Tired of fussing with hoses, sprinklers, and timers or watching your lawn brown in the heat? You can install an automated in-ground irrigation system yourself. It takes planning, patience, and physical work, but with careful preparation you can save a lot compared to hiring a pro. Below is a clear, practical account of how we installed ours and what to expect.
Before the step-by-step instructions, a few important points to help you decide whether to DIY.
Should You DIY Your Sprinkler System?
We completed our system ourselves and saved roughly $1,700 compared with a professional quote. That said, a large or oddly shaped yard made this project much more time-consuming and physically demanding than we expected. What a pro could do in a day or two took us more than three weeks of work. My back and shoulders definitely felt it.
Smaller yards or garden beds are better DIY candidates, and drip irrigation is especially simple to install. Large lawn systems involve repetitive trenching, pipe fitting, and wiring, which can be tiring. On the upside, knowing how your system is built makes troubleshooting and future adjustments easier.
If you have the time and want to learn, DIY can be rewarding. If not, hiring a professional might be worth the expense for a large property.
Why Install a Sprinkler System
An in-ground irrigation system provides consistent, deep watering that keeps lawns, beds, and containers healthy without daily attention. Modern controllers let you create customized schedules by zone, skip watering when local weather shows rain, and reduce water waste. We opted for a Wi‑Fi smart controller that adjusts for forecasted rain and offers remote control and alerts.
We worked with a landscape architect to draw a planting plan before installing irrigation so we could plan watering zones around future plantings. If you’re doing landscaping, plan irrigation first to protect new plantings from summer stress.
After getting professional quotes around $3,500, a helpful neighbor with prior experience offered to assist and we began the installation last September.
Steps to Installing a Sprinkler System
Below is an overview of the steps involved. Each step is explained in more detail after the list.
- Get a companion meter
- Plan your layout
- Call 811
- Buy supplies
- Dig trenches
- Lay your pipes
- Install your valves
- Install a backflow preventer
- Add sprinkler heads
- Wire everything together
- Program and finishing touches
Step 1: Get a Companion Meter
Many municipalities offer a companion or secondary meter for irrigation. This meter often only charges for water use (not wastewater/sewer), which can lower utility costs over time. In our county the water department installs companion meters after an application and fee; the process took a couple of weeks. Check local requirements and start this process early.
Step 2: Plan Your Layout
Careful planning prevents wasted time and materials. Identify where water (companion meter) and power (controller location) will be. Plan a main water line from the meter and branch off to smaller zone lines. Zones keep water pressure adequate and let you tailor run times for different areas—sunny zones need more water than shady ones.
Mark sprinkler head positions with flags, spacing them so coverage overlaps (we used roughly 8–10 large steps). You can fine-tune spray arcs later to avoid overspray onto driveways, decks, or wooded areas.
Step 3: Call 811
Before digging, call 811 to have underground utilities marked. This is essential to avoid hitting gas, electric, or other service lines.
Step 4: Buying Sprinkler System Materials
Collect supplies based on your layout. Typical items include sprinkler and mister heads, flexible swing (poly) pipe and elbows, 3/4″ and 1″ PVC pipe and fittings, valves and valve boxes, controller, underground sprinkler wire, backflow preventer, PVC primer and cement, a PVC cutting tool, and trenching tools. Quantities depend on your design.
- Sprinkler heads for turf and misters for beds
- Swing pipe (polyethylene) and elbows to connect heads to zone lines
- 3/4″ and 1″ PVC pipe for zone and main lines and assorted connectors
- Zone valves and valve boxes
- Controller sized for your number of zones (we chose a Wi‑Fi smart controller)
- Underground sprinkler wire with enough conductors
- Backflow preventer if required locally
- Trench shovel or trencher rental and other digging tools
Sprinkler heads and connections
Most heads sit mostly below grade and pop up when pressurized. Each attaches to a short section of swing pipe that connects to a threaded tee on the PVC zone line. Swing pipe simplifies placement around curves and helps position heads exactly where needed.
Valves and controller
Each zone is controlled by an underground valve located at the start of the zone line inside a valve box. Valves are wired to the controller, which runs the schedule. Buy a controller with at least as many zones as you plan. A smart Wi‑Fi controller can simplify adjustments and use weather-based scheduling.
Wire, pipes, and other supplies
Use multi-conductor underground wire so each zone has a distinct color. Carry a common wire to each valve plus one colored conductor per zone. Include a backflow preventer if required by your water authority; this device prevents system water from returning to the main. Plan main line sizing (we used 1″ for the main, then reduced to 3/4″ for zone lines) and buy sufficient connectors, primer, and cement.
Step 5: Dig Trenches
Trenching can be the most labor-intensive part. Call 811 first, then choose how to dig: hand tools for small jobs or a rented trencher for larger yards. We rented a trencher for a day, which saved time but still required multiple people to load and maneuver. In tight areas near sidewalks or utilities, hand-digging is safer.
Take care under concrete — we had to ram pipe beneath a sidewalk and hand-dig near a gas line.
Step 6: Lay Your Irrigation Pipes
Lay PVC in the trenches and assemble fittings with PVC primer and cement. Prime both surfaces, apply cement, insert the pieces with a slight twist, and hold for a short time. Use a ratcheting PVC cutter for neat cuts. Work methodically—many connections are required and it can be physically tiring.
Step 7: Install Your Valves
Install valves where each zone branches off the main line, using threaded couplings if needed. Secure valves inside valve boxes and orient them according to flow arrows. Plumbing connections come first; wiring follows after all plumbing is in place.
Step 8: Install a Backflow Preventer
Backflow preventers are commonly required and connect your irrigation to the public water supply. These above-ground devices must meet local codes. Plan for a shut-off valve before the backflow, couplings to remove the device for winter, and locate blowout connections after the backflow. We had issues joining to the county copper line and ultimately hired a plumber to correct hidden damage; check local rules and consider professional help if needed.
Step 9: Add Sprinkler Heads
Install threaded tee connectors in the zone line for each head, attach swing pipe with elbows, and mount heads on the other end of the swing pipe. Pre-assemble as much as possible to save time—screwing elbows and nozzles can be done in bulk. Place heads just below grade so they don’t interfere with mowing and adjust spray arcs once the system is pressurized.
Step 10: Wire Everything Together
Mount the controller near power, connect the common wire and the zone wires in a consistent order, and run the underground cable through trenches to each valve. Use waterproof wire connectors at valve boxes. Leave extra length at both the controller and valves so you have room for adjustments or future zones.
Step 11: Programming and Finishing Touches
Test each zone, check for leaks, adjust spray patterns, program the controller, and then backfill trenches and holes. Reseed or sod any disturbed lawn areas. After testing and fine-tuning, the system will keep your landscape watered efficiently.
For us the DIY route cost about $1,800 including tool and truck rental—about half the professional estimate. It saved money but required a lot of effort. For small yards or simple systems, DIY is practical. For large, complex yards consider hiring a pro if budget allows.
If you decide to DIY, plan thoroughly, verify local codes for meters and backflow preventers, call 811 before digging, and pace the work to avoid injury. The result is a reliable system that saves water and time and keeps your landscape healthy.
More Outdoor & Landscaping Projects
Other helpful projects include installing drip irrigation for beds, building a vine trellis, adding landscape lighting, pressure washing, and deck restoration. These projects complement irrigation and help maintain an attractive, healthy yard.
*This article originally referenced products and external resources. Check local codes and manufacturers’ instructions for specifics and safety guidance when installing irrigation systems.