[Graveslawncare]

Ok, so I have been in lawn care for around 8 years and I want to add irrigation to increase revenue and profit margins and also as something else fun to do. I really am excited about getting into it!

I have read most of the beginners advice forum here, and I appreciate all the info. One of the first guys on the forum posted a link to a tutorial that he thought was pretty solid, so I started there with my reading. I'm not even all the way thru it yet and I'm enjoying it, but I'm also kinda overwhelmed at all the info involved at some points. I know that once I do it a couple times it will get easier, but I guess I'm just looking for some more starting advice. How do you find best to wrap your head around it all? Besides the tutorial I'm currently studying, is there anything else I should read that has a lot of easy to understand instruction and visuals? (I'm a pretty visual learner). Finally, when I think I'm ready to take on my first system, what is the best way to go about getting irrigation jobs? I put irrigation on my biz cards a couple years ago cuz I had a company that I was going to subcontract but I never really got much attention from it and nothing ever really happened and of course I didn't pursue it much because I was focusing on grass cutting. So how can I land a few jobs?

Anything, any guidance is extremely appreciated. Thanks!

 

[FIMCO-MEISTER]

You need to find a local hands on mentor. Or consider being somebody's free help on a few jobs. I guess from our perspective take a typical yard in your neighborhood...draw it up....design it and put it up for us to see what you think a quality system is all about. If we think you have some quality irrigation talent which we will see in your design work I'm sure you will get more help than you'll care for.

 

[1idejim]

You need to find a local hands on mentor. Or consider being somebody's free help on a few jobs. I guess from our perspective take a typical yard in your neighborhood...draw it up....design it and put it up for us to see what you think a quality system is all about. If we think you have some quality irrigation talent which we will see in your design work I'm sure you will get more help than you'll care for.

ditto; licensing, if required in your, state is a must

best of luck

 

[Mike Leary]

Google 'Richard B. Choate', his "Turf Irrigation Manual" is a must for anyone starting out.

 

[Stuttering Stan]

Google 'Richard B. Choate', his "Turf Irrigation Manual" is a must for anyone starting out.

It will also put you to sleep. But it is a good book if you can stay awake.

 

[Inspired]

Google 'Richard B. Choate', his "Turf Irrigation Manual" is a must for anyone starting out.

I was just going to post this, Mike beat me to it. When I got serious, it's what I started with.

 

[Mike Leary]

it is a good book if you can stay awake.

Ditto, it is also rather archaic, but pound for pound, it's a great primer.

 

[S.O.Contracting]

Google 'Richard B. Choate', his "Turf Irrigation Manual" is a must for anyone starting out.

One of our local counties licensing tests is based off this text. Its a pretty intimidating looking book the first time you look at it. But lots of good info.

 

[Mike Leary]

Weather*Matic had a lot to do with that book, Dick Choate is (was?) from Texas. I hope it's been up-graded, but the basics are the basics.

 

[Mike Leary]

There is a book available on e-bay by the guy that taught me the trade, Virgil E. Young. It's called 'Sprinkler Irrigation Systems'. Though dated, it remains current as far as layout goes, that never changes. He was THE MAN and defined high-end irrigation in the Seattle area. He died way too early and his sons ran the business into the ground. No plastic nozzles for Virgil. :clapping:

 

[hoskm01]

Choates book is a large part of the AZ contractors exam, as well. Still archaic, somewhat, and a snoozer.

 

[bcg]

I'm surprised to hear that Choate wrote such a highly regarded book. I've worked on some of the systems installed by Choate in Houston and they left me less than impressed. Stupid stuff like 2 valves shoved into a 4" valve box, these things definitely aren't designed with the repair tech in mind.

 

[Wet_Boots]

We like photos.

 

[hoskm01]

We like photos.

How's this?

 

[FIMCO-MEISTER]

I'm surprised to hear that Choate wrote such a highly regarded book. I've worked on some of the systems installed by Choate in Houston and they left me less than impressed. Stupid stuff like 2 valves shoved into a 4" valve box, these things definitely aren't designed with the repair tech in mind.

Two different people. You are working on Putt Choate's systems. Used to be a guard I believe for SMU. Very good business man. The supply houses fight like crazy for his business. Pays his bills very fast and buys some serious quantities. Had home builder system market done pat. I was told that at one time he was buying half the 1804s in the Dallas area. Last system of his I saw though had the low end HUNTER stuff, pipes were shallow, and all the heads were funny piped down. The soil wasn't holding the heads down and they were coming up out of the ground.

like I said a good businessman but not so keen on what his company considers to be good irrigation.

 

[Wet_Boots]

If your Texas clay behaves like some of the clay I see, head shifting must be something of an issue.

(waiting for Kiril to return and remind me that it is really silty loam )

 

[Graveslawncare]

I appreciate the input so far guys. One thing I haven't seen anyone address yet is my question on how to land my first few sprinkler system contracts? Any input there?

Apparently I need to read this book by Richard Choate. I'll see if I can find it somewhere. After 2 weeks I finally finished reading Jesse Stryker's irrigation tutorial and it was pretty packed with good information. I still am going to go back and read parts of it again as well as a few parts I haven't read yet like his tutorial on winterizing a system. Does anyone know if Jesse Stryker's tutorial and this Choate guy's book conflict at all? Thats one of the main things that bother me, when you really feel like you found a good source of info and then someone recommends a book to you that conflicts with half of what you already read. Just curious?

Also, someone had posted that a license is a must, especially if it is required where I live. I'm not sure if it is required or not in Nashville. But I was planning to get my irrigation license anyway because I figured I would learn more if I had a test over it, and also that potential customers would trust me more if I was a licensed irrigation designer/installer. Anyone on here know what I will need to know to be able to pass the test for the license in Nashville?

Finally, someone else on this thread said that I should find a local mentor or consider being free help on a few jobs. I would love to, but I just don't have time to be free on jobs right now. What I would like to do is to line up some jobs of my own when I am ready and then kind of hire someone experienced to be my mentor on those jobs. I'm just not sure how many people out there are willing to help train the competition lol. If any of you are located near me and would like to help me out, let me know! Sorry this is long, lots of stuff for me to figure out

Thanks again for the input, keep 'em coming!

 

[Mike Leary]

Stupid stuff like 2 valves shoved into a 4" valve box

I wonder if Carson and Ametek have special factories in Texas to manufacture 4" pit boxes? Leave it to the Texans to use a 4"! :dizzy:

 

[Wet_Boots]

Don't forget the Toro-branded cap for 4-inch drain pipe

 

[1idejim]

I appreciate the input so far guys. One thing I haven't seen anyone address yet is my question on how to land my first few sprinkler system contracts? Any input there?

Apparently I need to read this book by Richard Choate. I'll see if I can find it somewhere. After 2 weeks I finally finished reading Jesse Stryker's irrigation tutorial and it was pretty packed with good information. I still am going to go back and read parts of it again as well as a few parts I haven't read yet like his tutorial on winterizing a system. Does anyone know if Jesse Stryker's tutorial and this Choate guy's book conflict at all? Thats one of the main things that bother me, when you really feel like you found a good source of info and then someone recommends a book to you that conflicts with half of what you already read. Just curious?

Also, someone had posted that a license is a must, especially if it is required where I live. I'm not sure if it is required or not in Nashville. But I was planning to get my irrigation license anyway because I figured I would learn more if I had a test over it, and also that potential customers would trust me more if I was a licensed irrigation designer/installer. Anyone on here know what I will need to know to be able to pass the test for the license in Nashville?

Finally, someone else on this thread said that I should find a local mentor or consider being free help on a few jobs. I would love to, but I just don't have time to be free on jobs right now. What I would like to do is to line up some jobs of my own when I am ready and then kind of hire someone experienced to be my mentor on those jobs. I'm just not sure how many people out there are willing to help train the competition lol. If any of you are located near me and would like to help me out, let me know! Sorry this is long, lots of stuff for me to figure out

Thanks again for the input, keep 'em coming!

here you go

www.tn.gov/commerce/boards/contractors/index.shtml

read the link, stay out of trouble.

you're prolly not gonna be doing much till this is taken care of so, you prolly will have enough time to build a good foundation for the trade.

best of luck