I just moved into a house where the front yard has clearly been neglected since the home was built in 2017. It's not a big yard. I'd like to install a simple sprinkler system and sod the lawn. I could try to google all of this, but I figured that you guys might know the answers off the top of your head. If it is easy enough to figure out and get parts, I could do the labor myself.

Specifics of the lawn (including crude drawing if it works):
The yard is about 2,000 sq ft.
It needs some fill dirt in some areas.
It's basically all weeds.
It gets full sun virtually all day.

This likely won't show as a photo, but if you click the link, you'll see my somewhat to-scale drawing.
https://photos.app.goo.gl/toCXoxAu5w9qjQPD6

Questions:
What kind of sprinkler heads should I use, and what should the placement be?
Do I need some kind of back flow device?
How many zones would this be?

If no one wants to volunteer this info, I'll just get a few reputable companies out for estimates. I just thought this wouldn't be a bad first place to ask. Thanks in advance.

Quote:

---

What kind of sprinkler heads should I use, and what should the placement be?
Need a layout of the sod area to give you an answer. Make sure they are on swing joints & have head to head coverage no matter what type head.
Do I need some kind of back flow device?
Yes, type will depend upon local ordinances, unless you have a septic system. Then you'll need an RPZ no matter what.
How many zones would this be?
No way to answer this without knowing water meter size & water pressure. Also need to know what type of backflow device is required (RPZ device causes more pressure drop than other types & must be factored into design)

---

Get some estimates from at least 3 reputable local companies. Ask for specifics on the materials to be used, warranty & an example of the as-builts they provide after the installation is done.

If you are in city limits, hire that out.
If you've never operated, maintained, and repaired a sprinkler system at a former residence, hire that out.
If you weren't planning to replace your sidewalks, hire that out.
If you are planning to do this in the summer, hire that out.

If you're comfortable with plumbing and electrical projects, and have a plentiful young backs available to do the work, consider DIY. Heck, I'd answer 'no' to all the questions above and I'd still probably hire that out. Sprinkler crew with a trenching machine is so dang fast that you have to have a ton more time than money for this to be worth the effort. You can satisfy your DIY itch when you have to maintain the system.

Any recs on who to call in the Rockwall up to Lavon area?

Affordable Irrigation out of Forney
https://www.buildzoom.com/contractor/affordable-irrigation-forney-tx

Run by the wife of one of the guys in our landscape company. Works all over DFW but especially the east side of the metroplex. This is probably going to be three zones. Full day if you have them sod it. She is a licensed irrigator and backflow tester so she will be able to handle everything turnkey; design, permit, installation, and city final.

I think the other missing piece of info is "Water Source Location' At some point they will tie into you supply line and that's where your back flow devise will go. My 1st house, I was able to use 2 In-Line Check valves, which were underground (My preference to the vacuum breaker type).

You might think about your back yard as well. Mostly because designs will have a PRESSURE line that runs around the house. This seems to be the preference to trying to tunnel under the driveway. Some may tunnel (actually screw a jet nozzle on some PVC and jet/shove it under the sidewalk.

So, IMO the water line is there for the backyard as well.

Your pressure line will usually also be the buried with a multi-conductor wire. This wire carries the signals to the SOV's (solenoid operated valves) Coming off of this pressure line are the SOV's for the zones which are wired back to the controller. You are better off getting a licensed irrigator to do your work, they understand the code requirements and have very efficient crews.

Now the yard. That's a different deal. Let's say that the yard only looked "Contractor Good" when they initially sold the house. That's just a bunch of water on top of the ground. What you don't see is all the dropped grout and other trash up next to the house. You can see that because you will struggle to grow grass in those areas, as they is no place for the grass to have deep roots. Other places in the yard, you might dig and find wood or huge sheets of plastic. Pretty much you can find out where the mortar mixer was for the brick work. I know in my yard I found that and my current house was built nearly 20 years ago. It was about 6" deep.

Honestly I'd start on the yard, find those real bad spots and investigate what's below, get your yard leveled and get your grass growing. Then in the meantime, you can look for reputable sprinkler installers and figure out how much you want to do and when.