I have done both types of estimates.

It should not take 9 days worth of work to complete a residential yard, unless they are part time, or are over booked.

If you are plowing in your pipe, the longer it is to completion, the more scaring takes place. You need to get pipe in the ground, heads on the pipe, and water on the grass in 24 hours to avoid bad brown stripes.

Go with the guy who is giving you a cash discount, and flagged your yard, at least you know exactly what you are getting.

Ask to see his last job or two to see what kind of work he does.

mrpike,

Thanks for the reply. Here is the latest. I have decided to go with the cash discount contractor for a couple of reasons: 1) He has been very prompt in returning my phone calls and 2) He has been patient with my many questions. He unfortunately is just getting started in my area, asheville, nc. He has 10 years plus working with his father in-laws business in Florida. He gave me references for the customers he has had since being here and they were all good. He also stated that he asked a John Deere Landscape representative to come out and verify his irrigation plan for our yard. (He buys his Hunter brand products from them.)

The only down side to the entire deal is he wants to trench, which is fine, because he wants to use pvc. But I would also like for him to use a sod cutter. He feels like cutting the sod and laying it out for a day or two would most likely kill it. I don't think so if I keep it moist. I wonder if by him trenching and leaving the ground exposed and leaving the trenched dirt on the lawn that it will run the risk of killing the adjoining grass?

What do you think from your experience?

He personally feels that using a sod cutter is a waste of time and is encouraging me to go his way.

I will never understand why anyone would want to cut ditches in a yard, when there are pipe plows readily available anywhere.

He is right, it will be easier to regrow grass, than to mess with cutting out the sod. Sod cutters don't work in dry soil very well at all.

When I get done with a yard, all you see are brown seams, where the grass has died from the pipe plow going through it. A good application of fertilizer and a lot of water will heal those seams up in about 2-3 weeks.

With ditches, you will see the scar for years, because the grass will be a different color, and most likely there will be some sort of hump or depression.

The only time it makes sense to trench in my opinion, is pre-grass on a new lot.

I've been installing an irrigation system on a DIY bases.

From experience, I must say that it's MUCH easier to just regrow grass than to cut sod. I always had the problem of trying to get everything level again after trying to "save the sod". Perhaps a professional using professional tools could do better, but it just doesn't seem worth it. And once that sod is ripped up, it dries out very quickly.

As for killing the adjoining grass, don't worry about it. If the dirt is removed from the adjoining grass within three days, you won't know the difference in about a week. Even if the grass were to stay covered for a week, the worst case would be the above grade grass yellows, but the roots will still be alive to recover quickly. I unfortunately had an area where I had dirt on my grass for weeks. But even after that much time, enough of the roots survived that the area is slowly recovering without having to replace the sod.

In any case, if possible, you should water the lawn for a couple of days before the work begins. That will make sure your grass that will get covered will have plenty of moisture to easily survive the ordeal. It will also help make the soil easier to work.

Watering before the work is done is a great idea. You should see the looks on the peoples faces when I ask them to water before I install a sprinkler.....

Thanks for all the info guys. It sounds like I am going to have a ugly yard for a while even though my intentions were the opposite. I have decided not to use a sod cutter unless... the temperature for next week drops into the 70's. Its supposed to cool off from the current mid to upper 80's. If it doesn't it would definitely be a waste of time. I hate the thoughts of my yard looking like a checker board after spending the past 4 years working hard to get it looking good.

Well, now we know how that turned out . I repaired that mess this year. The cash dude lasted a year, and me and my plans are still here 5 years later and I've taken care of all those systems. Sometimes, to do a good job, it could take 9 days...depends on how many heads you are putting in and the weather. If you had inquired at John Deere about me perhaps your system would still be fine .. like your neighbors' . I am still fixing the mess that guy made at your other neighbors house.. and the smart guy who wanted to plow ... not here in WNC, its too rocky. We can't even get parts for that stuff!