# Irrigation Proposal New Home



## RoushSI (Feb 4, 2021)

Hello All,

Popping my cherry here.





Building a home in central Ohio and looking for help with irrigation layout and proposal we have received. See the attached pdfs. Unfortunately we are forced to use the builders sub prior to closing on the home. So I do not really have the option to shop pricing if we want to have irrigation in prior to sod going down.

I am curious if this pricing looks fair and if it makes sense. I have done a decent amount of research on this forum and feel its not terrible but I have no experience with having an irrigation system.

The attached plan page with his layout is the proposed landscaping we are going to install prior to irrigation and sod. The deck will go in at a later date.

Please feel free to provide any and all feedback. I would like to respond back to the irrigation installer and have good knowledge of how to get a fair and solid system.

Thank you in advance!


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## JoeyDonatelli (Apr 4, 2018)

Looks pretty good! I would ask for a better zone map with locations of your values and piping.

I would also tell them to add a 10th zone and stub it our for a hose spigot. I would think about putting it out by the large trees in the back or up by the driveway.


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## burntfire (Dec 10, 2020)

I don't like this layout at all.

I would think they would do slow drip instead of the 12" pop ups for one.

The bottom side by your driveway won't get even watering so good chance you'll have browning near your property line... same with the outer most edge of the property line.

The backyard looks like it would be OK with the rotors but it's a bit odd they're using 4" pop ups as well to help with watering.

Basically you'll get water to most of the places but I wouldn't be shocked if you had a ton of browning since you're not getting head to head coverage.

How large is your backyard?


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## RoushSI (Feb 4, 2021)

@JoeyDonatelli I will ask for a more detailed zoning map. Could you explain what you mean by values and piping? I am assuming by piping you mean size?

I really like this idea of adding a 10th zone for a hose spigot. How does this work? I am guessing it is flush with the ground with a quick attachment? Could use this for hand watering?

@burntfire Are you proposing I should ask for them to price all the beds with slow drip? What are the pros and cons of slow drip?

When you are referring to the bottom part of the driveway are you stating that that entire small strip will brownout? Similarly, when you are referring to the outer edge of the property are you referring to the strip between the road and walk? What would you propose to fix this issue?

I am not sure what he is attempting with the rotors and the 4" pop ups in the back either. I was hoping he would use more MP Rotators, as I have read good things. He informed me that the 4" pop up and the MP rotators use the same body. He carries the cost for the 4" pop-ups and the MP Rotators in his proposal but only shows 4" pop-ups on the layout. I am guessing his layout is more for estimation purposes? Just guessing here.

I have attached a more detailed layout with some dimensions. Hopefully this helps.

Thanks again both of you for the knowledge. Please give some feedback in your thoughts though. I do not want to shell out this money and still have a brown yard!


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## JoeyDonatelli (Apr 4, 2018)

@RoushSI I would want to see where the valves are located as well as where the pipes are running. Its always nice to have a map for in future for repairs or modifications.

Yes, you can leave it flush with the ground or run it up a 4x4 post to have a hose hook up for hand watering / Washing Cars or anything else you need a hose for.


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## burntfire (Dec 10, 2020)

@RoushSI

I would certainly ask about slow drip. You will be delivering a much slower but more precise water delivery to the plants as they typically take water at a much slower rate than a surface spray. Shrub sprays are fine if it was an existing system but with it being new I would certainly want drip. You'd be looking at GPH vs GPM.

Yes if you look at the edge of the property you will see heads on just one side.. this will be uneven coverage which "can" lead to brown spots or just underwatering in areas vs others.

I understand the rotors now as you have a large backyard. The rotators are great but I'm not a huge fan past the MP2000s. 15-20' seems to be there sweet spot. I would have him add (2) full circles in the middle of the backyard for better watering.

It's just an odd layout.


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## bernstem (Jan 16, 2018)

You generally want heads in a square or triangule arrangement. Below the driveway, you would need another row of heads along the driveway and house to create the square layout. As it is right now, there is only one row of heads along the property line. There may be times when you are limited to only placing heads on one side, but that does not appear to the the case here.


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## RoushSI (Feb 4, 2021)

@JoeyDonatelli As we get further along in the process I'll be sure to get a more detailed map with locations of pipes and valves. At the current time of year along with supply chain shortages, closing on the house appears to not be happening untill late December early January. Therefore installation may not be occuring until early spring.

@burntfire I will ask for a slow drip system. Would you want to see these in all the landscapping beds? I would exclude the small one next to garage as this one would be covered by turf sprinklers in the area. When you say full cirlces in the middle of the backyard I am assuming you are refering to rotors?

@bernstem Thank you for the headsup on wanting to have heads in a square or triangular arrangement. The distance between the property line and the house on the south side of the driveway is only 6 ft. I believe this is why he only has them on the property line. He made a comment to me during a phone conversation that he was going to cover that area with "overspray" I am not sure if he refering to over spray off the house or heads. Either way to your point the driveway area could end up very dry without something spraying back toward the property line. Knowing this is such a small distance would you propose heads along the driveway also? Or what would you recomend in this tight area?

Once again thank you all for the help. Oh btw this is on city water so no fear of staining the house.


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