I had Sherman come out to give me a quote on fixing my ageing / malfunctioning DIY Orbit system. He found a few things wrong with it (valve stuck in off position, etc) but ultimately we realized it was beyond repair due to its age. He didn't charge me for his time, but did give me a quote to install a professional system as well as expand coverage to the entire back yard. His quote was reasonable / competitive, and I was lucky to get quickly scheduled. He and his crew came out and in a couple days were able to install a brand new Hunter system with sprayers and multiple drip lines. Despite having to trench through my yard, when they were done it looked as good as new. They took special care around existing landscaping and did not damage anything during the installation process. It's been a few months now, and the system is working great. Grass is green and plants are blooming. Sherman is easy to work with and super responsive. I'm extremely happy with the outcome and I'm sure you will be too. read more

McKay provided a comprehensive assessment of our whole sprinkler system including the long front driveway, backyard, and front yard. Within 15 minutes he was able to solve our main issues: a front sprinkler that was blasting the driveway for no reason, and plants dying because the zones were only running one minute, twice a week. He turned off the driveway head, reprogrammed every zone to fifteen minutes four days a week, and flagged a sprinkler head sitting right at the trunk of our acacia that needed moving. He also taught me how to use the system, which I didn't buy or install originally. Really appreciate his help and will contact again for all my system needs and questions. Incredible value for the services rendered. read more

McKay Irrigation Systems gets a very high rating on Yelp (and also from some of my neighbors) for a reason: they do great work. Sherman McKay runs the show, and he runs it well. He's great with communication, and his estimate was right on point. I had some drainage work done at my house which trashed my entire irrigation system, so I needed to have it replaced, both in the front and back yard. The McKay crew did a bang up job of it. They came in on time and on budget. They had the whole system laid out and running within about two days. Then Sherman spent some time with me to make sure I knew how to operate the controllers. In fact, they do more than irrigation, and I will likely have them come back and put in some new plants and do some other work in my backyard. They did such a good job with the irrigation system that I have high confidence they will make quick work of the other jobs too. I strongly recommend them. read more

Sherman is awesome! We were having an issue with our irrigation control system that resulted in a really high water bill (spoiler alert--it was my fault, I set it incorrectly). Sherman came over for a quick site visit, adjusted the control for me free of charge and he also took a quick look at our overall system which he thought was running pretty well overall. I'm so appreciative of his help and him sharing his knowledge with me. When we upgrade our irrigation control system this summer, I'll definitely go with Mckay Irrigation. Highly recommend based on my positive interaction, Sherman's vast knowledge and just generally great overall customer service. read more

I had been trying to repair a leaky valve for weeks and realized my entire irrigation system desperately needed an overhaul. Sherman assessed the situation and completely renovated the system. The professionalism and expertise of Sherman and his entire crew is amazing!!! The quality of their work is impressive. I wish I could give them 10 stars. I am over the moon happy that I found Sherman. He and his crew are a real joy to work with. read more

After dealing with recurring sprinkler issues we knew we needed professional help. We found McKay on Yelp and thanks to the great reviews we gave them a call! Sherman and Julio have been to the house twice and arrived right on time. They met with my husband who was so impressed with their responsiveness, professionalism, knowledge and honesty. We were given options on how to correct the immediate, pressing issues as well as what could be done to modernize the antiquated parts of our system for future landscaping work. It's such a gratifying feeling to find reputable professionals you can confidently trust with important projects around your home. Many thanks, Lexi M read more

When we moved into our home, we wanted to make sure that our current irrigation system was configured correctly from fixture to panel, and that it met all of the needs of our beautiful custom garden. Sherman was thorough, trustworthy, and professional. He came out to inspect and repair multiple broken elements and made sure that each of our watering zones was functional, testing and showing me everything during the process. When we are ready to install a fancier irrigation system for ease of use and water conservation, Mckay Irrigation Systems will absolutely be our first call. read more

McKay Irrigation Systems is amazing! We recently moved to Mill Valley and need to replace our irrigation controller and valves to restore our drip system -- Sherman was fantastic and handled the job with ease. Even coming back to assist with shifting the location of the controller after the fact. Very impressed with the professionalism, knowledge and care... We will certainly be return customers for our future irrigation and landscaping needs. read more

We had a great experience with Sherman McKay and McKay Irrigation Systems. He was easy to communicate with, delivered an accurate and reasonable bid, and got the work done even sooner than I was hoping. Altogether highly recommended! read more

Sherman and Julio came by last Friday to diagnose a simple problem with my front sprinkler system. I was very impressed with their knowledge and most important their customer service. They charged me a very reasonable fee as the problem was simple. Very knowledgeable about everything speinklers and a pleasure to deal with. read more

After I posted my review, the owner got back to me and arranged to come give a quote. He had family issues and explained that he is usually very responsive. I contacted several local companies and obtained 3 quotes: - Company 1: $2900 to replace all 10 valves. This might not fix everything and then we might need to replace the electrical components ($1500 additional) - This company: $1500 for a new controller and installation. Recommended 1 type (with a cumbersome looking app). - Company 3: $200 (2-hour minimum site visit) to install new controller and can use any extra time to address other issues. We were able to research controllers and bought one we liked (~$200) that had great reviews and an amazing app. Ultimately, Sherman (the owner) was able to correctly diagnose the problem and I feel he would have done good work. He came with a helper so part of the higher cost is for 2 people to do the work. Also they do a lot of commercial work. He was also available sooner to do the work. Considering these 3 points, I think the estimate he gave is fair. read more

We hired Sherman and Julio to install an entirely new irrigation system for us this fall after we realized our newish watering system was either over-watering all of our plants or not watering them enough. The system they installed is the Hunter Pro HC smart controller along with the Hunter Flow meter, so that we are able to see how much irrigation water we are using at any given time, and adjust accordingly. And they also installed a meter which provides leak detection. In addition to the new irrigation system, Julio and Sherman (and crew) installed a french drain along the bottom of our property, as we live on at the bottom of a hill and the plants at the bottom of our yard were drowning. Since McKay irrigation completed their work a few months ago, all the plants in our yard have been thriving. I would like to add that Sherman and Julio go above and beyond, their work is impeccable, they walk you through every new item and how it runs, and they are incredibly professional and kind. Additionally, Sherman is always available to help, answer questions, and/or update watering times remotely. The way they work with their team, have lunch together as a group and stay completely involved in every step of the process is also highly unusual and really stood out to me. I cannot say enough good things about McKay Irrigation. read more

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Ran into a problem with my sprinkler, as in I accidentally broke something. Sherman called back right away and asked me a few questions to make sure my irrigation wouldn't flood. He stopped by to take a look, arranged a time to fix the part, and provided a quote on the spot. At the appointment, he helped repair the broken sprinkler head and a few other broken parts. Very trustworthy, prompt and professional.Cannot recommend Mckay irrigation enough! read more

They responded to me quickly. But my project was a pretty small one, and they had a full schedule of big ones. So they suggested I try one of the others. I appreciated the fact that they weren't in the position of responding quickly to my need and told me so rather than keeping me waiting. read more

I have a 30 year old irrigation system. It has seen better days. I recently hired McKay Irrigation to replace a large drainage pipe under my deck that was broken and causing flooding. They also replaced my very old and outdated irrigation controller with a state of the art, wifi/app, controller. As well, they tested my system and made some upgrades to valve boxes and other areas where needed. From the first meeting, Sherman and Julio and crew were professional, highly communicative and performed very high quality work. (not my past experience when hiring for this type of work). Always on time, impeccably neat despite difficult work, always keeping their word, always extremely responsive, very very thorough. I know I will be able to call them in the future for anything and they will be there for me. I feel fortunate to have McKay Irrigation as a resource. (photo is of my app irrigation controller :) read more

Mckay Irrigation Systems - Irrigation Near Me

I was having problems with my irrigation system and contacted McKay. I received a very thoughtful text that let me know they were really booked up and suggestions on how I could go about obtaining the names of other professionals in the area. I appreciated them taking the time to put me on the path to finding someone who could help me even though they were fully booked read more

Partners Sherman Mckay and Julio Escobar installed our Hydrawise irrigation system in our front and back gardens which has conserved water, lowered our EBMUD bills and kept our plants healthy. We loved working with Sherman and Julio who are informative, resourceful and responsive to our questions and needs. They have a small crew of people whom they've trained. Watching them work is like watching a choreographed dance, plus they're efficient. We could not be happier, and, believe me, we're not easy to please. Jane and Katrina, officers in our condo association in Oakland read more

This review isn't on the work that was done, because we went a different route due to budget restrictions.BUT the fact that the owner took the time to chat with for 10 mins about a solution outside of using his company was amazing! If the time comes that I redo my whole system I wouldn't hesitate to hire McKay irrigation system, especially know that a landscape companies do know a thing about true plumbing or irrigation. read more

Incredibly helpful with a simple valve shut off issue! Responsive and quick to solve the problem

We decided to install a new irrigation system in our home. McKay came to the rescue, with Julio, Santiago, and the crew and proposed a subsurface dripping irrigation system that resulted more effective and efficient than the sprinklers (worth every penny). Using the Hunter smart controller and the Hunter water meter, which allow you to track water usage, made a big difference. We also put new trees in the sidewalk strip, and McKay followed the recommendations of the City of Berkeley about irrigation (a bubbler for each tree). They have been very responsive about everything: timing, running lines, adjusting flow, teaching the app, making adjustments, etc. Highly recommended. We're very happy with their work and the result. read more

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I highly recommend McKay Irrigation Systems. Their team is knowledgeable, friendly, honest, and good with communication. They also did a fantastic job with our french drain project. A+ read more

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Sherman was so efficient and professional. He was extremely responsive and went above and beyond to replace our irrigation system quickly. Highly recommend him! read more

The team at Mckay went above and beyond for every part of the process. We needed to replace our aging and failing irrigation system. I reached out to a few vendors for a quote and while a few got back to me, none of them were as responsive and thorough as Mckay. They completed the work quick, clean, and to the plan with no surprises. They have a team of experienced professionals, who take pride in doing a great job. On top of that, they have responded to questions after the install quickly and thoroughly. If I were ever to have another system installed, I would use them without even checking with another vendor. read more

We bought a new home last year, and had never owned a garden before. Turns out watering takes a lot of time! After researching a few irrigation companies, we selected Mckay and were very happy with them. Sherman & Julio came right away to give us a quote, and explained all the options available to us. The Netafim drip lines they recommended have worked really well, our garden is happy, and we're spending less time watering it! The installation went smoothly, and they completed the job quickly and on schedule. read more

Simply the best! I have a complicated situation since I use well water and it causes all sorts of issues. Sherman and Julio are amazing. Whenever I have a problem I call or text them and almost always get an immediate response. I cannot say enough to give them adequate praise for excellent customer service that goes way above and beyond!!! read more

Sherman installed our sprinkler system several years ago and did a great job!

A+, top notch, true professionals that truly take pride in their work. Our ancient buried system kept breaking every 3-4 months due to ground movement, and after our fourth run in a year with leak detectors and massive EBMUD overage charges, we had had enough. McKay was out to inspect and plan for a quote within 24h, and commenced work in a week. Next generation tech, auto-disconnect from the main, wifi, above ground lines run along the retaining walls to beat the soil movement, emanators, drips, and high-efficiency heads have literally dropped our usage by 80% or more. Team was super efficient, incredibly hard working, and very nice. It's basically hiring your own EBMUD crew with their own software and hydrologic engineers. Very helpful in the rare event there's an issue (issue wasn't their fault, construction related 6 mo after install), concierge-level irrigation support last minute on a Saturday morning bearing drills, multimeter, and replacement system just in case speaks it all. Remote monitoring at all times, and non-intrusively checking in if the wifi goes down for prolonged periods. Can't recommend this company enough, worth every penny. No regrets, would hire again in a heart beat. Don't hesitate, do the right thing and call them now. Your water bill, watershed, and peace of mind will be ever thankful. One tip, before install, have EBMUD come out to do a preinstallation inspection to maximize your $2000 rebate (limited to a ~$200 equipment-only if you apply after install). No way around it, check their site: (https://www.ebmud.com/water/conservation-and-rebates/rebates/irrigation-equipment-rebate). McKay all the way!!! read more

AMAZING!! Even amidst these crazy times, Mckay was amazing and was able to help us fix a sprinkler who had a mind of its own, and kept on while our system was off. I called him late in the afternoon one day, and next thing you know he and Julio were here the next morning fixing our valve. They were extremely credible, and knew exactly what the issue was. They fixed it in under an hour. We'll definitely call him back when we're ready to do a major overhaul for our system. Thanks Mckay!! read more

I have only positive comments about McKay Irrigation. From the point of initial contact, the business was responsive and accessible. Review of my property and goals were fully discussed. The bid arrived quickly, and the work was scheduled promptly. The installation crew was professional and experienced, wasting no time or energy completing the total overhaul of my ancient irrigation system. Health considerations were followed. I lost no plants in the process. The yard was divided in to 12 sections, and the ability to change the schedule with my WiFi system is intuitive and easy. In short, I wholeheartedly recommend McKay Irrigation. read more

Mckay Irrigation Systems - Irrigation Near Me

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McKay is the absolute BEST! Quality work , friendly and responsive! read more

Mckay Irrigation Systems - Irrigation Near Me

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We needed to replace the irrigation system that we inherited when we bought the house. Sherman was recommended by a friend and did a phenomenal job (along with his crew). The estimate was quick, the work was scheduled and his crew was punctual, efficient, and adhered to all the COVID protective measures. After it was installed he walked us through all aspects of the system and it is a major upgrade from what we had before. We would highly recommend McKay Irrigation to anyone who wants to upgrade. We are super hap read more

Mckay Irrigation Systems - Upgraded water valve and sprinkler system for front zones. - Irrigation Near Me

I had leaks everywhere and needed a full sprinkler system replacement. Sherman and Julio and their fully masked team did a beautiful job quickly and safely with minimal disturbance to our plants or daily routine. The system they installed is designed to operate on its own, but also has an easy to use app that lets me control things whenever I wish. I am saving a ton of water and I no longer have to deal with broken sprinkler heads! They also built me some new beautiful redwood raised planters which they also lined against gophers, filled with topsoil and irrigated. Plants are already thriving. To top it all off they are super pleasant to work with, they warranty their work and are super responsive to questions and requests. read more

Sherman McKary is an unmatched professional. A master at his craft and an honest and transparent businessman. Sherman and his partner Julio responded to my call for replacing a residential sprinkler system that had suddenly failed. What set Sherman apart initially was that out of 7 companies I called during the 4th of July week, McKay was the only one to respond at all. Even after the holiday week. While I had installed the original system myself years earlier, the type of systems available to at your local hardware store/Home Depot are disposable and most important, no longer compatible with the hardwired, conduit fed and code compliant infrastructure I had installed. Simply tearing up what was there in order to replace with lesser grade components made no sense from a cost/benefit standpoint. I needed a professional that understood what was needed to meet my requirements for irrigation without unnecessary labor or associated cost. Sherman and Julio replaced my failed system in 4 hours using commercial quality components while utilizing the existing electrical infrastructure built specifically for this purpose. They also did an excellent job in rewiring the circuit to a remote station fully concealing the UF wire. Lastly, they built extra capacity into the new system so I can easily add drip or other irrigation systems as our needs evolve. In all, McKay Irrigation Systems did an excellent job. And for a sprinkler system, it was a work of art. I doubt anyone in this field can match McKay's skill and professionalism. Finding quality, professional support in this field is refreshing in light of door step contractors and Home Depot. They are reasonably priced for the service and quality provided. I cannot recommend them high enough. read more

Sherman and Julio really saved my irrigation system! I had someone else install a system that was terrible. It never worked. Sherman came in and redesigned a whole new system which works beautifully! I waited six months before writing a review to make sure I was happy and I am!! The system is controlled with an app and I have full control. My garden is looking well in spite of the drought and I have actually cut a little bit watering. Sherman has come over a few times to look at the system and made great suggestions. Julio is very knowledgeable and knows exactly what is needed for a better system. I will continue to recommend McKay irrigation! read more

I highly recommend McKay Irrigation. Sherman McKay is a hands-on owner who, with his team, does excellent work designing and installing irrigation systems. He installed a system at our home 10+ years ago. The system has worked flawlessly. Sherman has continued to be responsive, helpful and reliable throughout the years whenever anything came up that we needed (such as recently when I added a controller to a different part of the garden). One time my husband mistakenly cut one of the irrigation lines and Sherman quickly responded to our SOS for assistance! Great company, honest and terrific people, reasonable and fair pricing - the best!! read more

I'm posting this review while the work on my yard is in progress because my experience with Sherman, Julio and their team has been stellar. The most responsive, the most calm and patient, the most flexible, the most collaborative contractors I have worked with. And all of them lovely people. Not. Cheap. But so far (3/4 finished) I am very happy with the quality. I will recommend them to everyone I know. read more

We reached out to Sherman after spending years trying to deal with our 50-year old irrigation system with myriad and random subsequent modifications. We were constantly fighting mysterious leaks and excessive water use. Sherman and his team carefully and thoroughly mapped out our system which included over 20 zones and then installed a new controller and Hydrawise system. With the help of Mike Tilley, within a few weeks we had replaced virtually all of our sprinklers with a drip system. The new system has given us an amazing level of information and control that is accessible from my phone, and our water usage has gone down by over 50%. Sherman stayed on top of the job from beginning to end, even when he was busy with other jobs. The peace of mind that the new system has brought us is priceless, and we can't recommend McKay Irrigation Systems highly enough. read more

Hunter and Jose were very patient in helping my mother set up her irrigation system. Hunter explained the app to us and provided phone support when I had a plumbing issue. The garden looks great ! read more

I am the president of a condominium homeowner's association of ten homeowners in Albany, California. Our association hired McKay Landscape Irrigation to install a new irrigation system on a steep hillside with major erosion problems. This was a complex project which required collaboration among multiple contractors, including a landscape architect, a horticultural crew, a structural engineer, a drainage contractor, and a foundation footing contractor. I heartily recommend McKay Landscape Irrigation for the following reasons: 1. Knowledge of state-of-the-art irrigation systems, including environmentally sensitive weather monitoring to save water whenever possible. (The project was completed at the height of the 2013-2014 winter drought.) 2. Demonstrated ability to work in a professional and courteous manner with multiple parties as described about, also including several Homeowner Association board members and homeowners. 3. Excellent networking with affordable, competent, and available contractors to assist with rapid completion of the entire project. Without the recommendations from McKay Landscape Irrigation, the project might still be uncompleted. To recap, I endorse McKay Landscape Irrigation without reservation. read more

After the El Cerrito City approved our six-foot fence to keep hungry deer from munching on our expensive shrubs, it was time to think about irrigation. Hand-watering and a manual sprinkler system is only fun for the first few minutes and rapidly turns into a reluctant walking meditation. We first considered a sprinkler system or a drip irrigation do-it-yourself approach, but after realistically surveying our quarter-acre plot and growing increasingly dubious about the manual effort involved, I called in the true professionals. Sherwin and Julio responded quickly and after listening to our requirements, they surveyed the area with us in tow, took several measurements and tapped away furiously on their iPad. The estimate was high, I thought. But feeling adventurous and based upon a succession of positive Yelp reviews, I gave them the go-ahead. Soon afterwards, an energetic crew arrived and dug multiple small trenches all over the garden, ran low-voltage electric wires and lay down more tubing than you could stuff into a small truck. I was honestly surprised by the amount of work involved and felt a deepening sense of relief that I had not foolishly tackled a much bigger project than I had anticipated. It has now been almost a year, and the irrigation system is performing outstandingly. It programs itself automatically based upon weather conditions and we can adjust any setting from anywhere as long as we have an internet connection. Sherman has also been stellar in his customer service. Contacting me when he detects any interruptions due to electrical outages, and making sure our system is behaving the way we intended. I recommend him highly. read more