Many irrigation projects utilize irrigation consultants; however, the majority of irrigation installations do not. Budget constraints on projects encourage the use of performance specifications or design build by irrigation installers. The result is seldom what was envisioned.

Building codes and laws do not generally exist for landscape irrigation installation. The decision to do things right is voluntary. The competition for jobs in this economy encourages less than efficient irrigation installation in an effort to save money up front on a project just to win the bid. There are many quality irrigation installers capable of putting efficient designs together, but even they are tempted to remove quality to win the bid. Corners get cut when money is involved and companies are trying to survive.

The Difference between an Irrigation Designer and an Irrigation Consultant

The role of consultant goes beyond that of even a top quality designer. While an irrigation designer can put together an effective irrigation design and specification, consultants contribute additional “value added” services that may include master planning, water use and supply evaluation, LEED® calculations, pump system design, alternative water supply analysis, bid evaluations and observation of installation to ensure the use of the specified materials and approved installation procedures. Even if you are lucky enough to find an installer that is qualified to design efficient irrigation, there are many benefits and cost savings you miss out on. Irrigation consultants will not have any product ties to a manufacturer or distributor. They will use the best products for the site and situation. They are paid by the client and therefore look out for the clients’ best interests, while being fair to all parties involved.
A consultant may also specialize in a specific aspect of the irrigation project that is beyond that of an irrigation designer including LEED credits, rainwater harvesting, or green roof irrigation.

When to Bring In the Irrigation Consultant

It is important to bring the irrigation consultant into a project as early as possible. Bringing an irrigation consultant on board to solve problems late in a project or after installation will not be as smooth and typically will be much more expensive than if the consultant had been on board before the system had been installed. The sooner the irrigation consultant can be involved in discussions regarding a project the more input and expertise they can provide, many times identifying potential problems or alternative approaches before any money is spent. This is even more important in LEED and alternative water supply projects such as rainwater collection.
Ideally, irrigation consultants are able to be involved during the master planning stage. Consultants can provide a well thought out comprehensive approach to the project taking into consideration such items as project phasing, budgets, water supply and future expansion. The irrigation consultant can bring valuable insight into large project planning, saving valuable time and effort as the project proceeds further in its development. Consultants can reduce the number of expensive change orders by recognizing potential issues before they occur.
The consultant should be knowledgeable about all phases of installation to keep distributors and installers from stretching the truth about products or installation practices. The consultant should know what products best fits a particular project or site and what products are commonly used locally.

Headache Remedy

The consultant can free up time for the developers, landscape architects and project managers by answering questions that come up and help manage the project. The consultant can provide direction and coordination to the irrigation installer.
The irrigation consultant can also calculate projected water use and cost of operation so there are no surprises.

Precious Resource

We all know that water conservation is important, but rarely is water-conserving technology found in irrigation systems. The irrigation consultant is up to date on the new technologies in the industry that truly conserve water such as SMART controllers and moisture sensors. Proper design and operation can help conserve water for the life of an irrigation system, maybe costing more up-front, but saving many times the extra cost over the life of the irrigation system.
In today’s water conscious world, effective and efficient irrigation design is essential. The best way to achieve that is with the input of an experienced irrigation consultant. When the consultant is brought in early and empowered to use well established best practices for design, bid evaluation, construction management and operation, the results the client is looking for can be achieved.