Choosing The Right Irrigation Contractor

Fri, 12 Jul 2024 11:55:00 GMT

How To Choose The Right Irrigation Contractor

So, you’re looking to have a sprinkler or landscape lighting system installed, eh? Maybe you’ve done a little research on sprinkler systems, maybe you’ve had one before, and perhaps you even got 3 or 4 quotes. But how do I know which contractor is the right or best fit for me?
The first thing you should do when you get your bids in hand is, throw out the lowest bid. Unless the lowest bid is within just a couple hundred dollars of all the others, there’s typically a reason they bid so low; lack of experience and just want to get the job, using inferior parts, using inferior installation techniques, not enough sprinkler heads, no or limited warranty. Even if a “Warranty” is offered, will they show up for warranty work?
Irrigation and landscape lighting systems are expensive, and if you’re going to spend a lot of money on something like that, you want to ensure the contractor is competent, will take the time to get it done right instead of rushing through it/cutting corners, and will actually provide you with assistance and service after the sale. Below are a few key things to look for in an irrigation contractor:
Every good irrigation contractor should understand the basics of head-to-head coverage, hydraulics, electrical, and how to choose the right product for the right application. We’ll touch more on the basics of head-to-head coverage, hydraulics, and electrical in future posts.

Every good irrigation contractor should understand the basics of head-to-head coverage, hydraulics, electrical, and how to choose the right product for the right application. We’ll touch more on the basics of head-to-head coverage, hydraulics, and electrical in future posts.

Meet The Owner

Wed, 29 May 2024 01:58:00 GMT

Good Day!

My name is Matthew, and I’m the owner of Driftless Irrigation & Lighting, LLC, located in Mineral Point, WI. I am proud to be a member of this community, SW Wisconsin, and to serve all of our current and future customers.

A Little About Me

In short, I’m a husband to a wonderful wife, father to two gorgeous daughters, a brother, a son, and, above all else, a child of God and brother of Christ!

The long version …

I’m originally from NW Minnesota, where I was born in Fargo, ND, raised in Moorhead, MN until I was 9, and then moved to Detroit Lakes, MN where I graduated high school, continued to reside for a few years following graduation, and where most of my family still reside.

I began landscaping during the summers in high school, and rather enjoyed the work. I had actually been working since I was 10 years old doing festival cleanup for our local festival venue, under the careful supervision of someone my mother had worked with in the past, of course.

Most of my life I had wanted to join the military, and during my senior year of high school, I DID! I enlisted in the Marine Corps., and for three reasons: 1) My father was a Marine back in the 70’s, though he retired in the ND Air National Guard, 2) I wanted to be one of the “Few and the Proud”, 3) I wanted a challenge. So, in September of 2010, I went to MCRD San Diego to begin boot camp. Fast forward a little, I did NOT graduate boot camp because I was unable to complete the run portion at the 1-month mark, which is the highest standard of all entry-level soldiers of all branches. Despite me not being able to continue recruit training after an additional month of PCP (Physical Conditioning Platoon), and my subsequent discharge, I didn’t let that stop me. I worked for a couple years and attended some college until I could find out what I would do now.

I still continued some landscaping, and in my early 20’s, fell into the world of irrigation installation. At first it was just a job, but I quickly fell in love with it … being from lake country in Minnesota, there’s something about water. From then on, I would pursue a career in the irrigation industry, focusing on residential and commercial irrigation design, installation and repair.

From Minnesota to Wisconsin

Okay, so you might be wondering how I wound up in Wisconsin. When I was living and working in Fargo, ND (~45 miles from where I grew up), I started dating a girl who, for most of her life, lived in Mineral Point, WI. We had met online and things really hit off. We were married a year later and moved to Dodgeville, WI.

I started a job at an irrigation company as a service technician in the Madison area, but really craved starting my own irrigation company. I had actually wanted to own my own business since I was a teenager, but never knew how to do it. Through extensive research, prayer, and my new wife’s blessing, I started Driftless Irrigation & Lighting, LLC.

My Irrigation Resume

I have worked for several individuals at multiple companies, and in 4 states, in the irrigation industry, most of which had not less than 20 years’ experience each in the industry at the time of my hire. I have experienced many different ways of installing and maintaining irrigation systems, as well as the design of such systems. Some of the guys I’ve worked with have a less scientific approach to it, while others have a more scientific approach.

I have worked under, and learned a lot from, two registered landscape architects. One of these landscape architects (we’ll call them LA’s for short), specialized in large-scale irrigation design and consulting – he did ZERO building, and only designed and supervised those installations (I worked as a designer for him for a winter) – for golf courses, college campuses, U.S. Government entities, and large corporations. Before working here, I knew only the basic rule-of-thumb that we typically followed – maximum of 5 turf rotors or 10 spray heads per zone (or 12 gpm). During the time working for this LA, I learned the science behind irrigation design including hydraulics (flow rate and pressure loss), electrical requirements (how far we can go with a certain gauge of wire), and how to most efficiently design a sprinkler system. This knowledge has really helped me in this business.

Our Business Now

Now is the end of May, 2024, and we have been in business for almost 5 years. We are still a small company, with 2-3 part-time employees during the summer, but we are looking to grow and expand.

We believe in quality in our work, being honest, and providing our employees with extensive industry training so you can rest assured that an experienced crew will be performing the work.

We thank God each and every day for us always having work, even if it’s barely enough to make ends-meet. Even if you reading this are not a Christian, and do not believe in the promises of God, we respect that as it is your decision, but know that we here will continue to believe that God is working in our lives, and that we must give all glory to Him.

The Future

If you’ve made it this far, thank you! We know there’s a lot here, but it’s only a little snippet of our story. To go into much more detail, we would have to write a novel.

We will continue to, throughout the year, write more posts and posting videos on irrigation, lighting, our business, and new services we will be offering. So, check back often for more information!

Thank you, and God Bless!

Blog

Choosing The Right Irrigation Contractor

How To Choose The Right Irrigation Contractor

Meet The Owner