How to Install Sprinklers by The Kerb

Posted on 13th May 2012 in Installations, Installing, Products, sprinklers

 

The first time I did some DIY retic I tried to install my kerbside sprinklers by digging along the line of the kerb.

Big mistake!

After 10 minutes I had all but given up. You see the soil along the kerb is actually roadbase. It is hard and rocky and not easy digging. If you want to install sprinklers along the kerb then dig a trench one metre away from the kerb and parallel to it and then ‘t’ off to the point where you need sprinklers. You will still need to do some hard digging but it will save you a lot of effort and you will do the job right.

The other tip with kerbside sprinklers is to make sure they are well below kerb height – because they will get driven over. If you’re lucky they won’t get damaged, but if they are even sticking up a little bit then expect to replace them regularly.

I get calls from one client a few times each summer to replace the same sprinkler. Personally I reckon it would be easier just to sink the sprinkler a bit lower…

This is the Brighton Reticulation Blog and our main site can be found here For service or advice with the issues in this post call Andrew on 0400044236, or email us here
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Quoting on Reticulation and Turf Without being There

Posted on 28th March 2012 in Installations, Installing, Local Knowledge

Sometimes its possible for us to give you a very accurate quote on your retic and turf needs without viewing the site.

Ideally we would come and check it out with you and discuss your needs, but in the first instance we can look at your home on www.nearmap.com and talk with you on the phone about what is required.

If you are happy with the ball park figures then we can meet you and discuss things more fully.

Most nearmap images are up to date to within around a month and can be used to give a good guide to what work is required. We work anywhere from Two Rocks down to Scarborough and would be happy to quote on your needs.

This is the Brighton Reticulation Blog and our main site can be found here For service or advice with the issues in this post call Andrew on 0400044236, or email us here
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What Does it Cost to Install Reticulation?

Posted on 16th March 2012 in Installations, Installing, sprinklers

We offer some general guidelines on our home page here, but the truth is it can vary considerably depending on the type of soil we need to dig in, the ease of accessibility and the simplicty or otherwise of the job. A new house is fairly easy to give an estimate for and we suggest that typical costs to expect are:

  • Retic cut in by licensed plumber $180.00 + GST
  • Hardwiring of controller $160.00 + GST
  • Wireless rain sensor (only compulsory if you wish to get a lawn watering exemption) $150.00 + GST
  • Electronic Controller $200.00-$400.00 + GST (depending on what is chosen)
  • Installation / pipes / sprinklers etc see below

To give you an idea of what to expect a very rough ball park figure for a 4 x 2 home on a 600m block with 5 or 6 stations is usually around $2600.00 + GST including plumber and sparkie. These prices do vary with the seasons so if you ‘need it done now’ over summer chances are that with any retic business you will pay a premium. If you can wait until winter then you will probably save 10-20%.

A front install on this kind of home would be around $1500.00 + GST and a rear install usually around $1100.00 + GST.

If your home is established and we need to dig through grass, tree roots and flower beds then we will charge extra for that, but a straightforward installation is usually in the ballpark of the prices above.

But the best way to go is to get in touch and we can then meet up onsite, walk thru the plans and get a clear picture from there.

 

This is the Brighton Reticulation Blog and our main site can be found here For service or advice with the issues in this post call Andrew on 0400044236, or email us here
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How To Lay Sir Walter Softleaf Buffalo Turf

Posted on 16th March 2012 in Installations, Installing, Turf

If you have been considering laying some turf then we can certainly recommend Sir Walter softleaf buffalo as a brilliant product that looks great when it goes down and that will continue to look good if maintained correctly.

Below is a job we did yesterday in Yanchep where we installed reticulation and then laid 200sqm of Sir Walter.

It came up looking stunning and the client was very pleased with the result.

The key to getting it right is preparation.

You will need to bring in at least 40ml of good soil, and then finish the level 40ml below your paving to ensure the turf sits neat and tidy.

Some good organic fertiliser spread before laying and then a good soak will get the ground ready for the turf to be laid.

From there we lay the largest slabs around the perimeter and try to minimise the use of smaller pieces of turf as these dry up easier.

Once laid and cut in to the sprinklers and shape of the land we run the compactor over it to ensure the roots make good contact with the soil.

Another drink and the retic set for the watering exemption and you’re pretty much done…

 

 

needs to

 

 

This is the Brighton Reticulation Blog and our main site can be found here For service or advice with the issues in this post call Andrew on 0400044236, or email us here
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Yanchep Capricorn Estate Reticulation

Posted on 23rd November 2011 in Installations, Installing, Never Seen That One Before, solenoids, What's Going on There?

I don’t know how many people have checked their water pressure in the Capricorn estate in Yanchep, but after working on a job today I was shocked at how poor the water pressure is.

In a backyard of 5m x 11m we would normally use one station of MP Rotators evenly spaced and have heaps of water pressure to spare, but today we needed 3 separate stations of Toro precision nozzles for that one small area. That’s the only option when the pressure is lousy and the flow rate is 10l/min. We tried putting 3 MP 2000′s on a line but there wasn’t enough grunt to make then get up.

The bigger drama was that the solenoids refused to seal because of the ultra-low pressure. We tried about 15 different Richdels and none of them would seal and ended up having to head down to the shop and grab some Hunters. Solenoids need a certain amount of water pressure to create the seal and this was so low that we couldn’t get that seal. It was almost a give up and call it a day scenario.

Persistence and a very gracious client made a hot, windy, difficult day a much better experience than it could have been. So if you live in Capricorn I’d be interested to hear if you have also had water pressure problems. I was due to do another backyard install in Capricorn tomorrow, but I have postponed it until we can find a way around these nasty water pressure issues.

 

This is the Brighton Reticulation Blog and our main site can be found here For service or advice with the issues in this post call Andrew on 0400044236, or email us here
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We Chose Velvet Buffalo

Posted on 21st November 2011 in In My Own Backyard, Installations, Installing, Turf

We moved into this place 4 months ago and have been working on the backyard ever since. This is the start of the retaining walls with all the dirt, rubble and rubbish still in place.

 

This is today

There is still some work to be done, but this is now retained, reticulated and turfed.

We ended up choosing velvet buffalo. Originally I thought we would go for velveteen which is a beautiful soft lawn, but being a cooch variety we ended up deciding not to. We didn’t want the ‘grass in the garden beds’ issue.

So we got some velvet buffalo, a top notch softleaf variety that is available locally.

You can buy velvet buffalo at Joondalup Turf Farm, or you can call us and we will come and install it for you and turn your backyard into something beautiful too.

Here are some photos of it going in…

Weeds and mess about to be cleared, filled and levelled by the bobcat

The bobcat goes to work…

Screeding to get things level

This is my labourer

My kids worked hard today to make the transformation

We can do this to your yard too!

 

 

 

This is the Brighton Reticulation Blog and our main site can be found here For service or advice with the issues in this post call Andrew on 0400044236, or email us here
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Replacing an Existing Lawn

Posted on 8th November 2011 in Installations, Installing, Sir Walter Turf, Turf

Sometimes your lawn gets to a point where it simply isn’t viable to revive it. It needs replacing and the question is ‘how’?

Firstly let’s hope you have bobcat access, because if you don’t you’re in for a lot of hard grunt work digging it out. I still remember digging out 50sqm of buffalo on a hot summer day. It took 2 of us 5 hours and we were going hard.

So – yes – you can dig it out, but if you weigh up your time then it makes much better sense to use machinery to get it done.

So first step is to get the old one out.

Your bobcat will need to dig down around 80-100ml and in the process will likely damage your retic. So if you’re replacing a lawn then be sure to budget for retic repairs and it may even be that its better just to re-lay the pipes. I’d allow between $200-500 for the retic.

When removing a lawn you need to allow for bobcat operator’s time, tipping costs and any associated travel costs. For 50sqm $700.00 is fairly normal but it may vary depending on the site. The bobcat then will bring in some good soil and bring the levels up to whatever is suitable for laying turf on. I always suggest leaving it 10ml below the finished level to allow it to grow and ‘boof up’ a bit.

Once the soil is in, the retic can be repaired and the final stage is the turf laying.

Our turf rates are on our main site here.

 

 

 

 

 

This is the Brighton Reticulation Blog and our main site can be found here For service or advice with the issues in this post call Andrew on 0400044236, or email us here
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Installing a Bore

Posted on 3rd October 2011 in bore, In My Own Backyard, Installing

We’re still working on landscaping at our own property and the latest project has been to get a bore put down. Once that is sorted we can retic the areas already developed and then get the bobcat in to help us prepare the new areas.

So today Luke from Aqua Attack arrived to drill the bore. It would have taken them a couple of hours but they hit a cave and some of the slotted pipe got lost meaning they had to take a bit longer.

They drilled down 25m or so and will be back on Friday to install the pump and do the electrics.

Here are a few pics of the truck backed up and drilling.

The tub for circulating water and sludge

 

Adding another piece of the drill

 

This is the Brighton Reticulation Blog and our main site can be found here For service or advice with the issues in this post call Andrew on 0400044236, or email us here
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How Much For Reticulation?

Posted on 14th September 2011 in Installations, Installing

This is an interesting question.

We have always pitched ourselves at the mid-price range so that we can use quality parts, do an excellent job and give a proper warranty. You can always get cheaper – and sometimes you will get the same for cheaper – but generally speaking the old rule applies that ‘you get what you pay for’.

Installations are always on a case by case inspection, but the following ‘set up costs’ can be expected:

  • Retic cut in by licensed plumber $180.00 + GST
  • Hardwiring of controller $160.00 + GST
  • Electronic Controller $200.00-$400.00 + GST (depending on what is chosen)

To give you an idea of what to expect a VERY rough ball park figure for a 4 x 2 home on a 600m block with 5 or 6 stations is usually around $2600.00 + GST

A front install on this kind of home would be around $1500.00 + GST (because of all the set up costs) and a rear install usually around $1100.00 + GST

We always compete on price so feel free to let us know your best quote and we will try to beat it.

This is the Brighton Reticulation Blog and our main site can be found here For service or advice with the issues in this post call Andrew on 0400044236, or email us here
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Sir Walter v Velvet Buffalo

Posted on 30th August 2011 in Installing, Turf

Today I laid some velvet buffalo turf, the first time in a while I’ve been asked to do so.

The client had some Sir Walter already laid so I took a photo and you can see the difference. In the pic above, the velvet is in the foreground while the Sir W is up the back along the fence and below its reversed.

The Sir Walter has a much brighter green hue while the velvet is more of a dull green. Sir Walter is a broader leaf and the velvet a little finer.

Both lawns look great and I wouldn’t recommend one over the other. It all comes down to personal preference… Personally i like the finer leaf of the velvet but with the colour of the Sir Walter…

 

 

This is the Brighton Reticulation Blog and our main site can be found here For service or advice with the issues in this post call Andrew on 0400044236, or email us here
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