our company is the great people at Kraai Well Drilling. The majority of our staff has been with us for at least five years, and some have been with Kraai Well Drilling for as long as 30 years! Kraai is committed to providing outstanding service that is proudly guaranteed.
OUR HISTORY
Est. 1966
Kraai Well Drilling was established in 1966 By Bernie Kraai. Bernie started as a union pipe fitter and worked for a local well driller in Martin, Michigan, prior to becoming licensed in April of 1966 (license #0119). Bernie specialized in service and repair work in addition to drilling 4″ cable-tool style wells.
1976
Ronald Kraai (Bernie's son) started his own business in 1976. He lived in Wayland and worked in the surrounding areas including Hopkins, Dorr, and Martin. Ron passed his state well drilling license exam in May of 1976 (license #1601). A reputation of honesty and integrity was soon established by Ronald in the area as he often worked sunup to sundown.
Ron relocated the business from Wayland to its current location near Gun Lake in 1985. By this time, he had grown the business to include 3 employees. Then, in 1989 as the business was flourishing, Ron constructed a 3,200 square foot shop in front of the family home. The following year, Ron bought out Bernie Kraai’s equipment/business as Bernie was ready to retire.
LEAP FORWARD IN 1991
Kraai Well Drilling took a large step forward in 1991, when they purchased their first Rotary rig. Dave Hazen (license #03-2334) rose to the challenge and mastered the art of “Rotary” drilling after years of valuable experience.
Dave has been a huge asset and is credited for helping with the growth of the company. This confidence led to the purchase of a used Versa-Drill rig in 1999, and the purchase of a new 2002 Versa-Drill 3 years later.
These state-of-the-art rigs allowed Kraai Well Drilling to keep a tight schedule and drill over 200 feet in a single day.
Chad Kraai worked for the company summers and weekends until graduating from college in 1992. After a short teaching and coaching career, Chad joined the company full time in 1995. Chad passed his state well drilling license exam in 1993 (license #2403), completed his Maclean Water Treatment training in 2002, his Advanced Water Treatment training in 2007 with Water-Right Manufacturing, and obtained his Florida Ground Water license (#9399) in 2007. As a third-generation driller, Chad looks forward to continuing the family tradition of quality workmanship.
NEW BEGINNINGS IN 2015
Chad and Jessica Kraai purchased Kraai Well Drilling in 2015. After renovating their offices near Gun Lake, Chad and Jessica expanded Kraai's well drilling and service area to cover Newaygo/Grant and Beaver Island in Michigan.
Since acquiring the company, Chad and Jessica have expanded Kraai Well Drilling's services and equipment to include:
- Full time water treatment department that included dedicated installers and technicians
- Versa-Drill Rig (2017)
- DRILLMAX® DM450 rig with a mud shaker system (2022)
- DRILLMAX® DM250 rig (2022) allowing crews to access lake lots and other small areas
Chad and Jessica are continuing the longstanding tradition of providing exceptional service. Take a look at the variety of services offered by Kraai Well Drilling and let us know what we can do to serve you.