Irrigation consultants Wardle Consulting Engineers have announced the launch of their new venture, IrriPlan Ltd. an original concept in professional independent irrigation design for golf clubs with more modest irrigation requirements and limited budgets. IrriPlan is an irrigation design studio as opposed to a consultancy.
“IrriPlan is a professional, independent design studio,” said Giles Wardle, explaining the difference, “whose income, like a consultancy, is solely derived from client fees and not from the sale or installation of irrigation products and systems. However whilst an irrigation consultancy generally bases its fees as a percentage of the contract, IrriPlan charges an all inclusive fixed fee.
“Over the last few years Wardle Consulting Engineers has enjoyed a whirlwind success in the prestige irrigation market with Royal Lytham & St. Anne’s, Carnoustie Links, The Gleneagles Hotel, The Turnberry Hotel, Queenwood and Brocket Hall amongst its client reference list.
“However like other irrigation consultancies we have been guilty of neglecting the clubs with more modest requirements and limited budgets who would nevertheless still benefit from professional, independent irrigation planning, design and monitoring. We therefore established IrriPlan to meet the needs of exactly such a market and extend the benefits of professional, independent advice to a broader audience.
“Different clients want and require a different level and type of service. The club that just wants an irrigation system for their greens, tees and approaches often cannot justify the fees for a consultant to undertake a fully comprehensive service including contract administration, project management and site supervision.
“Nevertheless such a client would still benefit from impartial, objective advice and a design and specification, to which all the contractors are bidding for, on a like-for-like basis, in a process of truly competitive tendering.
“Whilst IrriPlan does not offer the fully comprehensive site management and contract administration service offered by consultants such as Wardle Consulting Engineers, the fixed fee does include the inspection, testing and verification of the final installation to make sure it complies with the specification and current standards and regulations.
“As a special launch promotion IrriPlan are offering a free GPS survey and CAD graphical viewing software with every irrigation design. The completed survey not only acts as an accurate base drawing for the irrigation design but also gives the greenkeeper an accurate scale plan of the course which can be viewed on a PC or printed off as hard copies.”
Irriplan Ltd. irriplan@wardleconsulting.com