Lawn sprinklers and irrigation systems in Etobicoke

What does a lawn sprinkler system cost in Etobicoke?

A typical subdivision lot with a 40 to 60 foot frontage and 100 to 150 foot depth is generally in the range of $3,900 to $4,900 in Etobicoke. That figure moves with the property — the landscaping, garden detail, water supply and actual layout all change the design. For larger properties a site visit is needed to price accurately, and we give you a written quote after walking the property with you rather than a number over the phone.

Why do properties in Etobicoke need a custom design?

Etobicoke covers a wider range of property types than any other part of our Toronto work. North of the QEW, the established neighbourhoods — The Kingsway, Humber Valley Village, Thorncrest, Princess Gardens — have generous lots, deep setbacks and heavy mature canopy, which means a large irrigated area and sharp differences between sun and shade on the same property. The 1960s subdivisions around Markland Wood and Eatonville have wide, flat, highly visible frontages where even coverage across the front lawn is the main objective. Closer to the water, in Mimico, New Toronto and Long Branch, lots are narrow and deep, often with a small front lawn, a long side passage and most of the planting in the rear. Each of those three patterns needs a different zone layout, and the pipe routing on a narrow lakeshore lot has very little in common with an estate frontage on the Kingsway.

We work right across Etobicoke — from The Kingsway and Humber Valley in the north, through Islington Village and the subdivisions around Markland Wood and Eatonville, down Royal York and Brown’s Line to Mimico, New Toronto, Long Branch and Alderwood near the lake.

What is the water supply and pressure like in Etobicoke?

City of Toronto supply throughout Etobicoke. Pressure is generally dependable on the lower ground near the lake, and can be more variable on the higher ground north of Bloor and through the pressure districts around Islington and Eglinton. We measure static pressure and available flow at the property before anything is designed, because the number of heads a zone can run is set by what the service actually delivers, not by what a plan assumes. On larger properties in the older neighbourhoods we occasionally find an undersized or aged water service, and we will tell you that before you spend money on a system rather than after.

How often should you water a lawn in Etobicoke?

Soil changes noticeably across Etobicoke. Many lots closer to Lake Ontario sit on sandier, better-draining material, which accepts water quickly but also dries out faster in July. Inland and north of the QEW, heavier clay is more common, and clay takes water slowly — water it too long in one pass and most of it runs down the drive. Properties backing onto the Humber River, Mimico Creek or Etobicoke Creek add slope to the picture, and a sloped run needs shorter, repeated cycles so the water soaks in where it lands instead of collecting at the bottom of the yard.

How is a sprinkler system installed?

On the larger Etobicoke properties, the design question is almost always how to break a big irrigated area into zones that each run at full pressure. Rather than stretching a zone to cover more ground than the water service supports, we add zones, and on estate frontages we will use a master valve and a controller with enough stations to keep front, rear, beds and shaded areas independent. On the narrow lakeshore lots the problem reverses: there is very little room for error, so nozzle selection and arc adjustment do the work, and coverage has to stop cleanly at the property line. On ravine and creek-side lots we zone the slope separately so it can be run in shorter cycles than the flat turf above it.

• Trenchless installation. Pipe is pulled beneath the turf rather than dug in, so an established lawn is walkable the same day.
• Contractor-grade components. Hunter and Rain Bird heads, valves and controllers — the same parts we have to come back and service.
• Zoned to the property. Lawn, gardens, sun and shade are separated so each area gets the water it actually needs.
• Designed on site. We test how many heads each zone can run before anything is installed, then flag out the layout with you.
• Our own crews. We never sub-contract — the people on your property are on our payroll.
• Five-year parts and labour warranty* on every system we install.

Do you install landscape lighting in Etobicoke?

Etobicoke’s older neighbourhoods are well suited to landscape lighting — mature oaks and maples uplit from below, long driveways and front walks lit for footing, and stone or brick elevations washed with warm light. We install Vista and other contractor-grade fixtures, wired on low-voltage runs by our own crews, and most clients add lighting at the same time as the irrigation while the ground is already open.

When should a system be started up and winterized?

Spring start-ups from April and fall blow-outs from late September through November. Properties close to the lake often hold off the first hard freeze a little longer than inland Etobicoke, but we still schedule the winterization calendar from late September, because the last two weeks before a freeze are always the busiest of our year.

A spring start-up means charging the system, checking every head, adjusting spray patterns and programming the controller for the season. A fall blow-out means clearing the water out of the lines with compressed air so nothing freezes and splits over winter. In this climate winterization is not optional — water left in a line will crack the pipe or the fittings.

Which areas do you cover from Etobicoke?

Our Etobicoke crews work across The Kingsway, Humber Valley Village, Islington Village, Markland Wood, Eatonville, Princess Gardens, Mimico, New Toronto, Long Branch and Alderwood.

• The Kingsway
• Humber Valley Village
• Islington Village
• Markland Wood
• Eatonville
• Princess Gardens
• Mimico
• New Toronto
• Long Branch
• Alderwood

Pro Green Irrigation is a family-owned business that has been designing, installing and servicing irrigation in Etobicoke and across the Greater Toronto Area since 1999. We have looked after more than 1,500 GTA properties in that time, we run our own crews and service vans, and we do not sub-contract a single part of the work.