How to Choose an Irrigation Contractor in Sun City

Why does this guide not list the best companies in Sun City?

A ranking would be an opinion dressed as a fact, and reviews describe one job for one customer. The Arizona Registrar of Contractors puts it bluntly: anyone can pretend to be a contractor, so check the licence. A short list of objective checks protects you better than any top-ten list.

The Registrar's own advice before hiring covers licence records, estimates, contracts and payments. Sun City adds a water utility tariff and a homeowners association that most Valley cities do not have, so the checklist here is built for both.

How do I check a contractor's licence in Arizona?

Use the free Contractor Search on the Registrar of Contractors website. Enter the business name or licence number, confirm the licence is current, and note the classification and the bond on the record. Then call the phone number listed on that record to confirm the person quoting your job really represents that licensed business.

The ROC Contractor Search is the record that counts, not a logo on a truck or a line in an ad. The Registrar warns that an ad saying "licensed, bonded and insured" is not proof. It also notes that, apart from workers' compensation, the ROC does not require a contractor to carry insurance to be licensed, so ask for a certificate if insurance matters to you.

The licence class that covers irrigation work

The Registrar's license classifications describe R-21, Hardscaping and Irrigation Systems. It covers installing, altering and repairing irrigation systems, and the class extends to the low-voltage wiring, the tie-in to drinking water lines, backflow devices, hose bibs and the digging and backfill that go with them. The Registrar asks you to make sure the licence class allows the work listed in your contract; if a quote includes something outside that class, ask how it will be handled.

What is different about hiring in Sun City?

Sun City has no city government, so the rules come from three other places. EPCOR's water tariff governs the backflow assembly, Maricopa County issues permits, and the Sun City Home Owners Association enforces deed restrictions on lots. A contractor who knows Valley cities may not know any of the three.

• The water connection. The Sun City Water District tariff names a lead free reduced pressure principle assembly where irrigation protection is required, wants installation and test records within 10 days, and gives 14 days to repair a failed assembly. EPCOR's cross connection page says testing companies on its list provide proof of at least $1 million liability insurance, a state contractor's licence and current tester certification.
• Permits. Maricopa County Planning and Development handles unincorporated Sun City and has an irrigation and lawn sprinkler system permit type. The Registrar says permits are the property owner's responsibility, even when a contractor includes them in the price, so the contract should say who pulls it.
• The lot. The SCHOA covenants require lots to stay weed free and attractive and ask golf-course lots to keep landscaping from unduly blocking the course view. The Registrar puts the duty on the owner to tell the contractor about CC&R restrictions before the contract is signed.

Who handles access on a shared wall?

You do, with your neighbour. Duplexes, Garden Court apartments and the shared-wall patio homes across Del Webb Blvd put irrigation lines close to the house next door. The Del Webb Sun Cities Museum notes the 72 original patio homes have no association, so no manager arranges access for digging.

Agree access before a contractor arrives, and ask the contractor how they will protect a shared wall during trenching. Lake lots at Viewpoint and Dawn lakes and lots on the golf courses raise a similar question about where spoil and equipment go.

What should the estimate and contract include?

The Registrar advises written estimates from at least three contractors, each with a detailed description of the work, the price and who obtains permits. The signed contract should match the estimate, list every part of the job, and set a payment schedule. Any change order must be in writing and signed by both parties.

Payment rules from the Registrar are simple: never pay in cash, pay only the company named in the contract, and do not let payments get ahead of the work, although special-order parts and permit fees may be paid in advance. For what makes one quote higher than another in Sun City, see Sprinkler Repair Cost in Sun City: What Drives It.

Questions to ask an irrigation contractor

Use this list on the phone or at the first visit. A good answer is specific, not a promise.

1. What is your ROC licence number, and does its class cover irrigation and backflow work?
2. Who will pull any Maricopa County permit, and is it in the price?
3. If the job touches the backflow assembly, which certified tester files the record with EPCOR, and within what time?
4. How will you find the fault before replacing parts, and will you show me the failed part?
5. Will I get a zone map and a written schedule when the work is done?
6. How will you protect a shared wall, a fairway edge or a lake shoreline during digging?
7. What does the written warranty cover, if you offer one, and for how long?

Is there any protection if a licensed contractor fails to finish?

Possibly. Arizona's Residential Contractors' Recovery Fund protects owner-occupants of residential property when a licensed residential contractor's licence is suspended or revoked after a formal complaint, under conditions set by statute. Unlicensed work is not covered, which is one more reason to check the licence record first.

Next step in Sun City

Once you have a shortlist, compare it against the service you need: sprinkler repair in Sun City, irrigation system installation in Sun City or backflow preventer testing in Sun City. The Sun City service area lists every local service, and all irrigation services explains each one.