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Compare Drip Irrigation System Costs

$425, Installed

The average cost of a drip irrigation system is around $115-$170 for 100 feet of watering, when you purchase and install the system yourself. Expect to pay about $425 for the same no-frills 100-foot drip system professionally installed.
Average DIY (100′)
$125 
Average Pro (100′)
$425
Typical Range
$285 – $550
Low End
$70 (DIY)
High End
$900 (Pro)
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Updated: November 17, 2023

How Much does it Cost to Install a Drip Irrigation System in a Flowerbed or Garden?

Low
$70 – $270
Average Cost Estimate
$275 – $425
High
$430 – $900+
Retail Cost of System $50 – $125 $90 – $185 $150 – $315
Installed By DIY or Pro DIY or Pro Pro
System Quality 2-3 Stars 3-4 Stars 4-5 Stars
Extra Components 0-4 5-8 9+
Installation Easy Easy to Moderate Moderate to Difficult
In-ground No Yes or No Yes or No
Cost of Living (Pro Install) Low – Average Average Average – High
Time of Year (Pro Install) Off-season Off-season or Peak Off-season or Peak

Sections: Overview | Product Costs | Installation Cost | DIY or Pro

drip irrigation systems

 

Overview of Drip Irrigation

The cost of metered water and the wastefulness of traditional irrigation systems / sprinkler systems make drip irrigation an attractive alternative. These low-pressure, low-volume systems reduce water use by 50% to 90% with slow, targeted irrigation directly onto plants.

Drip irrigation kits are available, and most can be expanded or modified with the right accessories for your landscape. Accessories include misters to water plant leaves, bubblers to saturate roots and drippers for general watering of gardens and lawns. You can also purchase components for a custom design.

Landscape companies work with kits, but most design custom drip irrigation systems for each project and the needs of the type of plants you’re watering, as well as the amount of water each plant needs.

This Costimate will help you estimate the cost of drip irrigation for your landscape. It includes cost factors, itemized supplies cost and costs from other sites for comparison. You’re invited to return to share your costs to help other homeowners estimate the price of a drip irrigation system.

Product Cost Details

Drip Irrigation System Price Factors

How much does a drip irrigation system cost? It depends on these factors related to the system, installation and, of course, the cost of metered water.

  • DIY vs Pro – This is the largest cost factor since roughly 2/3 to 3/4 of the cost of a professionally installed system is labor. That’s a lot of savings, but since proper installation is crucial, hiring a pro is worth considering. They will have experience knowing where to place the watering ports and what type is best for each type of plant being irrigated.
  • System Size – The cost of a drip system can be given in cost per linear foot. DIY systems start below 50 cents per foot. Pro systems range from about $1.75 to more than $6.00 per foot, with an average of $4.25 for the equipment and installation.
  • Quality of the System – Quality varies from cheap to good in DIY kits. Professional systems range from midgrade to premium. Cost goes up with quality.
  • System Components – Cost rises when additional emitters are required for large plants or a large number of plants.
  • Inground vs Above Ground – All watering points (emitters) are above ground. But if the tubing to emitters is buried, cost can be 60% higher for a pro system. Soil conditions – soft topsoil vs hard clay, for example, affect trenching costs. If the trench goes beneath a concrete sidewalk or a paver patio, for example, that raises cost. Also keep in mind any underground utilities like gas line from the street to the house, electric, sprinkler system wires, a septic system, etc. The last thing you want is to create more work for yourself by damaging an existing system. Consider calling 811, formerly Miss Dig, to have utilities marked for free – in most cases.
  • Other Landscape Projects – If you get multiple estimates for additional projects like sod installation or reseeding an existing lawn or seasonal lawn mowing cost, then your total cost might be lower.
  • How Often You Water – If your weather is extremely dry, you’ll need to water more, and your water bill will rise accordingly.
  • What You Water – If you have metered water, your water bill will depend on what you’re watering. Trees and Shrubs need more water than small plants. Vegetables need about 1 to 1.5 inches of water per week.
  • Cost of Living – Cost for professional installation varies by 40% or more from high-cost metropolitan areas to lower-cost small towns and rural areas.
  • Time of Year – You might get lower estimates for work done when landscapers are less busy. Costs will be highest during peak spring and summer planting and landscaping seasons.

Retail Cost Range (Equipment Only)

Here are costs for kits and additional components often included in a drip irrigation system.

  • $28 – $100+ | Drip Irrigation Kits for 50-150 feet. You get what you pay for in size, quality and components. The cheapest kits do not include a timer or regulator. A respected midgrade brand like Rain Bird has 50-foot kits for $50 – $80. They include a filter/regulator, timer, Y-valve, wire and plastic stakes, feeder lines and more. Premium kits with 100-150 feet of tubing cost more than $100. Kits with up to 500 feet of main tubing and 200 feet of feeder tubing can exceed $300.
  • $20 – $100 | Timers. Quality varies. Expect to pay $30-$50 for a midrange timer.
  • $22 – $35 | 50 feet of mainline tubing. It’s available in various sizes, but ¼” and ½” are most common.
  • $14 – $26 | Pressure regulator – midrange quality. Those on the upper end of the range have pressure gauges.
  • $5 – $15 each | Assorted accessories such as a pack of barbed connectors, pack of stakes, tubing cutter, tubing punch to create a watering spot, adapters for connecting tubing of different sizes, a pack of 10-20 emitters and a tubing end cap.
  • $15 – $32 | Utility box. Kits include a minimum of 40 small parts. Large systems have hundreds of small parts. A utility/tackle box is very handy for storing extra parts and the system over winter.

Permits, Inspection, and Installation Costs

  • $0 | No permit is required for DIY or pro installation of a drip irrigation system.

Installation Labor Cost

Rates for irrigation system installers varies by cost of living in your area, competition, time of year and the size of the company – larger companies often have higher rates to cover increased overhead.

  • $35 – $70 per hour | Drip irrigation installation labor

Installation Time

When installing a 100-foot system, cost is determined by whether the main line is buried, soil conditions and the number and type of emitters used.

  • 4-6 Hours | Site preparation, installation of a 100-foot drip irrigation system, connect the system to water source, turn on the system, check and adjust the emitters.

DIY or Hire a Pro

Most kits include clearly written directions that are easy to follow. Many brands also offer video tutorials like this Rain Bird installation guide on their sites. They are worth watching a time or two because improper installation will result in clogged emitters and over-watering or under-watering of some areas.

The videos show how to install a basic kit for spot watering or general landscape watering and how to choose the right spot watering equipment.

Installation of an above-ground drip irrigation kit is DIY task that does not require experience – just a few hours and the ability to follow directions.

We recently installed a 170-foot system to serve 40-50 plants in about 6 hours with little difficulty. But an hour of planning the week before proved helpful. It allowed us to design the system and get a handful of additional parts.

Planning will help ensure that you have the kit or custom components and the tools for the system you intend to install.

Get Local Quotes for Lawn Sprinkler System Costs

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