I’m assuming you want to make good decisions about your irrigation system. I’m assuming you value water as a very important natural resource. I’m assuming you want to use that water in the most responsible efficient way you can. The big challenge is finding a contractor who feels the same way and has the knowledge and skill level to deliver. I can’t guarantee that reading this blog will give you that but I can give you a list of experiences that you should cover with a prospective purveyor of irrigation services.
The purveyor should:
- be able to refer to your landscape by individual plant types and their water needs. TURF, BUSHES, FLOWERS doesn’t cut it.
- talk about hydrozoning. This is separating the system so that areas with similar water requirements are kept together.
- have a design albeit a rough one with your landscape and the head placement and zone layout.
- try and use drip irrigation in areas that it can be effectively done. He should explain thoroughly the pros and cons of drip to make sure your personality is right for it.
- explain the merits of using higher quality products. Explain the importance of preventing excess pressure and low head drainage.
- talk about the infiltration rates of your soil to help you understand how to prevent runoff.
- be able to discuss ET (evapotranspiration) how it applies to your landscape and area.
- be able to program your controller and explain or help you with seasonal adjustments.
- be able to thoroughly explain the code requirements of your community.
- give you a description of his installation methods and have a detailed explanation of his material types and brands.
A quality system isn’t going to be the cheapest. A poorly designed and installed system can end up costing far more than a quality system installed in the beginning.
The one constant to an irrigation system is service. I rarely find a system that I’ve worked on that I couldn’t go back the very next day and find more to do. Every 10-15 years an irrigation system needs a complete overhaul in my opinion. Knowing that I am eventually or in time going to completely overhaul the system my first service call to a new customer is what I like to refer to as “THE SET UP CALL”. I install a pigtail right off the bat to allow for remote servicing. I take a mental inventory of the wire used, controller, heads, design, landscape, and most importantly the customer. After dealing with the initial service issue I either get the customer to do a walk through with me or if they are not available write down the improvements that I see need to be done. I keep a well stocked inventory to show the customer the equipment I like and why we should replace their existing equipment with my recommended equipment. The focus is not to sell stuff for the sake of selling stuff but to improve the system in its water usage and performance. If a customer gets the big picture I will work with them any way I can. Whether it be 10 service calls spread over 10 years or one extended service call. The object is to personalize your relationship with that customer as well as improving the quality of their system. When a homeowner or property manager looks at all the things to manage they will frequently choose the job in which the have a successful personal relationship with the contractor. I never felt I competed with other irrigators as much as I felt I competed with all service professionals for a limited budget.
My hope by doing this blog is to pass on what 29 years of being in the irrigation business has taught me. I tell a joke that it took me 5 years to learn how to make a profit and another 5 years to figure out how to make a living. I’ve recently sold my business in Dallas and will be moving to Fort Collins, CO. I did not have a mentor in irrigation work. I worked part time for a professor at Texas A&M University while studying to be a golf course superintendent and upon graduation decided to give being an irrigation entrepreneur a shot before committing to working for somebody else the rest of my life. I’m not going to bore you with details. I don’t have time to write them and you have better things to do so I’m trying to pass on the big lessons I learned. As I reestablish myself and my career with all the hard earned knowledge I’ve gained some of the more important lessons will come to me and I’m going to try and pass them on. My intended target reader is an optimistic 20-25 year old who loves working with his hands, enjoys the outdoors, and is fascinated by water. If anybody else finds it worth the time to read that is icing on the cake. Since this blog will be very random in its updates check in when you have time and hopefully I’ll have something beneficial to read. As for this first post “Know thyself”. There is no perfect model for a successful business. Some people have lots of natural leadership and drive. Others are very detail oriented. Don’t argue with your natural talents. If you are a big picture person and don’t do the little things a business needs then get a secretary or keep it real simple. I loved being a one man show. Had a very simple business model. Fate changed that and my model had to change. Regardless of your model if you can’t determine what your