How Much Does It Cost To Install Lawn Sprinkler?
$1,711
Lawn Sprinkler Costs
A lawn sprinkler irrigation system helps keep your lawn or garden in its best condition by assuring that water is delivered where and when it is needed, even automatically.
You will find that the cost to install an average lawn sprinkler depends upon the size of the lot, the number and types of sprinkler heads, freezing issues of the site, and the labor rate.
In the following table the Labor Cost figure is what the able and prepared DIY persons should expect to save by performing the complete installation.
Lawn sprinkler: 1,700 square feet of lawn in a no-freeze zone; automatic operation. Includes all labor required to hand-dig, refill and tamp 235' of pipe buried 12" in normal soil.
| Item | Unit Cost | Quantity | Line Cost | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Material: Schedule 40 PVC pipe, 400' of 3/4" and 35' of 1"; 4 electric 3/4" valves; pop-up sprinkler heads 10' apart, 100' of control wire. | $0.30 | per sq. ft. | 1,700 | $505 |
| Controller: four zones; 3/4" pipe; requires 120 VAC, 50 W; programmable; with enclosure. | $126 | each | 1 | $126 |
| Material Cost | $0.37 | per sq. ft. | 1,700 | $631 |
| + Labor Cost | $30 | per hour | 36 | $1,080 |
| Total Cost | $1.01 | per sq. ft. | 1700 | $1,711 |
Lawn sprinkler: 1,700 square feet of lawn in a freeze zone; automatic operation. Includes all labor required to hand-dig, refill and tamp 235' of pipe buried 12" in normal soil with gravity drain-back.
| Item | Unit Cost | Quantity | Line Cost | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Material: Schedule 40 PVC pipe, 400' of 3/4" and 35' of 1"; 4 electric 3/4" valves; pop-up sprinkler heads 10' apart, 100' of control wire. | $0.35 | per sq. ft. | 1700 | $590 |
| Controller: four zones; 3/4" pipe; requires 120 VAC, 50 W; programmable; with enclosure. | $126 | each | 1 | $126 |
| Material Cost | $0.42 | per sq. ft. | 1700 | $716 |
| + Labor Cost | $30 | per hour | 42 | $1,260 |
| Total Cost | $1.16 | per sq. ft. | 1700 | $1,976 |
Other considerations and costs
- If necessary, land-clearing and site-preparation typical to a residential scale project including manual and mechanical removal of shrubs, trees, stumps, and boulders will typically range in cost from $0.50 to $1.50 per sq. foot depending upon the amount and size of the material, and the off-site distance of material transport.
- Taxes and permit fees are not included.
- In freezing zones add $0.15 per sq. ft. to assure a winterizing drain-back layout.
DIY considerations
- This installation is suitable for the able DIY persons with typical set of garden tools as well as PVC pipe working tools and knowledge.
- The PVC pipe is glue-type pipe and fittings the installer must be familiar with.
References
- Craftsman Estimator Costbook, complete series year 2015.
- Latest prices found on Home Depot and other vendor Web sites.
- Literature review of DIY Web sites.
Enter your zip code to get estimates
Cost by city
- New York, NY$2,749
- Bronx, NY$2,259
- Brooklyn, NY$1,882
- Philadelphia, PA$2,348
- Washington, DC$2,038
- Atlanta, GA$1,844
- Miami, FL$1,677
- Fort Lauderdale, FL$1,756
- Minneapolis, MN$2,061
- Chicago, IL$2,401
- Houston, TX$2,476
- San Antonio, TX$1,662
- Austin, TX$1,882
- Denver, CO$1,590
- Phoenix, AZ$1,678
- Las Vegas, NV$1,841
- Los Angeles, CA$2,075
- San Diego, CA$1,883
- San Jose, CA$2,274
- Seattle, WA$1,665
Local costs have been calculated by accounting for labor and material cost differences across different cities. To get accurate cost estimates, indicate yours: