Sprinkler system installation: a guide for pros

What customers ask, how to win the job, and what to put on your profile.

Offering sprinkler system installation

Sprinkler installation is a design-and-build job that is judged on coverage, water use and a system that lasts. Your value is in matching zones and heads to the site, and in backflow, locating and testing that protect the water supply and the customer.

What customers ask

  • How many zones will my yard need, and can I see the layout?
  • Will the system water the house, the walk or the street by mistake?
  • Do you need to test the backflow, and who does it?
  • What controller do you install, and can I change it myself?
  • How long will the system last, and what does the warranty cover?
  • Will the trenches damage my lawn, and how do you restore it?

How to win the job

  • On the first call, ask about the lawn and bed areas, the sun and shade, the water supply and the soil, then describe how you design the zones.
  • Walk the site with the customer and mark the zones, the heads and the controller location before you quote, so there are no surprises on the day.
  • Put the zone count, the pipe and valve types, the backflow preventer, the controller and the restoration in the written quote, with the permit and locate steps listed.
  • Show a zone map and a head spacing chart on your profile, so the customer sees how you design coverage rather than just the finished lawn.
  • Run every zone with the customer before you leave, and show them how to change the schedule on the controller.
  • Explain the water supply check you did, including pressure and flow, and what it means for the number of zones you can run at once.

What to put on your profile

  • Photos of trenching, valve boxes and the backflow installation, taken before backfill
  • Your zone maps and head layouts for a few past installations
  • The controllers and backflow preventers you install, with the models named
  • Your licensing and any backflow testing certifications, shown where your area requires them

Follow-up that helps the customer

  • Send a seasonal reminder to have the system checked in the spring and winterized in the fall
  • Offer a coverage check after the first season, to see whether any zones need heads adjusted
  • Suggest a smart controller upgrade if the customer's system is an older timer that does not adjust to weather

Licenses and permits

Sprinkler and irrigation installation is commonly licensed in many areas, and backflow preventers and their testing may require separate certification. Check with your state or local licensing agency and your local water utility or permit office before you bid, and confirm each rule that applies to the work.

Questions

Do I need a license to install sprinklers for customers?

Installation is commonly licensed in many areas, and backflow work may need its own certification. Check with your state or local licensing agency and your local water utility or permit office before you bid.

Who is responsible for a backflow test?

Find out the test rule in your area, and state it in the quote. Many areas require a certified tester to check the device on a schedule, so set the customer's first test date and tell them where to send the report.

How do I handle a customer who wants the zones cut to save money?

Explain what fewer zones do to coverage and water use, and show the trade on a zone map. Let the customer decide with the information in front of them, and put their choice in writing.

About this guide

This national guide is written and checked by infinibell. Rules and conditions differ by place, so local pros are credited on guides for the cities they serve, not on national ones.

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