FAQs
- What education and/or training do you have that relates to your work?
A valid Class-A license to work in Virginia IA-certified professional vetted by the Irrigation Association EPA WaterSense Partner committed to efficient systems and products Repeat third-party recognition like Angie’s List Super Service Award Proven stability with over 10+ years of uninterupted service Guarantee that everyone on site is covered by workers compensation On-staff expertise on the uniqueness of your area (soil, slope, horticulture) Highest quality materials and research on latest "proven" technology Owners take pride in every project and perform all estimates
- How did you get started doing this type of work?
Reed Libby is a native of Northern Virginia. He graduated from WT Woodson High School in Fairfax, VA in 1992. After high school, he ventured to Ohio to obtain an undergraduate degree in Spanish at the University of Dayton. His junior year was spent at the Universidad de Andres Bello in Granada, Spain. Shortly after graduating from undergrad, Reed received a unique opportunity at Wright State University’s MBA program to do an internship with a small electrical material company in Temuco, Chile. After completing his internship in Chile, Reed accepted a position as a Financial Planner at Virginia Asset Management in Richmond VA. Four years later, he co-founded a technology company with a former client. Collectively, they raised over $12 million dollars in venture capital and developed an innovative software solution for the automotive industry. In January 2002, Reed received a scholarship from the College of William and Mary’s MBA program. Shortly after enrolling in their program, Reed partnered with his childhood best friend, Ryan Muniz, to start a lawn sprinkler business. Today, they service over 4,000 residential customers, numerous Home Owner Associations, Home Builders and Commercial properties. Affordable Lawn Sprinklers designs, installs, maintains and services both lawn sprinkler and lighting systems. Affordable Lawn Sprinklers is extremely proud they have consistently been the highest rated lawn sprinkler and lighting contractor on Angie's list since 2009. He also has a strong passion and commitment for outdoor lighting, he personally designs and oversees his larger lighting projects. He has attended various seminars by Kichler, Vista, Cast and Unique lighting companies throughout the United States.
- What advice would you give a customer looking to hire a provider in your area of work?
The 5 Key Things to Look For in a Great Contractor: There are 5 key things to look for in a great contractor. Here is a handy list to reference as you do your research. While these points are specific to irrigation system contractors, they are good general rules of thumb. 1. Tenure as a company, 95% of most companies go out of business in 5 years. New companies are learning on your job; their mistakes become your problem. We recommend looking at companies that have been in business for a minimum of 5 years. 2. Reputation References are great but even better are public sites such as Washington Checkbook, Angie's List, and Service Magic. These sites confirm companies have the right licenses, valid insurance and give customers the ability to express their feedback on how their experience was with their contractor. 3. Do they actively do work in your area? The actual installation is just the first step towards a good solution for your lawn. Next, you need the company's resources to train and retrain you on how to use the system and also how to properly maintain the system. If you live in Mclean, it doesn't make sense to hire a contractor based out of Maryland or Fredericksburg Virginia because providing your service will always be difficult if they don't service many customers in your area. 4. How many systems do they install in a year? Every year, we receive hundreds of new customers who want a reliable company to service their systems. The typical reasons are vast, ranging from the company went out of business, doesn't return their phone calls, service technicians aren't experienced, etc. But the type of company is always consistent: small contractors! The owner typically wears all the hats and loses focus on your needs~ One person has a hand in sales, project management, parts manager, accounts payable, accounts receivable, service manager, billing, receptionist, etc. More often than not, they do a great job at sales and a decent job at installations but stink at the rest. Remember, a warranty is only as good as the company. 5. Are they certified irrigation contractors? This is a national certification that contractors must sit for 2 days of class and pass a 4-hour exam. The test covers: proper backflows and installation, how to analyze water flow rates and pressure, irrigation design, safety, troubleshooting, etc. We are surprised it isn't a state law to be a Certified Irrigation Contractor; most states mandate contractors are certified. Regardless, it is a great criterion to consider when selecting the right contractor for your system. Protect your most valuable investment, your home, by ensuring only the best contractors are given the privilege of working with you!