Automatic Lawn & Landscape Sprinkler System Services for New York’s Finger Lakes Region
Irrigation Tech has installed, modified, substantially repaired or expanded more than a thousand Automatic Landscape Irrigation Systems in Rochester, Monroe County, and the Finger Lakes Region. Our residential, commerical, and institutional customers rely on the systems we install and service to maintain healthy, lush lawns, gardens, and planting beds.
Every installation, modification, major repair or expansion begins with a free written proposal showing a base price and options (if any), and outlining the scope of work we intendt to provide so that you can be confident that what we are proposing is what you want and what you agree to pay for.
Read on to learn more about our proposal, acceptance, scheduling, and system installation, modification, major repair, and expansion processes.
Before you receive our Proposal...
We learn what you would like to do and then use our mapping software to create an aerial plan of your property showing property boundaries and a proposed irrigation system layout. If necessary, we will ask you for a site survey or plot plan and may also physically examine your property to learn more about your:
- Water source and pressure
- Property boundaries and visible features
- Possible undocumented improvements
- Lawn and plantings
- Slopes
- Soil type(s)
- Microclimate variations
…and much more
Our Proposal...
After we have prepared our initial written proposal we will review it with you and make adjustments as needed to fit your budget or to incorporate additional sprinklered or drip irrigated areas. If you want to accept our proposal you sign a copy and and agree to pay a deposit so that we can proceed with scheduling your work.
Once we receive your deposit we will begin the permitting process – if a permit is required for your system. All systems that rely on a public water supply will require a backflow prevention device permit. Additional permits accompanied by a site survey or plot plan supplied by you - and sometimes easement releases - are are also required in the towns of Greece and Perinton, and in Livingston County. A special Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) permit may also be required if your property is located in a flood plain or designated wetlands.
The cost and time required to obtain a permit varies from $50-$1,000, and from a few days - or weeks, to six months - or more - depending on the type of permit, locality, and agencies involved. For example, in Monroe County and the Town of Victor, backflow prevention device permits can usually be obtained in a few business days. While in Cayuga, Livingston, Ontario, Seneca, Schuyler, Steuben, Wayne, and Yates counties the permit process can take several months.
Before work begins...
After you accept our Proposal, and depending on the time of year and your availability, we will place you in our current year’s work schedule or include you in the next year’s work schedule.
When we place you in our schedule, we will give you a tentative start date (e.g., the week of…) and contact you as the date draws near to advise of changes, if any, to the schedule caused by weather or unexpected circumstances and conditions on the jobs preceding yours (e.g., roots, rocks, rock-hard summer soil). Sometimes, if the ground is soft and the weather cooperates, we can even perform your work sooner than anticipated!
When it’s time for work to begin...
When it’s time for Irrigation Tech to install, expand, repair, or replace your landscape irrigation system, here’s what you can expect:
- Your yard will be staked out for buried utilities by UDIG-NY contractors. This process can begin up to three weeks before your installation is scheduled.
- Our Office Manager will contact you before your installation is scheduled to begin to advise of any changes to the schedule due to weather, other delays, or if we’re ahead of schedule.
- When you work begins, a friendly, polite, knowledgeable, efficient, and hard-working two-to-four-person Installation Team will arrive in clean vehicles with top-of-the-line equipment in top notch condition.
- The Installation Team will layout sprinkler head and drip line locations in the lawn and planting beds.
- An Irrigation Tech employee who is an experienced plumber – and certified backflow tester - will go into the basement or mechanical closet to make the plumbing tie-in and install the backflow preventer. The technician will be in the basement for about 90 minutes.
- When the plumbing is complete, flexible irrigation system supply lines (pipes) will be placed underground with a vibratory plow. The plow does not dig or trench so there it has minimal impact on lawns.
- After supply lines are laid, sprinkler heads will be installed. If drip irrigation is used, it will be dug and/or laid by hand as the sprinkler heads are installed.
- When the sprinkler heads and drip lines are installed, control valves will be installed, and after that, the automatic controller – usually placed in a garage or other location accessible to the outside.
- Next, a gutter-mounted rain sensor linked to the controller will be installed.
- When our work is complete, we will demonstrate the system and answer your questions about how to use the system and what to expect when it is operating.
