It's Sad, But True...
Sprinkler Systems & Sprinkler Contractors
Are Not All the Same...
Knowing the Questions to Ask Before You Choose a Sprinkler Contractor...
Will Ensure You a Hassle-Free Sprinkler System
And Your Long-Term Satisfaction...
The long-term reliability of your automatic residential or commercial sprinkler system – and your satisfaction with it – will depend largely on the sprinkler contractor you choose to install it. His/Her relative expertise and specialized skills will be crucial to the efficiency and long-term effectiveness of your sprinkler system. And how well it's designed and installed will make all the difference between a dependable sprinkler system that keeps your lawn & gardens green and healthy, and a poorly designed and installed one that leaves your lawn brown and unhealthy, wastes water... or both.
Investing in an in-ground, automatic irrigation system is a big decision – one that Rainfall Irrigation wouldn't want you to take lightly – and that's why asking the right questions is so important in ensuring a job done correctly.
To protect yourself and your sprinkler system investment, here are a few, basic questions you might want to ask, before you let a sprinkler/irrigation contractor submit a proposal…
Be sure to ask...
♦ How many years has the contractor (using this specific company name) been in business…
and will he/she supply reliable references?
♦ Does the contractor carry liability insurance and if so, to what extent? What's the coverage?
♦ What type of backflow prevention is required by my municipality? Does the contractor use
a certified cross-connection (backflow) expert?
♦ What types and brands of products and materials do you propose to use, and why?
Learn more, be sure to ask for your copy of the FREE report...
E-mail us, or call Rainfall Irrigation – 781.585.5701
Other things to consider...
Your Estimate – A professional sprinkler contractor should always provide you with a written estimate, detailing the type and location of all the parts and materials he/she plans to install as components of your automatic irrigation system. The total price for the installationall and materials should always be included in the written estimate.
Your Warranty – A professional sprinkler contractor should be able to explain exactly how your automatic sprinkler system will operate and should be willing to guarantee both the installation components of your system for at least 2 full years.
And the contractor should also be willing to warrant that your sprinkler system will actually function in the effective fashion it was promised. In other words, your automatic watering system will do its job of effectively watering your lawn and gardens as described in the proposal, or it will be fixed so it does. Such warrantees should always be given in writing.
Your Operating and Maintenance Manuals – A professional sprinkler contractor should always provide you with the manufacturer's manual(s) for all the components of your watering system. They should provide clear instructions for operating – as well as maintaining your irrigation system - showing you the relative timing differences between zones, and a recommended run-time schedule for various weather conditions.
After-the-Installation Service and Maintenance – A professional contractor should always be willing and able to provide you with after-the-sale service, such as your Spring opening and winterizing your watering system, fine-tuning your automatic sprinkler system controller settings to avoid under, or over-watering (to minimize runoff), as well as repairing and/or replacing damaged or worn out parts and components.
Avoid any contractor – who offers to charge significantly less than others who have given you quotes... for what would appear to be a similar sprinkler system. Unless they've left out significant and essential elements, their relative pricing for a comparable, professionally-designed, competitive automatic watering systems should be similar.
Low-cost bidders often use ‘tricks of the trade’ to reduce their sprinkler system material costs – so they can offer you an artificially low proposal price – just to get your business. And then – when they have your contract – they'll aggressively try to up-sell you on the very elements that should have been part of your original proposal. Things like...
• They'll often tell you a backflow ‘preventer’ and/or a rain sensor isn't required – but in truth,
a backflow ‘preventer’ is usually required by your city or municipality, and a rain sensor will
typically pay for itself in water savings within the first season or two – so neither should ever
be left out of a professionally designed and installed automatic sprinkler system
• They don't use special, water-tight connectors for electrical connections – which dramatically
increases your chances of corrosion, and electrical shorts or faults, which may disrupt or
even damage your sprinkler system
• They'll mix sprayheads with significantly different discharge rates on the same line – which
can cause serious over and under-watering, and an unhappy outcome for you
• They'll install your sprinkler heads too far apart – making it impossible to achieve proper
head-to-head coverage (or overlap(, which will invariably result in seemingly random brown
patches in your lawn during the hot, dry summer months
• They'll put too many sprinklers in one zone – which usually results in there not being enough
water flow to run any of them at their intended coverage rate.
• They'll build too few zones for your irrigation system – forcing it to operate too many
sprinklers at once, which ensures poor, uneven coverage.
781.585.5701
