Fees and Quotes

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Call out / per visit travel and organisation fee $250

+ hourly rate $250

+ materials (prices based on Reece.com.au retail prices)

I carry the range of gear with me to fix 99% of household irrigation systems.  If you book me in, for anything other than a quote, expect me to turn up and immediately get stuck into sorting out your irrigation issues.  

In general, it's not possible to provide fixed quotes for repairs. Most of the time, the bulk of the work lies in identifying the location and nature of the problem.

In many cases—especially with older systems—fixing one issue often reveals or leads to other problems.

If you're able to clearly explain and photograph a specific issue that needs fixing, I may be able to provide a cost estimate. However, please note that this estimate would only cover the issue you've identified.

I typically quote between $3,000 and $14,000 for new household irrigation systems. (Think about how your place compares to the range of gardens around Canberra.) Key factors that increase the cost include:

• Barriers to laying pipes from the water source (e.g., a driveway)
   
• Number of lawn areas
   
• Size of the lawn to be irrigated
   
• Low water pressure
   

Small gardens with no obstacles and no lawns are the cheapest to irrigate.

For smaller jobs, I prefer to work on an hourly basis, as this is usually the most efficient and cost-effective option. You can use the cost range above to estimate your likely expenses, considering the diversity of gardens in Canberra—from townhouses to highly landscaped larger blocks.

Getting a fixed-price quote requires more work and shifts some of the risk from you to me. I factor this into my pricing, so you can expect a higher cost for fixed quotes. For larger jobs, this may still be worthwhile.

Please send:

• Photos of the areas to be irrigated
   
• Dimensions of those areas
   
• The location of a tap or other water source
   

Also, note and photograph any paths, walls, or other barriers that might complicate installing piping between the tap and the areas to be irrigated. Paving can usually be lifted fairly easily, while concrete paths and driveways are more challenging.

Please also measure the flow rate of the tap you plan to use. To do this, time how long it takes to fill a bucket of known volume with the tap fully open.

If you're planning to install a mains-powered controller, please provide:

• A photo and details of the powerpoint location
   
• The route the wire can take from the powerpoint to the water source
   

If a powerpoint needs to be installed, we can connect you with an electrician.

For more on the pros and cons of different automatic watering options, see the relevant section on the FAQs page.

If a site inspection is required to provide a quote, the fees listed above will apply.

Charging for site inspections reflects the time and travel costs involved, and also encourages the use of electronic communication where possible—helping to reduce the environmental footprint associated with driving.