Irrigation checklists
Before hiring, confirm four things: licensing verified with your state or local authority, proof of liability and workers' compensation insurance, whether the backflow assembly and any required permit are included, and whether the contractor holds a WaterSense labeled certification - EPA maintains a searchable directory of professionals who do. Seasonally, run EPA's inspect, connect, direct, select routine each spring and winterize before the first hard freeze.
Hiring checklist. Get the license number and check it yourself rather than accepting a card. Ask for a certificate of insurance sent directly by the insurer. Ask for a zone map from a recent job - it shows immediately whether they document their work. Ask whether the price includes the backflow assembly, the controller, sensors and any utility or permit fees.
Contract checklist. Zone count and per-zone price, head models, nozzle types, pipe spec and depth, swing joints, wire and splice type, controller model, sensor, backflow assembly type, trenching assumptions, restoration of the lawn afterward, and the warranty on both parts and labor. Trenching assumptions are the biggest change-order risk - get rock, roots and hardscape boring priced in advance.
Seasonal checklist. Spring: pressurize slowly, run every zone, check for freeze damage, do the can test, set the schedule for spring conditions. Summer: adjust monthly, watch for misting and dry spots. Fall: winterize before the first hard freeze. LawnStarter puts winterization at $59 to $144 and spring reactivation at $45 to $140.
Handover checklist. Zone map, controller programming written down, valve box locations, the parts list, warranty documents, and the date of the backflow test if your utility requires one. That file is worth real money at every future service call.
Choosing irrigation checklists
The judgement calls that decide the bill, before anyone quotes you.
- Verify the license yourself Search your state or local licensing authority's public lookup. Match the name on the license to the name on the invoice.
- Get insurance direct from the insurer A certificate emailed by the insurance agency, not a photo of a document, is the only version worth having.
- Check the WaterSense professional directory EPA lists pros certified in irrigation audit, installation and maintenance, or design, searchable by ZIP code.
- Price the trenching assumptions Rock, roots and boring under hardscape are where change orders come from. Settle them before work starts.
- Demand a written handover Zone map, schedule, parts list and valve locations. Without them, every future repair starts with paid rediscovery.
All irrigation checklists
Irrigation Homeowner Checklist
Irrigation Seasonal Checklist
Irrigation Contractor Vetting Checklist
Irrigation Safety Checklist
Where these figures come from
Sources last checked
- EPA WaterSense - Find a Certified Professional · retrieved 2026-07-26
- EPA WaterSense - Sprinkler Spruce-Up · retrieved 2026-07-26
- LawnStarter - Cost to Winterize a Sprinkler System (2026) · retrieved 2026-07-26
You know more than the last homeowner they quoted.
That is worth something only while you are still choosing. Tell us what is going on and we will match you with a few irrigation pros whose licence and insurance we have already checked - free, no obligation.
Free · No pressure · Only your matched pros get your details