Irrigation Installation

It all depends on where you live and the size of your property. In and around Calgary in 2022, $6,500-$8,500  for a complete residential underground sprinkler system, including mainline, pulling a permit, Wi-Fi timer and sprinklers.

The smallest residential irrigation system we installed in 2022 cost $4,500, and the most expensive was $15,000.

We use a vibratory plough to pull most poly pipes into the ground. This will still cause some scarring of the turf, but way less than hand-digging trenches. Some hand digging will have to happen, but only where there are underground utilities, sprinklers, valve boxes, mainlines, pipe connections, tight areas, etc.

With residential irrigation installs, irrigation pipes are installed 4-8 inches (10 cm to 20 cm) deep. The pipes need to be deep enough so that they do not get damaged by things like aerators.

Underground sprinklers typically do not add monetary value to your property, but they increase the odds of selling it quickly. Underground sprinklers are becoming more popular and are a definite selling feature. We can save money on water bills by installing smart Wi-Fi timers, flow sensors, and rain sensors. An automated system will require very little time and attention. A quality installation will last for a long time with little maintenance, except for the fall blowout and cross-connection test.

Yes, you can contact your municipality about the need for a permit. In Calgary, you must pull a permit for the cross-connection installation. Typically, a Double Check Valve Assembly is installed and has to be tested yearly by a certified cross-connection tester. Someone must do that part of the irrigation system.

1. Determine what type of sprinkler nozzles and heads you will use and your static pressure. Typically speaking:
   • In Calgary, we would expect to see the pressure between 40 and 60 psi (275-414 kPa)
   • Rotors need 50 psi (345 kPa)
   • Rainbird R-Van Rotary nozzles need 45 PSI (310 kPa)
   • Hunter MP Rotator nozzles need 40 PSI (275 kPa)
   • Spray Nozzles need 30 PSI (207 kPa)
   • Drip lines need 25 PSI (172 kPa)
2. Once you know what operating pressure you need, attach a pressure gauge upstream of a ball valve and hook this up to a garden tap on the house.
3. To determine your flow rate, open the garden tap and the ball valve enough to get to the operating pressure (dynamic pressure) you want. Once there, you can use a 5-gallon (19 L) pail to get the flow.  If the five-gallon pail fills in 1 minute at a dynamic pressure of 40 psi, you know you have five gpm (19 lpm) at 40 psi (275 kPa).
4. If you were to simply open the tap all the way and do the flow test, you would get a flow rate based on little or no pressure, which would not be accurate. By not starting your design process with a proper flow test, you would end up with an irrigation system that costs more than it should or may not even work.