Irrigation installers put in, repair, and winterize underground sprinkler and drip systems for homeowners, HOAs, builders, and commercial properties. Invoices usually cover a new system install, add-on zones, backflow devices, controller or smart timer upgrades, seasonal service calls, and repairs billed by the hour plus parts.
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New installs are most often priced per zone or as a flat fee for the whole system, built up from a count of zones, heads, valves, pipe footage, trenching, controller, and backflow preventer. Residential lawns commonly come out to a total per zone, while larger or commercial jobs are bid per head or per square foot of coverage. Repairs and service calls are usually billed as a trip charge or minimum (often covering the first half hour to hour) plus labor by the hour and parts at cost plus markup, typically 15 to 40 percent. Seasonal work such as spring start-ups and fall blowouts is a flat fee per visit, sometimes scaled by zone count. Drip conversions and landscape bed irrigation are priced per zone or per linear foot of tubing. Permits, utility locates, rock or heavy clay surcharges, and sod or landscape restoration are listed as separate lines so they do not get buried in the base price.
| Service | Priced | Typical range |
|---|---|---|
| New residential install (complete system) | per zone | $500-900 |
| Add a zone to an existing system | per zone | $350-700 |
| Service call / repair labor | per hour | $75-125 |
| Trip charge or diagnostic minimum | flat fee | $50-95 |
| Spring start-up or fall blowout | flat fee per visit | $75-175 |
| Backflow preventer install (residential) | each | $250-600 |
| Smart controller install | each | $200-450 plus unit cost |
| Drip irrigation zone for beds | per zone | $250-600 |
Typical US ranges. Rates vary by region, experience, and job size.
| Description | Qty | Rate | Amount |
|---|---|---|---|
| Install 6-zone residential system: trenching, 1" poly mainline and lateral pipe, 28 rotor and spray heads, 6 valves in manifold box | 6 zones | $650.00 | $3,900.00 |
| Reduced pressure backflow preventer, supplied and installed with test | 1 each | $425.00 | $425.00 |
| Wi-Fi smart controller, supplied and mounted in garage | 1 each | $330.00 | $330.00 |
| Drip line for front shrub bed, tie-in to new valve | 1 zone | $300.00 | $300.00 |
| Rock excavation surcharge, back lawn trench section | 3 hours | $95.00 | $285.00 |
| Permit fee, passed through at cost | 1 each | $85.00 | $85.00 |
| Total | $5,325.00 | ||
Notes: 50% deposit of $3,060 received at contract signing. Balance due on completion and walkthrough. Net 10. Late balances charged 1.5% per month. One-year warranty on parts and labor for installed components. Controller schedule programmed and reviewed with owner.
Many states and municipalities require a license number on contracts and invoices, and the permit number shows the work was inspected.
Listing the number of zones, heads, valves, and pipe type lets the client verify what was installed and helps with future service.
Many water utilities require backflow preventers to be tested and registered, and the serial number links your work to that record.
Clients dispute lump sums less when parts like valves, controllers, and pipe are itemized and markup is clear.
Rock, roots, buried utilities, or added zones discovered mid-job should be listed with dates so they match approved changes.
Showing payments already made against the contract total avoids confusion on the remaining balance.
Stating what is covered and for how long, plus any required annual blowout, protects you from freeze damage claims.
For installs, a deposit of 30 to 50 percent at signing is common, covering materials and scheduling, with the balance due at completion or after a final walkthrough. Larger jobs may use progress payments tied to milestones such as trenching and pipe complete, then heads and controller. Repairs and seasonal visits are usually due on completion or net 7 to 15 days. Late fees of 1 to 1.5 percent per month are typical if stated in the contract. Most installers accept checks, ACH, and cards, and some pass along card fees on large invoices where state rules allow. Commercial and HOA clients often pay net 30 and may require a PO number and lien waiver paperwork.
Soil conditions are the biggest source of overruns. Put a per-hour or per-foot rate for rock, caliche, or heavy roots in your contract, then bill the actual time as its own line.
Valves, solenoids, heads, and controllers take time to source and you warrant them. A consistent markup on parts, shown on the invoice, is normal and easier to defend than a hidden padded labor rate.
Short repairs like a broken head can eat an hour once you count driving. A minimum call-out fee that includes the first portion of labor keeps small jobs profitable.
Bundling spring start-up, mid-season check, and fall blowout at a set annual price gives steady revenue in slow months and is simple to invoice every year.
Program the controller and show the client the zones working before you leave. Collecting the balance while they see the finished system reduces later disputes over coverage.
Per zone or a flat bid is most common for new systems because clients want a fixed number. Hourly billing works better for repairs, troubleshooting, and jobs with unknown conditions like older systems or heavy rock.
Yes, and it is standard. Many states cap deposits on home improvement contracts or require specific contract language, so check your state's contractor rules before setting the percentage.
It depends on the state. Some tax materials only, some tax labor on certain work, and some treat installs as real property improvements with different rules. Check with your state revenue department or an accountant.
Review your warranty terms. Freeze damage from a system that was not winterized is usually excluded, so bill labor and parts at normal rates and note the cause on the invoice.
Send the invoice with the contract and walkthrough sign-off attached, then follow up in writing. In many states contractors can file a mechanic's lien within a set window, so know your deadlines and notice requirements early.
Send a Irrigation Installer estimate for approval, then turn it into an invoice when the work is done.
Irrigation Installer estimate template