How much does a sprinkler system cost in Ontario? Real numbers.

Most contractors in Ontario won't publish irrigation pricing. We do — and have for years. Below are the real numbers PJL charges across Newmarket, Aurora, and the broader GTA: what a new install actually costs by zone count, what common repairs run, and what changes the final number once we're on site. No "starting at" tricks, no hidden line items.

New install pricing — what a residential sprinkler system actually costs in Ontario

Residential install pricing at PJL follows a 3-tier system, locked publicly so you can math out your own number before you call us. The Hunter Hydrawise smart controller is included in every tier — it's standard, not an upsell — and every install carries a 3-year parts-and-labour warranty, well above the industry-standard one year.

Use the interactive sprinkler builder to get an instant Tier 1 or Tier 2 number for your property. For Tier 3 (8+ zones, country-property acreage, anything more complex than a standard subdivision lot), the calculator switches to a quote-request flow that books a free on-site assessment.

Sample math by zone count

Numbers are honest math. The base fee covers the controller, the manifold, the wiring, the trenching, and the labour. The per-zone fee covers heads, lateral piping, valve, nozzle selection per zone, and per-zone wiring. There's no separate "install fee" or "design fee" tacked on after.

What can change the final number on site

The calculator assumes standard residential conditions. The on-site assessment is free and confirms or revises the number before any work is scheduled. Five things move it up or down:

Calculator pricing is +5% / -8% of the real on-site number. Big swings only happen on Tier 3 properties — that's why they're custom-quoted, not algorithm-priced.

Sprinkler repair pricing — flat rates wherever possible

Repair calls work differently than installs. Parts pricing is flat-rate, published, and locked, so you know the parts cost before we drive out. The starting point on every repair call is the $95 service call — that covers mobilization plus a quick on-site assessment of the issue. Diagnostic and repair labour is billed separately at $95/hr. Every repair quote includes an estimated time, so you see the expected total before we start; if the work runs over the estimate, the additional labour is quoted on the spot before we continue. AI-intake bonus: if the AI tool correctly diagnoses your repair, you get one hour of repair labour free on the diagnosed work — the only discount PJL offers.

The most common repair add-ons:

Sample repair math (real numbers from real calls)

• One broken pop-up head: $95 + $68 = $163
• Three broken heads on one visit: $95 + ($68 × 3) = $299
• Two valves in a 3-zone manifold box: $95 + $135 + ($74.95 × 2) = $379.90
• Full 6-valve manifold rebuild: $95 + $285 + ($74.95 × 6) = $829.70
• Dead controller, 6 zones: $95 + $750 = $845
• Wiring repair in valve box: $95 + $187 = $282

For a more comprehensive list of every repair price (including controller installs by zone count, drip retrofits, and smart-upgrade pricing), see the full pricing guide.

Seasonal pricing — spring openings & fall winterization

Seasonal services are bundled. There's no service call charged on top — the published number is what you pay. Tiering is by zone count.

Spring and fall use the same tier prices. Same scope (pressure-up + leak check + zone test + Hydrawise re-program for spring; pro low-pressure compressor blow-out + winter mode for fall) applies to every residential tier.

Spring opening is a slow re-pressurization, leak diagnostic, zone-by-zone test, nozzle adjustment, and Hydrawise re-program for the season. Fall winterization is a pro low-pressure compressor blow-out — every line emptied so nothing freezes and cracks over winter. Book early — spring slots fill in March and fall slots fill in early October.

The 3-year warranty math (why it's worth more than it looks)

Industry-standard warranty for Ontario sprinkler installation is one year. Some contractors write 90 days. PJL's 3-year parts-and-labour warranty covers three full irrigation seasons against any installation defect. The dollar value isn't theoretical — it's whatever a year-two or year-three failure would have cost you out of pocket.

Do the math against the repair pricing above:

• A single bad valve in year two on a competitor's expired warranty: $304.85 ($95 + $135 + $74.95)
• A failed controller in year three: $845 ($95 + $750 for a 6-zone replacement)
• Wire-trace diagnostic plus repair in year two: $282

In our experience, three years of coverage typically removes $400–$1,000 of early-season repair risk per system. Built into the install price, not a paid add-on.

DIY vs Pro — when to save money, when to spend it

Some sprinkler tasks are honestly DIY-safe. Most aren't. The line:

Probably DIY-safe

• Adjusting nozzle spray patterns on existing heads (turn the slot)
• Cleaning a clogged head filter (5 minutes, hand-tight)
• Replacing a battery in an old battery-backup controller
• Setting your own watering schedule on a Hydrawise via the app

Pay a pro — DIY costs more in the long run

• Anything pressurized. Cracked-pipe repairs, manifold rebuilds, head replacements where the riser is buried wrong. Easy to make a small leak into a flooded basement.
• Spring openings. Pressurizing a dry system the wrong way ruptures seals. The pro sequence (slow pressure-up while watching a gauge) takes 30 minutes; doing it the wrong way costs $300–$1,500 in fixes. See: spring sprinkler opening — what's actually involved.
• Fall winterization. Renting a small consumer compressor and trying to blow out a system rarely produces enough volume to clear lateral lines. The water that's left freezes and cracks fittings over winter. Compressor blow-out is a $90 service for a reason.
• Wire diagnostics. A 24V wire fault can run anywhere along the field. We trace it with a continuity tracer; DIY-by-guessing usually means digging up healthy lines.

What we don't charge for (and what we don't do)

A few things that frequently show up as upcharges on competitor invoices and don't on ours:

• On-site quote: free. No charge to look. No deposit to "lock in pricing."
• Capping one head: free. If you're removing a single head — landscaping change, dead patch — we cap it at no cost during a service call. (2+ heads charged at $95/hr labour only.)
• Service call on bundled seasonal: not added. Spring opening at $90 means $90, not $90 + $95 service fee.
• Surprise add-ons: never. Anything found mid-job that wasn't quoted is brought to you for approval before any extra work happens.

And what we don't do:

• Backflow testing or certification. That's a separately-licensed Ontario trade we don't hold the cert for. We refer out to a certified backflow technician — happy to recommend one. (Saying we did it when we don't is how customers get hurt.)

Cost FAQ

Do you finance installations?

No, we don't currently offer financing — but the pricing is structured so the math is honest and you can plan ahead. The on-site assessment confirms the final number before any deposit, so you can decide with all the information.

What deposit do you take?

Standard install deposit is the smaller of 30% or first material order — confirmed in your written quote. No deposit charged for repair or seasonal calls; those are paid on completion.

Can you price-match a competitor?

We don't compete on price — we compete on warranty, on the brand of components in the ground, and on the fact that the contractor who quotes the work oversees the install. If a competitor is meaningfully cheaper, ask them: what controller (Hunter Hydrawise vs. a basic timer)? What warranty (3 years vs. 1 year)? What grade of head (pressure-regulated vs. budget)? Cheaper sprinkler systems exist — they just don't last.

How do commercial properties get priced?

Spring openings and fall winterizations are tiered by zone count: 1-4z $145, 5-8z $255, 9+z custom-quoted. (Spring and fall use the same tier prices.) All other commercial work — installation, repairs, smart-controller retrofits — is site-specific. Same fixed-price written quote, same 3-year warranty as residential. See the commercial irrigation page.

What if my repair takes longer than the quoted time?

The $95 service call covers mobilization plus a quick on-site assessment — labour is not bundled into it. Diagnostic and repair labour is billed separately at $95/hr. Every repair quote includes an estimated time for the work, so you see the expected total before we start. If the actual repair runs over that estimate, the additional labour is $95/hr and quoted to you on the spot before we continue. Anything else found on-site (a separate problem) is also quoted before any extra work happens. The one discount we offer: if the AI tool correctly diagnoses your repair, you get one hour of repair labour free on the diagnosed work.

Where can I see the full live pricing list?

The full pricing guide lives at pjllandservices.com/pricing — every service call, every flat-rate repair, every seasonal tier, with sample math. Bookmark it.