Hi,

Looking to install a sprinkler system for my lawn. Can anyone guide me on what
is a reasonable price for a sprinkler system. I have some quotes from a few
installers and they are quite different.

One quote came up with $2200 and another for $3,600. They estimate 7 zones and
about 34 heads for the install. One of them is telling me that the price to
install this year is very high because price of fuel has gone up, as the pipe
price is directly related to the price of fuel. Is this true.

Any guidance on how to choose a good sprinkler system installer / product is
appreciated.

The cheaper quote used TORO, while the expensive one used the Hunter product.

Thanks,
Zombie


--
zombie

"zombie" wrote in message
One quote came up with $2200 and another for $3,600. They estimate 7 zones
and
about 34 heads for the install. One of them is telling me that the price
to
install this year is very high because price of fuel has gone up, as the
pipe
price is directly related to the price of fuel. Is this true.

Price of anything plastic, steel, or any oil derivative has gone up
considerably. Still seems to be a large difference in the pricing. I'd
check details.

"zombie" wrote in message
.. .
The cheaper quote used TORO, while the expensive one used the Hunter
product.

Go to Home Depot or Lowes and price the equipment yourself... The hardware
is probably the cheapest part of the system... The installation is what can
suck -- unless you just like digging ditches through tree roots... The
problem that I have seen with all the local sprinkler companies is that they
are lazy and only bury the water line a couple of inches below the
surface... Sometimes, just right below the sod... That plus they use the
thin wall PVC pipe -- sched-20, I believe... Use the sched-40 stuff... It
isn't as fragile... The inner diameter is smaller, so you'll probably need
to go up to the next larger size (i.e. from 3/4" to 1" or so)...

Grumman-581 wrote:
"zombie" wrote in message
.. .
The cheaper quote used TORO, while the expensive one used the Hunter
product.

Go to Home Depot or Lowes and price the equipment yourself... The hardware
is probably the cheapest part of the system... The installation is what can
suck -- unless you just like digging ditches through tree roots... The
problem that I have seen with all the local sprinkler companies is that they
are lazy and only bury the water line a couple of inches below the
surface... Sometimes, just right below the sod... That plus they use the
thin wall PVC pipe -- sched-20, I believe... Use the sched-40 stuff... It
isn't as fragile... The inner diameter is smaller, so you'll probably need
to go up to the next larger size (i.e. from 3/4" to 1" or so)...


Impossible to say how much this should cost. There are way too many
variables. Like how easy/hard the terrain is, how many driveways or
other areas it must cross, if the zones are all near each other or on
completely seperate sides of the house, how much plubming must be done
to get the water outside, etc. Geographical pricing diff can be large
too. The same job in NJ or CT is generally going to cost considerably
more than the same job in AL.

Of the sprinkler choices, I'd go with Hunter, which are widely
recognized as being one of the best. More important than the price is
that the installer know what the hell they are doing. Most of the
cost here is labor and its hard/impossible to fix after its screwed up
by a wrong design. I'd go online to some sprinkler manufacturers, etc
and try to find either an online layout tool or service. Going
through that could be very valuable in understanding where the heads
should be placed for proper coverage, so you can understand if their
plan makes sense. I'd ask for the contractor to show you on a simple
plan how they intend to cover the area.

With such a disparity, I'd be inclined to get a third estimate. Perhaps
go to the rainbird site and get a lead on an affiliated installer there.

I think either brand you list, and rainbird, for that matter, makes
varying grades of parts. If you go to a home center, you will be
looking at the very lowest grade, and you shouldn't expect long life,
nor even that they will have replacement parts when the cheap ones fail.

When I get an estimate on anything, I ask where they will be getting
their supplies. If they shop at the home center, I discount that
estimate as far as quality is concerned. In the case of a sprinkler
contractor, I would want one who gets his supplies at an irrigation
supply house, where they don't carry the cheaper home center parts. The
price is not much, if any, higher, but you get better quality.

Check that all the estimates offer the same thing, or an explanation of
why what they offer is better than the others. Some installers make no
provision for draining the system before winter, and make a handsome
profit each year by coming out and blowing out the system for you.
Others will just build in drains, so you don't need the yearly service.

See how they propose to do the installation. The best, in my opinion,
have what they call a puller, which buries the lines with little damage
to your grass. Others use a trencher, which I think costs less, but
leaves a lawn in need of repair.

Make sure all estimates include any interior plumbing necessary; often
they have to put in a larger water line, and if they are skimping on
that, that could be a good reason to take another offer.

In any event, make sure they leave you a map of the system on
completion, so you know where you can and cannot dig.

zombie wrote:
Hi,

Looking to install a sprinkler system for my lawn. Can anyone guide me on what
is a reasonable price for a sprinkler system. I have some quotes from a few
installers and they are quite different.

One quote came up with $2200 and another for $3,600. They estimate 7 zones and
about 34 heads for the install. One of them is telling me that the price to
install this year is very high because price of fuel has gone up, as the pipe
price is directly related to the price of fuel. Is this true.

Any guidance on how to choose a good sprinkler system installer / product is
appreciated.

The cheaper quote used TORO, while the expensive one used the Hunter product.

Thanks,
Zombie

to get the water outside, etc. Geographical pricing diff can be large
too. The same job in NJ or CT is generally going to cost considerably
more than the same job in AL.


Why would the job cost more in NJ/CT vs AL? Just curious...

-Zombie


--
zombie

"zombie" wrote in message
.. .
Why would the job cost more in NJ/CT vs AL? Just curious...

Higher cost of living up there for one, so the labor costs are going to be
more... Since it gets cold up there in the winter, perhaps they bury the
water lines deeper...