Whether you will save depends on how you currently water, how your
sprinkler system is designed and used, and the cost of water.

One advantage is that it can be designed to not water certain areas,
like paved driveways and sidewalks. You could do that yourself, but I
think most people don't have appropriate sprinklers to do it, so they
waste water.

I think the biggest savings is that you can set it to water at a time of
day when you won't lose much to evaporation. Before I had my system
installed, I usually watered once a week (absent rain), rather heavily,
and during a time I was up, so I lost a lot to evaporation. With my
system installed, I water twice a week (again, absent rain), but for a
shorter time, and before the sun comes up, so the water soaks down to
the roots, rather then being evaporated off the leaves.

In addition to saving my time, the system waters when I'm out of town,
so I don't come home to near-dead grass. And if you have a garden, a
sprinkler system will keep it happy and improve your harvest.

Incidentally, a well designed system will have an automatic drain, so it
doesn't have to be blown out and serviced before winter hits. Of
course, a lot of installers don't bring that up, as they make easy money
with their fall servicing.

My water utility has a program if you register your sprinkler system
where they reduce the sewerage charge during the sprinkling season to
what you pay in the non-sprinkling season. I think that is becoming
more common, but you might check, as that could affect your operating costs.

Its a costly project, and not suitable for everyone, but I'm very happy
that I had it put in. One suggestion, if you have it done, ask them to
put in a few extra valves on the manifold. It doesn't cost much, and it
makes it easy to add new zones if you find the need. I added a drip
watering zone for my flower beds; it was easy since the valve was
already there.

trailer wrote:
I'm currently considering a lawn sprinkler system for my front (only) yard.
I would have this installed through a lawn sprinkler company.

Since I've never had a lawn sprinkler system, I was wondering about the
advantages/disadvantages of installing and using one.

Currently, I just use the regular type sprinklers (using hoses) to water my
yard. I would expect that an underground sprinkler system would provide a
better way of covering my yard.

Would a sprinkler system save me money and use less water? The quoted cost
for installed system is well above $2K from a respected company.

I live in northern Texas.