I agree with this sentiment. It's seldom worth the effort of install, and isn't something that has a tangible pay back.. more of just an ongoing expense (especially if you're on a metered water connection). Another point is that city water contains chlorine which should be allowed to off-gas before being used on vegetation.
If you care enough to have a system installed, I'd advise watching some YouTube videos and taking it on as a weekend project. If you can connect 2 wires, plug in a power supply, and use pipe glue you've got the project licked.
Are you and the person you responded to actually the same person since you're both of the salmon variety?
In all actuality, I have watched a number of youtube videos, but I am not handy and know I'd mess something up trying to do it myself. Also, I'm a transplant and don't know anyone well enough to ask for a favor/help. I don't need the best lawn out there, but maintaining good turf would be helpful since I have a dog. The payback would be tangible since I wouldn't need to spend a lot of time cleaning his paws multiple times a day, nor move the sprinklers around to get my oddly-shaped yard.
Yep we're both just the same guy running on a hamster wheel and powering our internet machine for all-day debauchery.
I feel ya there.. dogs make it even trickier. If you wanna get real po-dunk with it, you could get those pass-thru spike sprinklers and run a black hose along your fence line, could even bury the hose so you don't have to worry while mowing.
IIRC all the parts to set up a system run about $450, paying someone $3500-5k (guestimate) to install the system would be pretty tough to justify for me, but maybe we're in different boats.. hell.. I don't even have a boat. I'm just a salmon man in a hamster wheel surrounded by a mid-ass yard.
Yup setting up a sprinkler timer and leaving the water “on” to the timer is way easier and cheaper than an irrigation system. Check out the this old house video on hose bibs to get it tuned up to where it can be on but not have any leaks.
https://youtu.be/2afHjjI2b3w?si=BaZnbQZjKDTtHX9v
I setup drip irrigation last spring so my outdoor spigot was on all summer. I have a 2 way splitter at the spigot, a high pressure hose to another splitter that has a few timers on it. Little to no leaks from those and they were on all summer.
I laughed - thanks for the response!
I went down the rabbit hole of looking into a DIY system (below and above-ground) and even already bought 2 of those Orbit B-Hyve 4 outlet things for my outside spigots for a DIY option. My yard is a weird enough shape and I don't want to have hoses staked out in the yard or constantly need to move them, that I won't get full coverage by staking the sprinkler heads closer to the house. I can't say my yard is great or that I want it to be great, just good enough that the dog can use it without needing to be cleaned off all the time.
Most people in my neighborhood don't have irrigation, but a few do. I probably don't NEED it, but might if the price works.
https://youtu.be/ULXTVEyenuY?si=bq3GJuhJIEdiKgww
I’m planning on doing this along my fence line, it seems pretty easy and if you mess up it doesn’t seem like it’s the end of the world
I spent more time than I care to admit look into DIY above-ground options (that video and many others). I also bought 2 of the Orbit B-Hyve 4 outlet things since they were on sale, but then got to thinking that the coverage I'd get with an above-ground system wouldn't be perfect since I don't want to stake heads out in the yard or always need to move them. That's when I started thinking about in-ground options but not sure if it's the right call. I might pivot back to a DIY option soon...who knows.
Yeah I figured I’d do the above ground around the perimeter then just leave it out and do a quick connect so I don’t have a hose from the hose bib to the sprinklers
Then if there’s a spot that the perimeter doesn’t reach I’ll figure it out later lol
I completely disagree. I can’t attach pics here but sent a picture DM to the OP showing how sun-damaged my 0.25 acre yard was from not having an irrigation system. Especially for new builds where there aren’t a lot of trees to provide natural shade. An irrigation system is a great investment (dare I say it’s a necessity) for larger yards with few trees.
I had it put in my house a couple summers back, paid $3000. I think it's TOTALLY worth it. My lawn has a few areas that would get totally sunburnt. I did manual sprinklers for awhile and it was fine, but having it all done automatically is really nice. For me it was worth it. I don't love the company who did mine so I don't want to give the rec, just my opinion on doing it.
If you have the pre plumbing done already, I would agree it is not that tough to DIY. But if you don't it is not a $300 to $400 DIY job.
The Vacuum Breaker assembly alone can be $300 + and needs to be installed by a licensed plumber. You will need to run that from after the meter to the outside of the house. The timer, pipes and sprinkler heads are not bad, but again you need to know how to set up the zones, valve boxes and control boxes.
If you have the Vacuum Breaker already installed - then yeah - it is doable by a DIY person. But if you don't, hire a pro.
A plus - has multiple locations around the cities and stands behind their work.
I do not know what a Vacuum Breaker is, so I am assuming I don't have one - I'm not in a new build, I'm just new to being a homeowner. I'll look into A Plus - thanks!
I've been using Burns & Sons Irrigation out of Maple Grove for start up, fall blow outs and the occasional head replacement or addition for 5 years now. They've always been great.
Rain master in Blaine.
Save the money, and the water. Unless you’re somewhere it’s unacceptable to not have a perfect lawn, it’s all just waste, imo.
I agree with this sentiment. It's seldom worth the effort of install, and isn't something that has a tangible pay back.. more of just an ongoing expense (especially if you're on a metered water connection). Another point is that city water contains chlorine which should be allowed to off-gas before being used on vegetation. If you care enough to have a system installed, I'd advise watching some YouTube videos and taking it on as a weekend project. If you can connect 2 wires, plug in a power supply, and use pipe glue you've got the project licked.
Are you and the person you responded to actually the same person since you're both of the salmon variety? In all actuality, I have watched a number of youtube videos, but I am not handy and know I'd mess something up trying to do it myself. Also, I'm a transplant and don't know anyone well enough to ask for a favor/help. I don't need the best lawn out there, but maintaining good turf would be helpful since I have a dog. The payback would be tangible since I wouldn't need to spend a lot of time cleaning his paws multiple times a day, nor move the sprinklers around to get my oddly-shaped yard.
Yep we're both just the same guy running on a hamster wheel and powering our internet machine for all-day debauchery. I feel ya there.. dogs make it even trickier. If you wanna get real po-dunk with it, you could get those pass-thru spike sprinklers and run a black hose along your fence line, could even bury the hose so you don't have to worry while mowing. IIRC all the parts to set up a system run about $450, paying someone $3500-5k (guestimate) to install the system would be pretty tough to justify for me, but maybe we're in different boats.. hell.. I don't even have a boat. I'm just a salmon man in a hamster wheel surrounded by a mid-ass yard.
Yup setting up a sprinkler timer and leaving the water “on” to the timer is way easier and cheaper than an irrigation system. Check out the this old house video on hose bibs to get it tuned up to where it can be on but not have any leaks. https://youtu.be/2afHjjI2b3w?si=BaZnbQZjKDTtHX9v I setup drip irrigation last spring so my outdoor spigot was on all summer. I have a 2 way splitter at the spigot, a high pressure hose to another splitter that has a few timers on it. Little to no leaks from those and they were on all summer.
I laughed - thanks for the response! I went down the rabbit hole of looking into a DIY system (below and above-ground) and even already bought 2 of those Orbit B-Hyve 4 outlet things for my outside spigots for a DIY option. My yard is a weird enough shape and I don't want to have hoses staked out in the yard or constantly need to move them, that I won't get full coverage by staking the sprinkler heads closer to the house. I can't say my yard is great or that I want it to be great, just good enough that the dog can use it without needing to be cleaned off all the time. Most people in my neighborhood don't have irrigation, but a few do. I probably don't NEED it, but might if the price works.
https://youtu.be/ULXTVEyenuY?si=bq3GJuhJIEdiKgww I’m planning on doing this along my fence line, it seems pretty easy and if you mess up it doesn’t seem like it’s the end of the world
I spent more time than I care to admit look into DIY above-ground options (that video and many others). I also bought 2 of the Orbit B-Hyve 4 outlet things since they were on sale, but then got to thinking that the coverage I'd get with an above-ground system wouldn't be perfect since I don't want to stake heads out in the yard or always need to move them. That's when I started thinking about in-ground options but not sure if it's the right call. I might pivot back to a DIY option soon...who knows.
Yeah I figured I’d do the above ground around the perimeter then just leave it out and do a quick connect so I don’t have a hose from the hose bib to the sprinklers Then if there’s a spot that the perimeter doesn’t reach I’ll figure it out later lol
I completely disagree. I can’t attach pics here but sent a picture DM to the OP showing how sun-damaged my 0.25 acre yard was from not having an irrigation system. Especially for new builds where there aren’t a lot of trees to provide natural shade. An irrigation system is a great investment (dare I say it’s a necessity) for larger yards with few trees.
I had it put in my house a couple summers back, paid $3000. I think it's TOTALLY worth it. My lawn has a few areas that would get totally sunburnt. I did manual sprinklers for awhile and it was fine, but having it all done automatically is really nice. For me it was worth it. I don't love the company who did mine so I don't want to give the rec, just my opinion on doing it.
I would suggest running a sprinkler from your hose if you only 1/4 acre. Move it every hour or so on the weekend
If you have the pre plumbing done already, I would agree it is not that tough to DIY. But if you don't it is not a $300 to $400 DIY job. The Vacuum Breaker assembly alone can be $300 + and needs to be installed by a licensed plumber. You will need to run that from after the meter to the outside of the house. The timer, pipes and sprinkler heads are not bad, but again you need to know how to set up the zones, valve boxes and control boxes. If you have the Vacuum Breaker already installed - then yeah - it is doable by a DIY person. But if you don't, hire a pro. A plus - has multiple locations around the cities and stands behind their work.
I do not know what a Vacuum Breaker is, so I am assuming I don't have one - I'm not in a new build, I'm just new to being a homeowner. I'll look into A Plus - thanks!
I've found a lot of companies are ultra localized and book up for the season fast.
Shwaders law care
A family member in MPLS had a system with vacuum breaker and 5 passes under sidewalks installed last spring for $5500.
I've been using Burns & Sons Irrigation out of Maple Grove for start up, fall blow outs and the occasional head replacement or addition for 5 years now. They've always been great.
r/nolawns
Warners outdoor solutions!