Bespoke System Design and Installation
Sustainable solutions
The team at Irrigationtime can bring their wealth of experience gained from 25 years in the horticulture industry to provide your green space with the exact watering requirements it needs.
From assessing the available supply pressure and flow, we will zone your landscape into the optimal distribution network to provide water in the most efficient and effective manner, incorporating the necessary back-flow prevention techniques to ensure your drinking water remains protected.
The boring bit…
Most people don’t realise that installing an irrigation system, no matter how small, is notifiable to your local water authority - this is something we can take care of for you.
The regulations surrounding the protection of the UK’s valuable drinking water supply extend to garden and landscape irrigation systems, and our team are trained and qualified to ensure that all of our new installations are compliant. This is due to the requirement of backflow prevention in the system, to reduce the risk of dirty water in the irrigation system contaminating our drinking water.
Irrigation methods
Most types of irrigation method fit into the following categories:
Micro Irrigation
Micro irrigation is found on the majority of the systems we install and maintain, due to its wide range of emitter types and adjustability.
Different types include tiny hidden plant pot drip systems, to long range border sprinklers - don’t let the ‘micro’ name fool you!
If any sprinklers are closer than 150mm to the ground, then a special non-return valve is required to prevent backflow.
Dripline
For large beds and hedges, dripline can provide a more water efficient solution to irrigate your garden, and is even exempt from hose pipe bans.
This special perforated pipe is laid at ground level and is an effective method to provide water directly to the roots of the plants, operating well at low pressure and flow rates. Like the low level micro irrigation, dripline also requires additional backflow protection.
Pop-up Sprinklers
If you are looking to water large lawns, then pop-up sprinklers are a must.
There are many types of sprinkler options out there, from long range rotors to water efficient rotating sprays.
Due to the higher risk of contamination to the mains water supply, a pump and tank is required when installing pop-up sprinklers, however this is usually required anyway due to the higher flow rates required.
What are your options?
Small gardens - supplied directly from your garden tap
Supplying the water for your irrigation system directly from your garden tap is a straightforward and less expensive solution, well suited to smaller gardens where lawn watering is not required. Watering options include border sprinklers and sprayers, planter and pot drippers, and ground level dripline, however the water pressure and flow rate at the source must be sufficient. The installation of a simple tap timer system for a small patio or garden would start at around £500, and could be installed within a day.
Large gardens and lawns - supplied via a storage tank and pump
If the pressure and flow rate from the mains is not adequate, or if you are looking to water lawns using pop-up sprinklers, then a water storage tank and irrigation pump would be required. This also has the benefit of a guaranteed pressure and flow to the system. Typically, all commercial irrigation installations require a storage tank due to the Water Regulations. A simple irrigation system incorporating a tank and pump would start at around £4000.
Interested?
If you are interested in installing an irrigation system in your garden, the process below outlines how we work:
Provide us with a brief description of your garden and what you would like irrigating - any photos are a great help!
SITE VISIT
We will schedule a visit with one of our team to view your property, take pressure and flow measurements, and answer any initial questions you may have. We will also bring along some example parts to show you.
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QUOTE
We will then prepare a quotation for the installation for your consideration.
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NOTIFICATION
If you wish to proceed, we then notify the local water authority of the installation, who will either approve, approve with conditions (such as installing a water meter), or reject the proposal. If ten working days pass after the notification, approval is deemed granted (although this is typically much quicker!)
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INSTALLATION
Once approval is granted and parts are ordered, we are ready to install your system.
Once the installation is complete, we take you through how to maintain the system and program the controller.
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SEASONAL MAINTENANCE
We recommend taking out our Seasonal Maintenance Service, where we take care of the system for you. Find out more below!
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Smart watering
The water supplied to the garden could be fed directly from the mains, or for a more sustainable solution, harvested from rain water, or even lakes and rivers on your property.
For those looking to create the most environmentally friendly system, Irrigationtime recommends the use of the latest controllers and sensors. Predictive watering adjusts schedules based on temperature forecast, rainfall probability, wind and humidity to provide maximum water savings while keeping your landscape beautiful and healthy.
Using web-based controller software, you can monitor your system from anywhere in the world. Through the addition of a simple-to-install flow meter, you can even set up automatic notifications to alert you of broken pipes or sprinklers.
At the end of every installation we offer you training to enable simple maintenance schedules to be undertaken when required.
Irrigation Repair
Not only do we design and install new systems, we are experienced in fault finding, diagnosis and repair of existing systems. Have any issues with your system?
Please note - our rates may vary depending on your location.
Irrigation System Service & Maintenance
Peace of mind
The key to ensuring your system remains efficient and fault free year after year is preventative maintenance. Much in the same way as you service your car, there are some key measures that must be completed each season to prevent damage to your system.
With our growing list of clients we offer a tailor-made maintenance service for your irrigation system. Irrigationtime offer comprehensive service packages, where we will visit in spring to set the system up for the season, and again in autumn to decommission it ready for the winter.
JIB-PMES Registered Irrigation System Installer
BPEC Certificate in The Water Supply Regulations 1999
25 years of experience in the horticultural industry
£2m public liability insurance