In the Winter 2009 edition of “By Design” magazine, an electronic magazine focusing on the development of better and more sustainable golf facilities, writer Brent Harvey discusses the “The Irrigation Decision.”
Harvey writes that clubs looking to replace or renovate their irrigation systems have a good opportunity to take advantage of prices that are at their lowest point in many years. He indicates one factor weighing in the buyer’s favor is the cost of materials, as prices have sharply declined over the past year.
Additionally, Harvey points out that for the first time in many years, the cost of labor is flat. He also says contractors are changing their approach, which contributes to a buyer’s market: they are quoting on the basis of covering their overheads, rather than seeking to make a healthy profit on each project.
The decrease in the price of raw materials and a stabilization in the price of irrigation equipment and labor would allow projects completed from 2005-2007 to be completed, on average, 13 percent cheaper today, according to the author.
To read Harvey’s article as it appeared in “By Design,” please click here.
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