Avoid construction chaos

With so many moving pieces and parts, communication is key to keeping an irrigation installation project on track.It all starts with the right design and specifications. “The legend shows backflow, devices, irrigation head installation, master valves, control valves, etc. and each of those items are then carried to the details and notes sheet where the installation details are very important and every facet of the installation of the irrigation system is detailed on how it needs to be installed,” says Ken Merboth, president of Water Scape in Lincoln, Neb., and ASIC member. “That’s really important because that’s what makes the project as maintenance-free and as problem-free as possible.”

When it comes to choosing a reliable contractor, Merboth makes sure that the company has three to five years of experience with similar sized projects. He also asks for three references from similar sized jobs as part of the qualification for the bid.

Bob Healey, ASIC member, requires the contractor to submit a half-scale copy of the irrigation drawings they’re using to make sure that the contractor is working off of the correct version of the plans. That way, he can ensure that all of the revisions and addendums are included. “Sometimes by the time a project actually gets underway there may be seven or eight different versions of the design out there,” he says.

He does the same with the specifications, as they can change also. “There’s a lot of leg work to be done before you even start and the more of that you can set in stone, the fewer problems you’re going to have down the line,” he says.

That’s why Healey, of Irrigation Management & Service in Natick, Mass., makes sure that there’s one foreman in charge, and that no work happens without that person on site. “That’s part of the specs,” says the American Society of Irrigation Consultants member. “Basically that tells them there’s not going to be a foreman du jour. When you go to job sites, sometimes every time you show up there’s a different person there and you’ve got to retrain a new person all the time so with the same person working on the job all the time, that has a lot to do with it.”

To keep things moving, Healey keeps good communication with the irrigation contractor and the foreman. “When you have a big project, sometimes the irrigation person is working behind the general. As a section of the project gets ready, he’s right in there and oftentimes they get frustrated because they’re ready to keep going but the site isn’t ready,” he says, noting that he’ll tell the general contractor why it’s in his best interest to stay ahead of the irrigation work. “That can be a struggle at first but I think once everybody gets on the same page, they understand that."