5 Questions You Should Be Asking a Prospective Irrigation Contractor 

Picking the right irrigation contractor can be make or break your landscape (and wallet) – trust us, we’ve seen it all 

 Just like you wouldn’t hire a dentist to moonlight as your physician, irrigation management is a specialized, multi-disciplinary skill that requires years of experience to hone and perfect. Fractured professional licensing requirements create confusion for clients seeking a contractor. Couple this with a widespread lack of understanding of irrigation-related costs and requirements, clients tend to prioritize cost above other factors when selecting a contractor. This is nearly always a mistake, as we see time after time “low-bid” contractors cost clients: 

(a) more money in the long run as they are less efficient at troubleshooting and bill for more hours 

(b) more water, plant matter, or irrigation-related equipment with less efficient watering methods and lack of active/effective irrigation management.  

Knowing the right qualities to look for in a prospective contractor can help you identify any red flags. Although there are always exceptions, we believe the following 5 questions can get you closer to understanding the skills, qualifications and quality of a prospective irrigation contractor.  

This list is intended to be taken wholistically, and we list these questions in order of importance: 

(2-Wire Sites) – Do you have Clamp Meters? What model(s)? 

A great contractor without great tools is like a great chef cooking with expired ingredients –a bad time for everyone involved. Without exception, effective troubleshooting for any Irrigation Controller that uses decoders (also known as a 2-Wire system) requires a Clamp Meter. You can be sure that companies that do not have a Clamp Meter have not been properly trained to manage and troubleshoot 2-Wire issues, and they will likely learn on your dime. For more information on Clamp Meters and recommended models, check out our article here. 

 

Do you have an Irrigation Specialist/Division? 

Many great companies, large and small, will manage general landscape and irrigation under one company. However, a customer should be wary of a landscape-focused company that claims that “they can do irrigation too”. When in doubt, a company that takes irrigation seriously will list that they have an irrigation division within their company and listed on their website. Some companies only specialize in irrigation. Generally, that specificity is a good sign.  

 

What certifications, licenses and other qualifications do your staff hold? 

Irrigation, like any technical industry, has a series of qualifications and licenses that distinguish irrigation hobbyists from professionals. Unlike other technical industries, some states do not require an irrigation contractor to maintain any license or professional certification at all. Because of fractured state regulations and expense of licensing, some of the greatest irrigation minds we know have never bothered with maintaining certifications. However, in our opinion, it’s always a good sign if your prospective contractor elects to maintain professional certifications.  

For a full list of certifications, what they mean, and a list of certified individuals, the Irrigation Association is a great resource. Searching for companies that have Certified Irrigation Contractors (CIC) and Certified Irrigation Technicians (CIT) on staff is a good place to start. 

 

 What irrigation controllers have you used/managed before? 

Like most technologies, irrigation controller technology, models and manufacturers are constantly evolving. We maintain that adept contractors can apply their skills across any controller platform, including general water management and 2-Wire troubleshooting. However, ensuring that your contractor has prior experience with your controller (or at least its manufacturer) provides them with a head start in terms of familiarity with your system’s software usage and management. 

Contractors without experience with your make and model of controller should not be automatically discounted. It’s important to note the make and model of controllers they manage or have managed in the past, and reference them with your system. Does your contractor only manage small residential systems, as measured by zone count (think 8-20 zones)? Is your system a 100+ zone 2-Wire system? If so, there can be a misalignment in their experience and your site’s requirements.  

 

Are you (INSERT MANUFACTURER OF YOUR CONTROLLER) Trained? 

Experience with a controller is one thing, but manufacturer certification provides a whole different level of confidence to a client. There may be a vast array of different controller manufacturers out there, but due to the cost of certification programs, many contractors only maintain one to two manufacturer certifications, (if they do at all). This can make finding a manufacturer-trained contractor somewhat challenging. However, a manufacturer-affiliated or trained contractor in your area is an invaluable asset, as they generally have a breath of experience applying your technology to different sites.  

For customers seeking Tucor-certified contractors, please contact us! We have a long list of reputable Tucor-trained contractors with whom we’d be happy to connect you.