Any tips on how to start learning about this? Particularly the irrigation.

I have some heads that need to be removed or maybe repurposed bc I will put a bbq area and garden beds over the top of them. I'd like to turn them into drip lines.

House is brand new and, while I'd like to do as much (or all) of this as possible on my own, I'm afraid to mess up anything that the builder might then say voided my warranty.

If there's someone in austin willing to let me
Tag along and observe or even work on a crew a little I'd love it!

Do that route regularly and have learned a lot.

But am looking to learn directly from more of a mentor and less of a random guy who makes videos.

Just commenting so I can show encouragement. There are so many talents/skills I would love to tag along and work at no cost to a company so I can learn that skill set. Welding, patio building, shed building, landscape, door/window installation to name a few.

Hope you find someone you are able to learn from!!

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I have some heads that need to be removed or maybe repurposed bc I will put a bbq area and garden beds over the top of them. I'd like to turn them into drip lines.

House is brand new and, while I'd like to do as much (or all) of this as possible on my own, I'm afraid to mess up anything that the builder might then say voided my warranty.

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First off, any modifications to the sprinkler system will void the warranty no matter if it done correctly or not. This was my policy & the policy of every company I knew. You could very easily get debris in the line that clogs other valves that now becomes my problem even if you did everything else perfectly.

My advice would be to watch some youtube videos & head over to Ewing or Site One and buy some parts to practice with.

If you have specific questions, there are multiple licensed irrigators on this site in addition to me who can guide you. For example: you want to remove heads to create a drip area.... you're going to need the drip on its own separate valve. This valve will need to have a filter & pressure reducer as well. The heads that you are capping will raise the pressure on the other heads on the original zone, which could cause misting & make the heads not spray correctly. The nozzles most likely will need to be changed out.

In addition, drip lines must be on its own zone because it applies water at a slower rate than spray heads & the run times therefore must be longer. Because of these factors, it's not just as simple as turning existing heads into drip lines. You'll need another zone on the controller... which may mean another module or a completely new controller

Irrigation (especially in Austin where there is rock) is really freaking tough work digging the ditches properly. On my personal house I only touch stuff that doesn't involve digging... any new lines I call in the cavalry.

Thanks for the thoughtful post! All of these are things I had wondered about.

Would you suggest capping the heads instead of drip conversion, and then using alternate means to water the garden?

https://irrigation.tamu.edu/