Most gardeners who spend time hauling out a hose to water a raised bed of cutting flowers or a vegetable garden would prefer to be digging and planting, so it's no surprise there's a growing number of drip irrigation systems being installed. What landscapers, farmers and greenhouse owners have known for years is that it makes sense to automate watering with a drip system of irrigation that controls the flow of water so the soil maintains a balance between water and air. In addition, you'll have lower water bills.

An irrigation contractor will charge $303 to install a basic drip system. You can buy one for $150, install it, and save 50 percent. Most basic drip system are designed to be expanded, and include everything you need to get started: a filter, regulator, 100-feet of 1/2-inch tubing, 50-feet of 1/4-inch tubing, mini-sprinklers, emitters, sprayers, stakes and various pieces of hardware to connect them all together.

For some useful guidelines and calculators to help lay out a drip system in a yard, we found www.dripworks.com, an online irrigation store that offers a free design service and installation videos. You fax them a sketch of your property with dimensions following their Design Considerations, and they return a design and list of parts with an approximate estimate.

Now you know the average cost to install a drip irrigation system, which includes the labor and material, and what’s involved, so you can decide to do it yourself or hire a contractor. Don’t forget to adjust the cost to where you live by adding your ZIP Code.

Improvement and Repair Cost Updated 2019