Prepare

• 1
  Operating heavy equipment takes practice and skill.Creatas/Creatas/Getty Images
  
  Use the lot survey that came with the appraisal of the house or measure the area manually. Use a pencil and graph paper to plot the entire yard, house and every feature to be maintained by the sprinkler system. Mark the position of available water spigots. Gauge the water pressure with a pressure gauge or call the local water department and ask about the water pressure. A custom sprinkler kit from Rain Bird or a sprinkler manufacturer of your choosing may be obtained by sending the company the yard plot information and a fee, if required. In return, a materials list along with a plan on how to install the system will be sent to you.
  
  
• 2). Research the water meter size for your home by obtaining the information from the water department. The water meter size will either be 5/8 inch, 3/4 inch or 1 inch. Find the service line size by using string. Wrap it around your water service pipe, unwrap and measure. Correspond the string length to find the various pipe size. Service pipes can range from three-quarters of an inch to one inch and a quarter. Find the flow rate by timing how long it takes to fill a five-gallon bucket. Divide the filled volume by the measured time and convert to gallons per minute or hour.
  
  
• 3). Choose sprinkler heads. Plot their arrangement on the grid paper yard plot. Water pressure, flow rate and sprinkler head size will determine how many sprinklers will be placed in each zone that is on the yard plot. Buy an electronic water timer that can be hooked up to the spigot. Purchase the type of piping appropriate for your weather zone. Warm weather zones use PVC pipe. Polyethylene piping is recommended for weather zones with a freeze-thaw cycle.
  
  
• 4). Assemble the pipes and valve sets according to zone, above ground before cementing to the underground pipe, as recommended by PopularMechanics.com. When running pipes, dig the main runs before branching lines. These pipes may be placed 6 to 12 inches deep. Use a pipe puller that can be rented from a heavy equipment rental store and follow recommended instructions.
  
  
• 5). Attach the pipe to the blade on the machine and wrap the low-voltage cable around the pipe so both may be pulled at the same time, as suggested by PopularMechanics.com. Start the machine, move forward and lower the blade into the ground.
  
  
• 6). Create slots with a spade in the ground at least 6 inches deep if this process is conducted by hand, according to an article, "How to Install an Underground Sprinkler System on a Budget," from OmniNerd.com. Insert the spade into the ground and pull back, flip the shovel and repeat. Use the handle of the shovel to push the pipe into the ground.
  
  
• 7). Cut through the rim joist of the house to run cable and copper pipe, converting to the PVC or polyethylene pipe with a threaded connector. Run this line to the first zone valve location. Install an inline drain fitting on the downstream of each valve and connect wires. When all connections are made, install valve boxes and use back fill to prop the boxes to the appropriate slant. A backflow prevention system must be installed to prevent water from being sucked back into the water local supply, introducing impurities and chemicals from lawn runoff.