upgrading (?) irrigation system quotes

21 years ago

Hi folks - hope someone here might be able to "advise" me ... or at least, offer your opinion.

I've been tinkering with my system for a few years - and it all just died last summer. I've got a few bucks stashed away and KNOW I need to get the system up-n-running again, before the summer heat kicks into high gear. The problems that I had in the past were mainly associated with my pump side of the system. That being (a) the pump is one of those pressure driven types and was constantly loosing pressure, priming, etc based on the ever changing water table/levels and (b) the timer is a silly little basic model. By the end of the summer, I was having to turn off the circuit breaker to control the pump - it would run constantly unless I switched the breaker off. Finally, when I switched the breaker back on - NO PUMP - it wouldn't make a sound or pump any water. Now, a season later, I turned the breaker back on and I can hear a hummmmmm from the pump (and a little click about every three minutes). Still, no water, no real pump activity.

After calling several companies to request an estimate for repain, I found ONE that was interested in the job. A tech came out and said that my pump type is not really suitable for irrigation (and should mostly be used for something like a holding tank) and that it seems to be burned up. He suggested a new pump, timer and pump start relay be installed. He went on to say that he couldn't be sure the well isn't "dry" since the pump won't even work. He priced the job at $800.

So, here's my questions (sorry for so many):

Does it sound reasonable that the pump is burned up?

Was it the wrong "type" of pump?

Could the well be dry - and that is what was causing the pump to run constantly (as if trying to prime itself) and require regulation via circuit breaker swithching?

Does the price for a new pump, timer & relay sound reasonable?

Thanks for your help ---- I can't seem to even find another company locally to get a second opinion!!!! And the idea of having a whole new system installed sounds backward.

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Comments (3)

The_Mohave__Kid
21 years ago
Is this a free estimate ???

How deep of a well do you have ??

I won't second guess a technician via computer but I don't see it being necessary to repair your system and then to tell you if the well is dry ?? ... sounds to me like someone that does not want to spend a great deal of time trouble shooting your system ... and for free .. well you can't blame the guy.

Call back some of the more reputable companies and ask what there fee is to look over the system and recomend a renovation plan to get the system working.

Good Day ...
funkill
Original Author
21 years ago
Thanks for your reply. Yes, the "reveiw" was a free one ... but it was the only company that I've been able to get out to my house regardless of charge!!!! It's absolutely amazing - four companies in the area - after repeated calls (we're talking about 4 calls each over the past two weeks) and this is the only one that responded.

So, is there a way to determine if the well is dry? I have no idea of the depth of the well (or even the exact location) as there was no info from the previous owner. This irrigation tech thought it was reasonable that the well is directly under the pump --- which is inches from the footers for my home. Reasonable assumption???

I guess I'll keep pestering the other companies and attempt to get a second opinion. However, I'll gladly accept any further advice/suggestions!
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Kmac
21 years ago
Funkill, cut to the chase and call in a consultaion from a professional well & pump company. Ask up front what the charges will be, and if any of the upfront fee can be credited back if they end up performing some or all of the work.
I problaly have a hunch as to why you are getting a poor response from the local irr guys, and that is because they are slammed with work right now. In this business i view it as all of the bears (landscape clients) come out of their caves and all freak out over their landscapes & irrigation en masse. The kind of work you have for them to deal with is complicated in the general scope of work, and there are easier pickings for them out there. Sorry about this, it is a fact of life.The flow goes into the easy route...If I was called out to your place, I would only do it after you had ruled out well/pump problems and then go from there. When we do work on existing systems, we do all of our work on a Time & Materials basis, informing you along the way as to what your available options are, as fiddling around someone else's system sometimes takes much more time than you can imagine, and if we had to bid it it would give you a heart attack. Many times it is more cost effective abandon the old system + re-design and install a more efficient system. All of this I would advise up front on the phone before even making an appt. so the client is totally informed, and this also serves as a pre-qualifying tool as well, as there is only (1) of me, but lots and lots of potential clients out there, and the ones who are really serious about getting a quality + trouble free job installed are farther and farther between these days, thanks to the 'Home Depot' mentality and the proliferation of unlicensed folks out there masquerading as the real deal...