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Lawn Irrigation
Overview
Having a beautiful landscape doesn’t mean you have to spend hour after hour watering your yard. With a professionally installed automatic sprinkler system, your lawn will be the envy of the neighborhood!
In fact, a professionally installed automatic lawn sprinkler system is one of the best investments that you can make for your home. Just ask anyone who has one. There is no easier or more cost-effective way to beautify your home, increase its value, and save yourself a lot of time and money.
In addition to keeping your landscape attractive year-round, an automatic sprinkler system will help conserve water too. Your sprinkler system will place exactly the right amount of water on specific lawn and garden areas so that water is not wasted.
Average Cost
Average Costs Of Installing Lawn Irrigation
$330 – $1000 per zone: This is a general rule of thumb in residential or commercial landscapes. This should include the line and irrigation heads for that given line.
Billing:
Hourly Rate – Some companies charge by the hour.
Flat Rate Per Job – Some companies charge a flat rate for the work they do.
Recognize that there are several variables in developing the price. These include:
- Time that it takes to complete the project.
- How many technicians are working on your project.
- Was it an after hours emergency
- With many more aspects that may add to the cost
Remember, the company quoting a low rate may not necessarily be the right company for you. Some companies may offer low hourly rates, but then charge additional “fees” to complete the job.
You may also need to consider that most companies charge a higher rate for overtime, weekends, holidays and emergency calls.
The best rule of hand is to get an itemized estimate so you know exactly what is expected from the local company.
Factors which determine sprinkler cost
Size of the area.
A large area will need more valves, sprinkler heads and pipe, all of which takes more labor to install.
Local market.
Every region is different. Your professional will face different labor, insurance and materials prices depending on where they’re located.
Quality of materials.
Low-quality sprinkler heads from a big box store will be cheaper than professional-grade sprinkler heads, as an example.
Slope.
A sloping ground can make trenching with machinery difficult, and can also cause issues with flow and pressure that need to be accounted for in the system design.
Rocky or sandy soil.
Rocky soil can break machinery, requiring time-consuming digging with shovels and pry bars in order to create trenches. Sandy soil, on the other hand, fills in as soon as you start to dig.
Tree roots and underground pipes.
Any existing elements underground which make trenching more difficult will increase the cost of the installation.
Low water flow.
Low flow may require your contractor to install a cistern, or water holding tank, which fills slowly to provide enough water all at once for your system to run.
Low water pressure.
Lack of water pressure can be solved by adding a pressure pump, or by increasing the size of the main water line.
Hard water.
If you use well water, your water may have enough minerals in it to gunk up sprinkler valves and other moving parts. In this case, a filtration system is a good investment in the longevity of your irrigation system.
Water sensor.
Water-saving sensors which automatically adjust the irrigation system to account for precipitation can add a small amount to the initial cost. However, you’ll recoup your investment quickly in savings on your water bill.
New Installation Vs. Existing Landscape.
It’s more cost-effective to install your sprinkler system at the same time as your new landscape. If your landscaper has to dig up existing garden beds and sod to install the system, that takes more time.
Because the specifics of your home and landscape will vary so much, it’s best to meet in person with a local lawn irrigation contractor to get a better idea of what the actual cost of your project will be.
Basic Information
Services Offered By A Lawn Irrigation Company
Design
Professional companies will design the most efficient irrigation system from scratch.
Installation
After the design the irrigation company will show up and install the irrigation system
Spring Startup
After being inactive throughout the long winter months, your sprinkler system is checked and prepared by technicians for a trouble-free, optimum summer season of lawn watering.
Mid Summer Checkup
This important irrigation service provides a routine checkup of your sprinkler system during its peak operations when your lawn depends on irrigation the most.
Fall Blowout
An essential service for any lawn irrigation system is to have it professionally winterized. You need to blow out all the water to prevent ruptures and maintain tight seals during the cold winter months.
General Repairs
Call your local irrigation professionals if your lawn irrigation system becomes damaged or is no longer operating at peak efficiency. Their technicians have the skills and resources to quickly troubleshoot the problem and repair it.
Irrigating Lawn during Drought
During periods of drought, water lightly
Dreaming of a fairway-perfect lawn? A drought year is not the time to think about it. Water conservation should always be your goal, but drought conditions make it especially important. Most conservation measures require little aesthetic sacrifice, although they may take time and patience.
First, minimize or stop fertilization.
Lush lawns look great, but heavily fertilized lawns use more water and are more susceptible to drought stress. Most commercial lawn fertilizers call for multiple steps, including a second application of fertilizer about six weeks after the first one. Apply less fertilizer or save the fertilizer for fall. Fall is the most critical time to fertilize a lawn.
Maintain lawns properly.
A good rule of thumb for mowing is never remove more than one-third of the grass at one time. Raise the mowing height of your lawn mower at least one setting higher than the one you are using now.
Try mulching
Even if you do not have a mulching mower. Let clippings remain on the grass. Lawns tend to lose more water and nutrients through evaporation when clippings are removed.
Aerating Your Lawn
Aeration creates small holes in the ground that allow water to soak deeper into the ground and help promote root growth.
Maintain lawn equipment.
Sharpen mower blades at least twice a year. Dull blades tear grass, forcing grass to use 40-60 percent more water trying to recover from stress.
Check lawn irrigation system
Leaky valves and heads that may be wasting water. Change timing settings, if appropriate. Identify dry spots by putting a garden stake in the ground. Place portable sprinklers there or readjust in-ground sprinklers so they reach dry spots.
Water lightly.
During the summer the roots of many cool-season grasses, tend to become shallower. It is important to apply water to the depth of the roots to avoid wasting water.
Tips & Advice
- Ask For The License – Ask for all local and state business licenses.
- Proof Of Insurance– For your own protection, check proof of both workman’s compensation and liability Insurance.
- Business Stability- Find out how long the company has been in business.
- Check Online Reviews – You’re probably not the first person in town looking for their services. Rely on the internet to get reviews written by people in your community.
- References – Expect any top-notch company to be able to provide you with references upon request. Once you have these names, contact the clients to get information about the quality service. When you call, ask questions about the work, timeliness, cost and whether the clients would use the company again for future work.
- 24-hour Emergency Service – Make sure your local company offers emergency 24 hour service. If something goes wrong, it’s good to know that you will not have to wait days for them to come out and fix it.
- Over The Phone Pricing – Honest estimates simply cannot be given over the phone – especially if you aren’t talking with an actual technician when you call.
- Free Estimates – Most companies offer free estimates. This is important because they can provide you with the costs upfront, so that you are not shocked with a bill after the services are completed.
- Safety Record – Safety can be a significant factor, so ask the company about their safety records to ensure that any service professional you hire has a satisfactory safety record. You want a company that doesn’t have a high incidence of on-the-job mishaps or injuries.
- Satisfaction Guarantee – Choosing a company that offers a satisfaction guarantee will ensure that they will get the job done right the first time and will save you money and frustration in the long run.
- Cleanup – The mess left behind after a project can be major. Ask what cleanup work the company includes with it’s services.
