Sometimes a homeowner will ask if it’s worth the investment to install an irrigation system. Well, from our (very biased, but knowledgeable) opinion it definitely is in almost all cases. Here are some of the reasons why we think so;
Water Savings:
According to university studies in Texas, if you water your lawn by hand (dragging hoses and sprinklers around) you will save 40% of the water typically used by installing an automatic irrigation system. Based on typical water costs most homes in our area will recoup the investment in 2-3 years.
If you install an irrigation controller that automatically adjusts irrigation to the weather conditions in your yard then you can save an additional 30%. This additional cost will take a year to be paid off.
Bottom line, compared to hand watering an irrigation system installed with a weather sensitive controller will pay for itself in 3 years;Â after that, you pocket the savings.
Landscape Insurance:
Weather is a hard thing to predict around here. We have stretches of wet, cool weather and we have extended drought periods. An automatic irrigation system insures that when we have a drought, your landscape plantings remain alive and healthy.
The cost to replace a drought damaged lawn is about the same as the cost to install an irrigation system. So, if a system saves your lawn just once, you have made your money back! Save it again and you are ahead.
Irrigation also promotes better looking plants that mature faster and flower longer. If you value a nice looking landscape the cost of irrigation becomes even more minimal.
Home Value:
A better-looking landscape increases a home’s value. A Clemson University study found homes with “excellent” landscapes sold at a price 11% higher than homes with an “average” landscape.
The recession of ’08 caused devaluation in property values that will take years to rebuild. Given that an excellent landscape can increase property value up to 11%, may make a huge difference on the selling value of your property.
The Clemson study was prior to the recession, so let’s say landscape benefit increase is only 4%. That would translate to a value increase of $4,000 per $100,000 of home value. That alone will pay for an irrigation system.
If you want a nice, green landscape that stays nice, even during drought periods and reduces your water investment, we suggest an automatic irrigation system.
That is amazing how much a nice landscape effects your homes value. I never would have thought it would have been that much. I think the landscape is one of the first things people notice and that leaves a big impression on them.