We are planning on putting a paver patio in a portion of our small front lawn. However, we have an existing sprinkler system underneath the lawn. What is the best way to deal with it:

OPTION 1: - should we completely cut off the sprinkler system underneath the patio & let it remain on the rest of the lawn so that there are no issues of breakage or leakage later on; or

OPTION 2: - should we just cap off the sprinkler heads under the patio. Our concern with this is that at a later point if there is any breakage in the sprinkler pipe under the patio, we may have to dig up & break the patio to detect the leak.

Anyone has any experience/ advice on putting paver patios over sprinkler systems?

P.s.: The hardscaping companies that have given us quotes are asking us to deal with & pay the irrigation specialists separately.

Also, any idea on costs if we go with option 1?

Thank you!

Option 3: Reroute the pipe around your new patio. I did this myself when installing a concrete patio I contracted out. They were going to relocate the pipe, but it was overly expensive and I figured it would be pretty easy to do myself. Trenching by hand was the hardest part. Only expense was the pipe and fittings. Didn't cost much at all, but it may have been worth the expense to rent a trenching machine.

Addy KB said:

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We are planning on putting a paver patio in a portion of our small front lawn. However, we have an existing sprinkler system underneath the lawn. What is the best way to deal with it:

OPTION 1: - should we completely cut off the sprinkler system underneath the patio & let it remain on the rest of the lawn so that there are no issues of breakage or leakage later on; or

OPTION 2: - should we just cap off the sprinkler heads under the patio. Our concern with this is that at a later point if there is any breakage in the sprinkler pipe under the patio, we may have to dig up & break the patio to detect the leak.

Anyone has any experience/ advice on putting paver patios over sprinkler systems?

P.s.: The hardscaping companies that have given us quotes are asking us to deal with & pay the irrigation specialists separately.

Also, any idea on costs if we go with option 1?

Thank you!

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Do NOT choose option 2. Eventually, something will break and you'll be doing option 1 anyway.

Depending on your yards layout, you may need to relocate the affected sprinklers instead of eliminating them. Also, depending on what is down line from these sprinklers, you may still need this pipe/s. If you don't need to relocate or keep the pipe, then the job would be stupidly easy and I'd recommend doing it yourself if at all possible. It would amount to coughing a gnome, cutting the pipe, and doing s call on.

Even if you have to relocate, it's pretty simple with the worst part being the digging.

I just had a paver patio put in; actually they wrapped up today. I had my sprinkler guy come out as the layout goes right over the line between two valves. He said since they weren't digging down (outside of grass removal), or pouring a concrete slab it should be fine. He did point out the obvious risk should there be an issue with the main line underneath the patio, but suggested that was unlikely. There was is certainly some risk I've accepted with this approach, but I am ok with the the choice.

All in all, I ended up removing 3 spray heads, and relocated a rotary sprayer out of the patio space. My patio contractor was fine capping the 3 heads but suggested a sprinkler person deal with moving the rotary. I ended up having my sprinkler guy handle all of it in order to avoid voiding my warranty.

chickencoupe16 said:

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Addy KB said:

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We are planning on putting a paver patio in a portion of our small front lawn. However, we have an existing sprinkler system underneath the lawn. What is the best way to deal with it:

OPTION 1: - should we completely cut off the sprinkler system underneath the patio & let it remain on the rest of the lawn so that there are no issues of breakage or leakage later on; or

OPTION 2: - should we just cap off the sprinkler heads under the patio. Our concern with this is that at a later point if there is any breakage in the sprinkler pipe under the patio, we may have to dig up & break the patio to detect the leak.

Anyone has any experience/ advice on putting paver patios over sprinkler systems?

P.s.: The hardscaping companies that have given us quotes are asking us to deal with & pay the irrigation specialists separately.

Also, any idea on costs if we go with option 1?

Thank you!

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Do NOT choose option 2. Eventually, something will break and you'll be doing option 1 anyway.

Depending on your yards layout, you may need to relocate the affected sprinklers instead of eliminating them. Also, depending on what is down line from these sprinklers, you may still need this pipe/s. If you don't need to relocate or keep the pipe, then the job would be stupidly easy and I'd recommend doing it yourself if at all possible. It would amount to coughing a gnome, cutting the pipe, and doing s call on.

Even if you have to relocate, it's pretty simple with the worst part being the digging.

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Last year I had a concrete patio poured on top of 2 sprinklers. The company was supposed to relocate the sprinklers. They did that but the also left the pipe for those sprinklers in place. In addition, another zone's line ran through there and was left. I assumed they would get out all pipe so that none ran under the patio. I assumed wrong and you get you pay for.

Fast forward a few months and I've got a spring coming from under my patio. I shut those zines down for the rest of the season and rerouted everything this spring. Took me 1.5 days using a shovel and with laying new over the trench included.

You may be safe with pavers because they'll likely be less heavy but I wouldn't chance it.

Thank you so much for all your responses! It has been very helpful & has clarified most of my doubts. We are also leaning towards rerouting the lines since we want to avoid a future leak under the patio.

In terms of the process, should we call the irrigation guy first & have this sorted or have both the hardscapers & irrigation person together so they can coordinate, dig & reroute as necessary?

Also, pardon the ignorance on this subject, but when some of you say we may still need to keep pipes under depending on what's down in these pipes what would that be for?

Addy KB said:

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Thank you so much for all your responses! It has been very helpful & has clarified most of my doubts. We are also leaning towards rerouting the lines since we want to avoid a future leak under the patio.

In terms of the process, should we call the irrigation guy first & have this sorted or have both the hardscapers & irrigation person together so they can coordinate, dig & reroute as necessary?

Also, pardon the ignorance on this subject, but when some of you say we may still need to keep pipes under depending on what's down in these pipes what would that be for?

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For example, 1 line runs 4 sprinklers. 1 before the patio, 2 under new patio and 1 is past the patio. Your patio may take up all the area that the 2 service, but not the 4th. If the 4th didn't exist, you could just cut and cap the line after the 1st and before it ran under the patio. In order to keep the 4th, you'll need to reroute pipe from the 1st to the 4th.

Good thread. We may be facing the same scenario soon.

chickencoupe16 said:

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Addy KB said:

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Thank you so much for all your responses! It has been very helpful & has clarified most of my doubts. We are also leaning towards rerouting the lines since we want to avoid a future leak under the patio.

In terms of the process, should we call the irrigation guy first & have this sorted or have both the hardscapers & irrigation person together so they can coordinate, dig & reroute as necessary?

Also, pardon the ignorance on this subject, but when some of you say we may still need to keep pipes under depending on what's down in these pipes what would that be for?

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For example, 1 line runs 4 sprinklers. 1 before the patio, 2 under new patio and 1 is past the patio. Your patio may take up all the area that the 2 service, but not the 4th. If the 4th didn't exist, you could just cut and cap the line after the 1st and before it ran under the patio. In order to keep the 4th, you'll need to reroute pipe from the 1st to the 4th.

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Got it. Thanks so much!

double aught said:

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Good thread. We may be facing the same scenario soon.

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Do let me know if you get/have any advice on this too! Thank you.

Lots of good advice from personal experience here, but it's all from the home owner's perspective. As an irrigator, I would prefer you call out an irrigator after you know where the patio will be and they will walk you through all available options at your site. Every job is different because every yard, sprinkler system, and construction projects are different. The guys that do this every day will be able to steer you in the right direction and will do the job properly. Unless you're super comfortable with projects like this, you'll be happy you consulted with an irrigator and/ or had them do your re-route when it's all said and done.