How should I choose professionals for installing a quality, smart, automated home lawn irrigation system?

Question

Looking for specific recommendations or specific guidelines for identifying the right people to install a home sprinkler system. Referrals are welcome, also.

We don't know anyone in the area who has had great service for a price within our budget. I'll have to ask around more about that, but most people around here seem to have bought a used house and don't know anything about the original lawn irrigation installation.

Answer 1

Recommendations are a good start. You will typically pay between $75 and $100 per head installed. The cheaper companies cut corners. Tell them you you want copper pipe or CPVC coming out of the house into a freeze resistant (if you live in an area that freezes) back flow. Freeze resistant just means that the internals will break if it freezes instead of the housing (much cheaper to fix). You also want a schedule 40 PVC mainline, NOT polyethylene or other type of PVC. It is not rated for constant pressure ( some companies will tell you it is fine, it is not). A polyethelene main line will last 5 years, but you will satart to have leaks before 10 years. In 10 to 20 years you will have to replace it. A rain bird system is good, a Hunter system is better. Make sure they use Hunter I-20 heads (preferably stainless steel), Hunter PGP's and PGJ's are a much lower quality. If they use Rain bird, accept only Rain bird 5000 stainless steel heads, the rest are poor quality. Hunter and rain bird spray heads are a similar quality, both excellent. Do not get a Toro system. They used to be a good quality, but they are not anymore. Weathermatic is a mostly unheard of brand, but they have excellent heads and valves. Make sure they use 100 PSI polythene pipe for the zones (not 80 PSI). Make sure that they will double clamp every connection and triple clamp the valves. Make sure that they water proof the wire connections in the valve box (make sure they put all the valve in boxes. As for timers, Hunter Pro-C is an excellant timer. Have the timer installed in the garage (it is more conveniant for everyone). If you follow all these things, you will pay a little more but, you will get many trouble free years out of your sprinkler. Pay more now, and it will save you money in the long run. I hope this helps.

Answer 2

Every human I know has a selfish bone or two in their bodies. Including us. But after becoming one of Jehovah's Witnesses, you no longer focus on those "bones", and are trying to do the will of God. And while we would have enjoyed it if the end came quickly (that was my hope when my 3 children were born because I wanted them to grow up in Paradise, rather than in the system so full of corruption and violence) I always remind myself of this. When I first was baptized about 37 years ago, there were 1. 5 million active minsters of Jehovah God. Today we are approaching 7.5 million. I look across the congregation, and if "my will had be done", there would have been maybe 8 to 16 people in the hall alive. That means the other 120 would have been dead. So, while it is not selfish to receive the gift that Jehovah holds out to us, we often see that we are getting so much more than just a beautiful place to live and raise our families, but thousands more of neighbors who will be part of our lives forever. That is an additional treasure. What value do you put on your friends lives? I haven't found one great enough to wish them dead for my convenience. Edited for mr/ms Easter Bunny... Lone has questioned all religions, and finds that if he asks us a question, we will do our best to answer it. And as an example in this question, most other faiths do not even have a concept of a time of the end or live in expectiation of it . So, it is natural he would direct the question to JW.

Answer 3

1st check your local yellow pages, contractors that install irrigation systems are licensed, what you want is a system installed in zones, that way the entire yard isn't being irrigated all at the same time. you want a good timer also if you live in Florida like me, you also want an auto-shutoff for when it begins raining.Get several estimates, talk to the contractor and ask questions...hope this is helpful

Answer 4

Make sure they install a system where you can easily get replacement parts. See if they do repairs as well as installations and blow out the system in the fall so it doesn't freeze and cause damage. Also make sure that you get an estimate and a contract with whoever you choose.

Answer 5

As well as the above suggestions, check with your local Better Business Bureau, Chamber of Commerse and maybe even Consumer Reports if dealing with a *chain* landscaper. The Yellow pages may also give you a place to start. Also local businesses are generally better to use if they are established for a long period of time because if they weren't any good or reputable, they wouldn't be in business for long.

Answer 6

I ask my neighbors about what they paid and who did it and does it work.I had gotten 2 quotes-$4000 and $4200.I got it done for $2800.I got HUNTER equipment which is suppose to be the best and it has worked for 5 years with no problems.

They are not complicated.Many of my neighbors installed there own.The digging and covering up is the hard part.

Answer 7

Look for references. Call people who had this work done before by the contractors.