OK...take a look at these two quotes...

Vendor 1

Rotors Rainbird 5000 14@ $18.00 = $252.00

Sprayers Rainbird 21@ $6.00 = $126.00

Valves Rainbird 7@ $32.95 = $230.65

Wire 14 Guage 700@ $0.12 = $84.00

Controller Rainbird ESP 8 1@ $160.00 = $160.00

Backflow Watts PVB 1@ $169.00 = $169.00

Main Line PVC Class 2000 80@ $0.33 = $26.40

Laterials PVC Class 2000 850@ $0.33 = $280.50

Miscellaneous Fittings & Glue 1@ $140.00 = $140.00

Labor 52@ $32.00 = $1,664.00

Total $3,132.55

Vendor 2 (no price per items)

Rotors Hunter I-20 (25)

Sprayers Hunter Mist (16)

Valves Zone Valves (8-9)

Wire Unknown (Unknown)

Controller Hunter Pro-C (1)

Backflow 1" FEBCO PVB (1)

Main Line PVC (Unknown)

Laterials PVC (Unknown)

Miscellaneous Fittings & Glue (Unknown)

Labor (Unknown)

Total $3,500.00

The second vendor did not break out the costs per item as the first, but I don't know if that is really important.

Quite a difference between the number of rotors/sprayers in each quote. The second vendor mentioned that their design would prevent any (I believe he said "blanching" of the yard). Does this mean head-to-head coverage?

One thing that concerns me is that both bids use PVC piping - not poly. I am in the midwest (Kansas City), should I be concerned about this. When I asked the second vendor about this, he said as long as the system was winterized, there would not be any problems.

One thing I liked about the second vendor (aside from his suggestion of Hunter products) is he said they would show me how to activate the system every spring - thus saving me a service call to get the system ready for use. I think they charge $55.00 to winterize it, which seemed very reasonable. He also said if I had an air compressor, they would show me how to blow out the system each year so I would not have to pay for any maintenance.

Any thoughts, opinions?