Putting in new landscaping? What to settle about irrigation first
Settle irrigation, drainage and wire routes before beds, sod and hardscape go in. It is far cheaper than cutting through finished work.
Short answer: decide where the water, drainage and wire will run before the new beds, sod, patio or walkway go in. Pipe is easy to place in bare ground and expensive to add under finished work. A full irrigation system on our price list starts at $3,500, and the plan changes with what you are building.
Why order matters
Landscaping is built in layers. Grade and drainage come first, then hardscape, then plantings, then sod. Irrigation lines sit under all of it. If the sprinkler plan comes last, the crew has to dig through new plantings, cut paving or run lines around obstacles, and heads end up where they fit instead of where they are needed.
What to settle before the first plant goes in
- The water source and backflow. Where does the system connect, and where does the backflow preventer sit so it is accessible and protected?
- Zones by plant type. Lawn, shrub beds, perennials and trees need different amounts of water. A good plan separates them.
- Sleeves under hardscape. A pipe or conduit under a future patio or driveway means you never have to cut the pavement to cross it.
- Drainage. Where does the new landscape send water? Decide on grading, basins and drains now.
- Wire for lights and audio. Speaker wire shares the ground with irrigation and lighting runs, so one dig serves all of it.
- Mature size. Plan head spacing for the grown plants, not the small ones in the pot.
- The controller location, and whether you want a standard or smart controller.
Plant choices that change the plan
| Planting | Irrigation consideration |
|---|---|
| New sod | Frequent, short watering at first, then taper |
| New seed | Same, but more delicate |
| Shrub and perennial beds | Drip often beats spray |
| New trees | Slow, deep watering near the root ball |
| Established lawn | Standard spray zones |
| Vegetable garden | Often exempt from watering hours; its own zone |
Georgia EPD allows outdoor landscape watering on a permitted public water system only between 4 p.m. and 10 a.m. Exemptions include new plants, seed and sod for 30 days after planting, drip and soaker-hose irrigation, personal food gardens and hand watering with a shutoff nozzle. A plan that uses drip for beds works with those rules rather than around them.
Drainage before planting
Georgia clay drains slowly, so a new bed that holds water can drown plants in a season. Fixing a grade problem after the planting is in is messy. We map where water already goes before we dig, and we come back to keep the basins clear. French drains start at $65 per linear foot on our price list.
Who does what
If a landscape designer or contractor is doing the planting, tell them early that you want irrigation, and let our crew meet them on site. Our crew is our own, never subcontracted, so you deal with the people doing the work. We tell you before doing anything we could not see, which matters when the ground has just been moved.
Temporary watering for new plants
Even if the permanent system is not in yet, new plants need water from day one. Plan how they will be watered in the first weeks. Hand watering with an auto-shutoff nozzle is allowed under the state rules, and the plan can include a temporary measure until the system is in.
What to bring to the first conversation
- A sketch or survey of the property
- The landscape design, if there is one
- The location of the water meter and the house shutoff
- A list of what you want to water
- Any future plans: a pool, a patio, a fence, lights, speakers
When to call us
Call before the first bed is cut. A short walk now saves a lot of rework. See our irrigation page, pricing and work page, or request a quote.
FAQ
Should irrigation go in before or after landscaping? Before the plantings and hardscape, so lines are not forced around finished work.
What is a sleeve? A pipe laid under a future paved area so lines and wire can cross it later without cutting the surface.
Can new plants be watered by hand? Yes. Hand watering with an auto-shutoff nozzle is exempt from the Georgia watering hours.
What does a new system cost? A full irrigation system starts at $3,500 on our price list. The final price follows a walk of your property.
Prices from our price list. Updated October 2026. Watering hours and exemptions from Georgia EPD (epd.georgia.gov) and UGA Extension Circular C995.