Why can sprinkler system proposals vary so much in price when everything else appears to be the same?
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Two sprinkler proposals may appear to accomplish exactly the same thing.
Both water the lawn. Both have irrigation zones. Both include sprinkler heads, valves and a controller.
So why can the proposals be so different?
Because most of a sprinkler system disappears underground as soon as the installation is complete.
System design, zoning, head placement, pipe installation, valve accessibility, controller quality and attention to future maintenance can all affect the materials and labor that go into the project.
At Wall & Company, we design sprinkler systems around proper coverage, efficient water use and long-term serviceability—not simply getting water onto the lawn.
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Wall & Company vs. Common Shortcuts
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| Construction Detail | Wall & Company | Common Shortcuts |
|---|---|---|
| System Design | Irrigation designed around the property’s individual watering needs | Using a basic layout primarily designed to reduce installation time |
| Zones | Zones designed around plant type, exposure and watering requirements | Combining areas with different watering needs onto the same zone |
| Head Placement | Sprinkler heads positioned for proper, overlapping coverage | Using fewer heads and relying on maximum spray distance |
| Equipment | Quality irrigation components from established manufacturers | Selecting primarily around initial component cost |
| Piping | Underground piping properly routed and installed for the system | Minimizing pipe and fittings wherever possible |
| Valve Boxes | Zone valves installed in boxes accessible from the surface | Valve boxes buried, covered or difficult to locate and service |
| Controller | Quality controller installed in an appropriate, accessible location | Lower-cost controller or inconvenient installation |
| Future Service | System designed with accessibility and future maintenance in mind | Focusing primarily on completing the initial installation |
| Finish Work | Heads and boxes carefully positioned within the finished landscape | Less attention to final placement and accessibility |
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What You’ll Never See
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Once your sprinkler system is complete, you’ll probably see little more than the sprinkler heads and controller.
You won’t normally see:
• Most of the irrigation pipe
• Underground fittings
• Wiring to the valves
• The routing of individual zones
• Much of the planning behind sprinkler placement
• The connections beneath each sprinkler head
• Most of the system responsible for delivering water throughout the property
That’s one reason sprinkler proposals can be difficult to compare.
A less carefully designed system and a well-designed system can both make the grass wet on installation day.
The difference becomes more apparent when you begin living with them.
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Good Irrigation Starts with Good Design
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A sprinkler system isn’t simply a network of pipes with sprinkler heads attached.
Different parts of a landscape can have very different watering requirements.
Wall & Company considers factors such as:
• Lawn areas
• Planting beds
• Sun and shade exposure
• Slopes
• Soil conditions
• Sprinkler type
• Plant water requirements
• Available water pressure and flow
• Existing and future landscaping
The objective is to divide the property into logical watering areas and deliver water appropriately to each.
Good system design happens before the trenches are dug.
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More Sprinkler Heads Can Sometimes Mean Better Water Efficiency
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Using fewer sprinkler heads might sound more efficient.
It isn’t necessarily more water efficient.
Proper sprinkler coverage generally depends on intentional overlap between sprinkler patterns. One sprinkler helps water the area around the next sprinkler rather than every head simply spraying as far as possible.
Wall & Company designs sprinkler placement around proper coverage.
That can require more sprinkler heads, additional fittings and more pipe.
It can also help reduce dry areas and inconsistent watering that cause homeowners to compensate by running the entire zone longer.
The goal isn’t to install the fewest sprinkler heads possible.
It’s to distribute water properly.
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Zones Should Reflect Different Watering Needs
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Not everything in your landscape needs the same amount of water.
A sunny lawn can have very different requirements from a shaded lawn.
Shrubs and planting beds can have different requirements from turf.
Wall & Company considers those differences when establishing irrigation zones.
Proper zoning gives the homeowner greater control over where water goes and how long individual areas are watered.
Combining too many different areas onto the same zone may reduce valves, pipe and installation labor.
But it can also make efficient watering considerably more difficult later.
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Valve Boxes Should Be Accessible
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Every irrigation zone depends on a valve controlling the flow of water.
Those valves occasionally need to be inspected, repaired or replaced.
That’s why Wall & Company installs zone valves inside valve boxes that remain accessible from the surface.
The box shouldn’t disappear beneath soil, sod or decorative rock.
You may barely notice it in the finished landscape.
But when the system eventually needs service, being able to locate and access the valves can make an enormous difference.
We consider serviceability part of the installation—not someone else’s problem years from now.
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The Controller Belongs in an Appropriate Location
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The irrigation controller is the homeowner’s primary interface with the sprinkler system.
Wall & Company uses quality controllers appropriate for the system, such as the types of controllers commonly offered by established irrigation manufacturers like Rain Bird and Toro.
The controller is normally installed in an appropriate location associated with the home or other suitable structure—not mounted on a pipe coming out of the middle of the landscape.
It should be accessible when schedules need to be adjusted, zones need to be tested or the system needs to be serviced.
A good controller also gives the homeowner practical control over how the landscape is watered.
The underground system may do the physical work, but the controller is what makes that system manageable.
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Quality Components Matter
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A sprinkler system contains a lot of individual components.
Valves. Heads. Fittings. Pipe. Wiring. Controllers.
Most are relatively inexpensive compared with the total cost of the landscape.
But a failure in one small component can still create a frustrating problem.
Wall & Company uses quality irrigation components appropriate for the application rather than building the system around the lowest-cost available parts.
The difference between components may be impossible to recognize when the system is new.
Long-term reliability and serviceability are where those choices begin to matter.
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Sprinkler Placement Should Work with the Landscape
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Sprinkler heads need to water the landscape without becoming obstacles within it.
Wall & Company considers head placement in relation to:
• Lawn edges
• Paver patios
• Pathways
• Driveways
• Retaining walls
• Planting beds
• Trees and shrubs
• Changes in elevation
Proper placement can help reduce overspray onto hardscape while providing consistent coverage where water is actually needed.
It’s another reason irrigation should be planned as part of the complete landscape rather than installed independently from everything around it.
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Future Maintenance Should Be Considered Today
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Every sprinkler system will eventually need maintenance.
A head may get damaged. A valve may need service. Landscaping may change. A zone may need troubleshooting.
Wall & Company considers that reality during installation.
Accessible valve boxes, logical zoning, quality components and a properly located controller can make future service considerably easier.
These details don’t necessarily make a sprinkler system look different when it’s brand new.
They make a difference when someone needs to work on it later.
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The Details You Do See Matter, Too
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Even though most of the system is underground, the visible portions should integrate cleanly with the landscape.
Wall & Company pays attention to:
• Sprinkler head placement
• Finished head elevations
• Valve box placement
• Controller location
• Lawn and hardscape transitions
• Overspray reduction
• Coverage around planting areas
• Integration with the overall landscape design
A properly installed sprinkler system shouldn’t call attention to itself.
It should simply help the landscape thrive.
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Where the Wall & Company Difference Shows Up
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Sprinkler systems are especially difficult to compare from proposals because so much of the finished product is underground.
Using fewer heads, fewer zones, less pipe, inexpensive components or less attention to valve accessibility can all reduce the amount of material and labor required.
And when the trenches are filled, many of those differences disappear.
They become apparent later through uneven coverage, inefficient watering, difficult-to-access valves or a system that’s frustrating to service.
Wall & Company’s approach is to consider the complete irrigation system: thoughtful zoning, proper sprinkler coverage, quality components, accessible valve boxes, an appropriately installed controller and attention to future maintenance.
The objective isn’t to install the cheapest or the most expensive sprinkler system. Our objective is to install a sprinkler system that waters your landscape efficiently and is designed to remain practical to operate and service.
At Wall & Company, we aim to install a sprinkler system that helps keep your landscape healthy and beautiful for years to come.