An irrigation estimate template with the whole system itemized, design through startup.
This is a free irrigation estimate template with a sprinkler system install already itemized: zone design, the utility locate, permit and backflow inspection, every component from controller to drip line, trenching and pipe by the linear foot, and the startup work. Load it in the builder, delete what the property doesn't need, and price what's left. Rates start empty because pipe costs what your supplier charges.
Irrigation bids lose money underground. The heads and the controller are the visible ten percent; the trenching, the fittings, and the backfill are where the labor is, and a per-zone flat price hides the lines that vary most between properties. This template prices the buried work by the linear foot and keeps the backflow inspection as its own line, because the inspection is billed either way.
What’s in the template
This is the exact checklist that loads in the builder, with each line’s unit already set. Delete what this job doesn’t need.
Design & Permits3 lines
Zone design and layout, the utility locate before digging, and the permit and backflow inspection priced each.
- Zone design & layoutflat
- Utility locateflat
- Permit & backflow inspectioneach
Equipment & Materials10 lines
Controller, valves, and boxes each; spray and rotor heads each; drip, pipe, and low-voltage wire by the linear foot; the backflow preventer and rain sensor.
- Controllereach
- Zone valveseach
- Valve boxeseach
- Spray headseach
- Rotor headseach
- Drip line & emittersln ft
- Pipe & fittingsln ft
- Backflow preventereach
- Rain / moisture sensoreach
- Low-voltage wireln ft
Heads and valves each; pipe and wire per linear foot.
Installation6 lines
Trenching and pipe assembly by the linear foot, heads set to grade each, controller mounted and wired, the flush and pressure test, and backfill with turf restoration.
- Trenchingln ft
- Pipe assembly & installln ft
- Head install & set to gradeeach
- Controller mount & wiringflat
- Flush & pressure testflat
- Backfill & turf restorationln ft
Startup & Service3 lines
Zone tuning and a coverage audit, the controller walkthrough, and seasonal winterization as its own line.
- Zone tuning & coverage auditflat
- Controller setup & walkthroughflat
- Seasonal winterizationflat
Commonly left off
In the template, and easy to drop from a one-number quote.
- Utility locate
- Permit & backflow inspection
- Seasonal winterization
A six-zone quarter-acre system, priced out
Sample rates on the main lines. Switch views to see what you track and what the homeowner gets.
- Works out to
- $1,137.17 / zone installed
- Per zone, 2026
- $600–2,000 / zone
- Quarter-acre system
- $1,600–10,000
- Per square foot
- $0.50–2.50 / sq ft
National ranges; sources under Questions. Your market sets the real number.
Questions
Units, tax, deposits and exports are covered in the Help guide.
What does an irrigation estimate include?
Four sections in install order: design and permits (zone layout, utility locate, backflow inspection), equipment and materials (controller, valves, spray and rotor heads, drip line, pipe, backflow preventer, sensor, wire), installation (trenching, pipe assembly, head setting, controller wiring, flush and pressure test, backfill and turf restoration), and startup and service (zone tuning, the client walkthrough, winterization). The buried work is priced by the linear foot, where irrigation bids are won and lost.
What do irrigation systems go for in 2026?
In cost guides such as HomeGuide, installed residential systems run $0.50 to $2.50 per square foot, or $600 to $2,000 per zone, with a typical quarter-acre system landing anywhere from roughly $1,600 to $10,000 depending on zones, soil, and system type. The ranges are wide because trenching conditions and zone count move the number more than the hardware does. This template prices from your zone map and footage.
Can I use it for sprinkler repairs and winterization?
The startup and service section carries the service lines: zone tuning, controller setup, and seasonal winterization, and the equipment section's per-each lines (heads, valves, sensors) price replacements cleanly. For a pure repair visit, load the template and delete the install sections; what's left is a service estimate with the parts itemized.
Is the irrigation estimate template free to use?
Yes. The builder runs without an account, and the free plan includes every estimate export: client PDF, Excel, CSV, an internal budget export, and a read-only share link that carries a client-safe copy inside the link itself. A free account adds one cloud-saved estimate. If the paperwork needs to say sprinkler system quote instead, send the same document. Pro is a one-time purchase, not a subscription: your branding on client exports, no Estimatery footer, invoice exports, unlimited cloud saves, and a Saved Items catalog of your standard lines.
Cost figures are national ranges compiled from HomeGuide (Feb 3, 2026), Lawn Love (updated Oct 5, 2026), HomeAdvisor (updated Jun 17, 2026), Fixr (updated Jan 31, 2025), accessed October 2026. Your market sets the real number.
Related landscaping templates
Tear-out, grading, and new sod, priced per square foot.
Recurring mowing and turf care, plus seasonal cleanups.
Design fees through planting, finishes, and establishment.
General information for pricing your own work. Not legal, tax or accounting advice. Deposit caps, licensing, lien and permit rules vary by state.