“Quality is not an act, it is a habit.”
This quote from Aristotle is important to keep in mind as you begin your search for the best lawn sprinkler company in Burlington County.
As you work your way through your options, you’ll no doubt come across companies that act as if they deliver high-quality service. You’ll also find some that get it right once in a while.
And then there are the companies that have made a habit out of delivering the highest level of quality–day in, day out.
Those are the lawn sprinkler companies you want to choose.
Your challenge, of course, is figuring out how to distinguish between the companies that act like they deliver quality from those that have made it a habit.
Here’s a step-by-step guide to help get you started.
Step One: Start ruling out companies right away
It may sound counter-intuitive, but the first step in finding the right lawn sprinkler company for you is to ignore more than half of your options–don’t visit their websites, don’t call and ask them to send you a brochure, don’t even think about them.
Give them the cold shoulder.
“Them,” of course, are the companies that do lawn sprinkler installation .. as well as landscaping, lawn mowing and lawn aeration (and a host of other landscape-design services). These companies might be pretty good at a lot of things, but they’re probably not making a habit out of being great at installing lawn irrigation systems.
Don’t get the wrong idea, landscape designers can add value to your lawn. They can help you pick and plant the right plants and trees. They can install walkways and waterfalls. And they can certainly enhance the value of your home by improving your lawn’s overall aesthetics.
What they can’t do is say they specialize in irrigation systems, and you want to work with a lawn sprinkler company that only does lawn irrigation systems.
Working with a lawn sprinkler specialist is akin to working with a cardiologist when you have a heart problem. Sure, you could go see your general practitioner for a checkup. You might even let them make a diagnosis. But you probably wouldn’t want them performing open-heart surgery, right?
The same can be said for your lawn sprinkler system installation. You can go to a landscape designer. You might even let them draw up some plans. But you don’t necessarily want them cutting you lawn open and cobbling together a sprinkler system.
So rule them out immediately. Not only will you have a much shorter list of lawn sprinkler companies to consider, but the list will include more companies committed to quality.
Step Two: Plan to pay for quality
Sure, you can save some money on the front end of the installation process and go with a cut-rate lawn sprinkler company–the same way you purchase a cut-rate pair of shoes. Your lawn might get covered with water and your feet might be covered in canvas–but neither is going to make you very comfortable.
When it comes to lawn sprinkler systems, you get what you pay for.
Cut-rate lawn sprinkler companies will make their (often slightly) lower prices lead their marketing messages. They will do things that keep you up at night, worrying about your investment. They use poorly made pipes and parts, which are more likely to crack, leak and break. They use control boxes that cost less but break more often. And when things go wrong (and they will), they might not be in a hurry to fix the problems.
Which is why you should plan to play for quality.
A lawn sprinkler company that takes pride in delivering the highest levels of quality won’t shy away from the fact that their systems cost a little bit more–because they last a lot longer.
The pipes and parts are thicker and more flexible, which means they are more durable and less likely to break and crack. The electronic components are more intuitive, easier to use and provide more features. Their warranties are better. And you’ll be a lot less likely to lie in bed every night, uncomfortable because you’re worrying about your system breaking down.
Once you have an idea of which companies offer cut-rate systems, you can cross them off your list, too.
Step Three: Research your top three to five options
After you’ve completed steps one and two, you probably have a list of three, four or five lawn sprinkler companies who have a laser focus on irrigation installation and service and aren’t afraid to charge a fair price for their high-quality services.
Step three involves researching these companies to find the one that’s right for you:
- Visit their websites and compare their lists of services–make sure it is extensive and detailed
- Call and ask to talk to a technician about their process–make sure your comfortable with the process
- Talk to your friends and neighbors about their experiences with each lawn sprinkler company
- Invite technicians from your top two choices to do a site visit, make recommendations and draw up some designs
- Compare prices–you should pay for quality, just not an outrageous amount.
Then, pick the lawn sprinkler company that you’re most comfortable with–one that makes delivering high-quality service and products a habit.
Photo is courtesy of Hunter Industries.