Price vs. ROI
Elements that impact pricing are:
Drip is critically different from soaker hoses
Soaker hoses are attached to the outside house faucet and not connected to your automatic sprinkler system. Soaker hoses are made of recycled tires and have a life expectancy of 1-3 years. Soaker hoses “sweat” around the entire outside diameter of the hose, sweating more closer to the faucet and less at the end of the hose length. Soaker hose use around the foundation should be limited to 50’ lengths (as the flow is depleted significantly after that length).
Drip irrigation applies an even distribution of water with 95% efficiency. Drip can accommodate longer tubing runs with proper lateral line feeds. Drip is connected to your automatic sprinkler system as a separate station. Drip requires pressure regulator to 40 psi. Drip requires even spacing in the tubing layout for best coverage. Drip can be sized by proper flow (.6 gallons per minute for most applications vs .2 or .4 gpm for slopes). Drip is exempt from most north Texas water restriction stages (including stage 4). Drip provides the most reliable distribution uniformity for foundation management.
The key points are to:
1. Maintain 3”-5” of mulch on the beds at all times
2. Minimize boots in the beds – translation, consider lower maintenance plant material that doesn’t require multiple trimming and maintenance,
3. Monitor the drip area after contractors work, (Christmas lights & ladders, roofing/gutter repairs, window cleaners, shrub trimming, Pest Maintenance, etc)
4. Perform frequent visual inspections of drip (once every 45 days during growing season, bi-monthly the rest of the year)
5. Adjust the water scheduling to coincide with the seasonal changes.
Drip in beds is laid on top of the soil and covered with mulch. When seasonal color or landscaping changes are carried out, workers should sweep back the mulch for the area and reveal the drip tubing. This minimizes damages from inadvertently piercing the drip with “blind” digging. .
On average, drip runs about $2 - $5 a linear foot (contractor pricing varies), however, drip is not maintenance free (nothing is…). The ROI for water saved is remarkable for well maintained drip and depending upon current watering habits can be realized in 12-24 months.
- A new station(s) versus a conversion of a current station
- Inclusion of beds (foundation surrounding plant material will “compete” with the foundation for the water applied and the plants will always drink the water first – so we recommend including the beds with foundation coverage to alleviate unintended absorption of the water meant for the foundation soil management)
- Controller upgrade/replacement (new stations need a terminal port at the controller)
- Degree of difficulty in trenching (established shrubs and foundation-hugging roots can impede productivity)
Drip is critically different from soaker hoses
Soaker hoses are attached to the outside house faucet and not connected to your automatic sprinkler system. Soaker hoses are made of recycled tires and have a life expectancy of 1-3 years. Soaker hoses “sweat” around the entire outside diameter of the hose, sweating more closer to the faucet and less at the end of the hose length. Soaker hose use around the foundation should be limited to 50’ lengths (as the flow is depleted significantly after that length).
Drip irrigation applies an even distribution of water with 95% efficiency. Drip can accommodate longer tubing runs with proper lateral line feeds. Drip is connected to your automatic sprinkler system as a separate station. Drip requires pressure regulator to 40 psi. Drip requires even spacing in the tubing layout for best coverage. Drip can be sized by proper flow (.6 gallons per minute for most applications vs .2 or .4 gpm for slopes). Drip is exempt from most north Texas water restriction stages (including stage 4). Drip provides the most reliable distribution uniformity for foundation management.
The key points are to:
1. Maintain 3”-5” of mulch on the beds at all times
2. Minimize boots in the beds – translation, consider lower maintenance plant material that doesn’t require multiple trimming and maintenance,
3. Monitor the drip area after contractors work, (Christmas lights & ladders, roofing/gutter repairs, window cleaners, shrub trimming, Pest Maintenance, etc)
4. Perform frequent visual inspections of drip (once every 45 days during growing season, bi-monthly the rest of the year)
5. Adjust the water scheduling to coincide with the seasonal changes.
Drip in beds is laid on top of the soil and covered with mulch. When seasonal color or landscaping changes are carried out, workers should sweep back the mulch for the area and reveal the drip tubing. This minimizes damages from inadvertently piercing the drip with “blind” digging. .
On average, drip runs about $2 - $5 a linear foot (contractor pricing varies), however, drip is not maintenance free (nothing is…). The ROI for water saved is remarkable for well maintained drip and depending upon current watering habits can be realized in 12-24 months.