Choosing A Contractor

A Very Important Decision

Invest Wisley

A professionally installed sprinkler system is the smart way to beautify your landscape, and one that will make your life easier. To make the most of your investment you will want to make sure it is designed and installed properly, with the diverse needs of your landscape in mind.

Choosing the right contractor is an important decision. The contractor will design and install your automatic sprinkler system, and will ensure the right components are used for each part of your landscape.

What To Expect

An efficient, well-organized contractor will be happy to provide you with all the information you need to make an informed decision.

• To begin, the contractor will want to view your property in order to determine soil condition, water sources and pressure, and planting materials.
• After the initial meeting, the contractor should present you with a formal estimate. The estimate should be thorough and detail the various products used and the total price for materials and installation.
• Along with the estimate the contractor should clearly explain all the specifics to you.
• When the job is finished the contractor should leave your lawn and garden free of trash and debris, and present you with instructions on how to care for your new automatic sprinkler system.

Questions to Ask

What type of products will be used and why?

The contractor should be able to explain each of the components and why they are the best for your landscape.

Is after sale service provided?

A professional contractor should be willing and able to provide after-sale service. Examples of after-sale service includes spring start-up and winterization.

Is there a warranty?

All of the work performed should be guaranteed. Warranty times may vary for system components and labor. A one-year warranty is typical.

Are customer references available?

Be sure to ask for the names and telephone numbers of recent customers you can call. A satisfied customer is the best way to gauge the experience you will have.

Words of Advice

When choosing a contractor, you should be wary of those who will offer to charge you significantly less than others. Low bidders may not be licensed or insured and may often use cost-cutting techniques that can jeopardize your lawn and shorten the life of you system.

What to Look Out For

• Omitting a backflow preventer when required by local regulations to protect your drinking water supply.
• Spacing sprinkler too far apart. This makes it impossible for certain areas to receive enough water, which can cause brown spots in your lawn.
• Mixing sprinkler with different application rates on the same line. This causes on area to be over-watered in order to sufficiently water another.
• Not using special watertight connectors and protective valve boxes to safe guard the electrical elements.

Confidence Counts

Above all, you should choose a contractor you feel you can trust, a contractor who installs professional series products, such as Rain Bird components, the world's leading manufacturer of irrigation equipment. For more than seven decades, professional irrigation contractors have used Rain Bird products to provide the industries most water efficient, durable and diverse irrigation components, so homeowners like you can have a beautiful lawn and the time to enjoy it.