Smart Irrigation Systems in Austin, TX
WiFi weather-based controllers and soil sensors that water your yard from your phone, cut waste, and follow Austin’s once-a-week schedule on their own. We retrofit a smart sprinkler controller onto your existing system or build it into a new one. Veteran-owned, 5.0-star rated, with TCEQ-licensed irrigators and over 20 years of work across the greater Austin area.
A plain clock timer waters on a fixed schedule whether your yard needs it or not. It runs after a rainstorm, soaks a soggy lawn, and quietly wastes water and money. A smart irrigation system fixes that. It uses local weather, and an optional soil-moisture sensor, to water only when your yard actually needs it, and it follows Austin’s once-a-week watering schedule without you thinking about it. Thrive Landscape and Design is a veteran-owned, design-build landscaper with over 20 years installing and upgrading watering systems across Travis, Williamson, and Hays counties, and we hold a 5.0 Google rating from 70+ reviews. Our work is handled by TCEQ-licensed irrigators, which Texas law requires for any irrigation install or upgrade. In most cases we retrofit a WiFi smart sprinkler controller onto your existing system, so we rarely have to dig. We also help you enroll in Austin Water rebates and handle the paperwork. Every estimate is itemized and free. For watering rules and current rebate details, see the City of Austin watering schedule and the Austin Water rebates page.
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- 500+ Projects Completed
- 20+ Years Experience
- 5.0 Google Rating
Explore Our Full Irrigation Lineup
Sprinkler Installation
A full in-ground system designed and installed by TCEQ-licensed irrigators, zoned by hydrozone with a backflow preventer and freeze protection.
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Drip Irrigation
The most water-wise way to keep beds, natives, and trees alive on one watering day a week, with water delivered straight to the root.
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Irrigation Repair
Broken heads, leaking valves, cut wires, dead zones, and failed controllers, fixed fast on any system, no matter who installed it.
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All Irrigation Services
See the full range of sprinkler, drip, smart, and repair work we do for yards across the greater Austin area.
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Our Process
Free On-Site Audit
We walk the yard with you and run an irrigation audit. We count your zones, check the controller and wiring, look for broken heads and leaking valves, and note how each area drains. A smart controller works best on a healthy system, so we find any waste first. You get honest options and a clear, itemized written estimate, with no pressure.
Pick The Controller & Sensors
We help you choose the right WiFi smart sprinkler controller for your zone count, your WiFi signal, and your budget, from brands like Rachio, Orbit B-hyve, Hunter Hydrawise, and Rain Bird. Then we decide which sensors fit your yard: a rain sensor, a weather-based ET feed, a soil-moisture sensor, or a mix. We also check whether your project qualifies for an Austin Water rebate.
Install & Retrofit
In most cases we retrofit the new controller onto your existing system, so there is no dig. We mount the WiFi controller, reuse your valve wiring, and connect it to your home network. We add any sensors, set freeze protection, and confirm every zone fires. If a zone has a problem, we repair it so the smart controller is not managing a leak.
Program By Hydrozone
This is where the savings come from. We program each zone by hydrozone, so the lawn, the beds, and the shade garden each get only what they need. We set your assigned watering day and allowed hours so the system auto-complies with Austin’s once-a-week schedule. Then we tune run times to your soil, whether that is clay east of MoPac or thin caliche out west.
App Walk-Through & Rebate Help
We set up the phone app with you, show you how to check zones, pause for rain, and read your water use. We hand off the rebate paperwork and point you to the current Austin Water program and the free WaterMyYard tool where it is offered. You end with a system you can run from your phone and a yard that waters smart, not hard.
Expert Smart Irrigation
Travis, Luis and the crew did an amazing job on our front yard landscaping. Travis had a vision that we could've never come up with on our own. They were communicative, hard working and had incredible attention to detail. We were really impressed with our experience and will… Read more
We’ve been very impressed with Travis and his team at Thrive Landscaping. From the initial design consultation through revisions and installation, the entire process was smooth, thorough, and high quality. We needed an HOA-compliant design that improved drainage and reduced… Read more
Travis was very responsive on the pricing . Luis and the crew did an amazing job and fixed a lot of problems that the prior firm had created. Very pleasant group and seem to want to please clients.
Great people providing outstanding service. Our yard has never looked better. And best of all, they stand behind their work. If something needs attention after the job is finished, they’re right on it.
After interviewing several companies, we chose Thrive Landscape to create some hardscaping for our back yard. They installed stone paving for our patio and pool area, a gravel area for our fire ring, and a raised gravel pad for a greenhouse. Everything looks great! We had a good… Read more
Thrive replaced some dying plants in a white rock bed and left it clean and beautiful. You would never know they had been in the rock bed at all - no dirt, no disruption - they left it better than they found it!
Our neighbor a few houses down had Thrive do his property and we liked how it looked, so we decided to contact them to see what it would cost to do our house. Wanted to get rid of the sand burrs and decided to do stone, rock and mulch for the whole yard in front of the house. I… Read more
We have used Thrive landscape for several projects over the past two years. They have delivered outstanding service, careful attention to detail, and impeccable service and care after the project was complete. Travis Odom is outstanding, and his vision helped us transform our… Read more
We were very pleased with Thrive from the initial bid to the completion of the project. We had our front yard and backyard landscaped. Communication was excellent and when a couple issues occurred they were quickly resolved. The onsite crew was great to work with and were… Read more
Excellent service and advice. Knowledgeable, on time, communicative owner, and crew. This is the place you want to call for your landscaping needs! We are extremely satisfied with the outcome and will use the service again. Thank you Travis and crew.
I was really pleased with Thrive. Travis arrived exactly on time for the quote, had a great design, and was able to start quickly once the plans were approved by my HOA. The crew was polite and worked quickly. They left the whole worksite very neat, and my front yard now looks… Read more
Had grass that was dead, Travis and his team transformed my backyard in a few days!
I am a repeat customer of Travis's. He recently transformed my front yard. The design was perfect for what we wanted to accomplish and the crew did high quality work which included clean-up. I will keep coming back to him in the future.
Thrive is a very professional and excellent business - they did a wonderful job on my project and I couldn't be more pleased with the end results. Will definitely use them again!
I had an outstanding experience with Thrive. Quality, honesty, value and customer service were phenomenal! Exceeded my expectations!
Swapped out black stone that were killing my plants with mulch. Added a bunch of plants and sod. Also got my irrigation and stone walkway complete. I say it is all looking great.
I don't know where to begin. Travis and his team provided an amazing landscape design, strategy, and results on our backyard for my 50th birthday celebration. Travis was patient and very detailed with his quote and made sure he covered every detail with me. Once we decided to… Read more
I’ve done two projects with these guys to include a landscaping project where I added sod, metal planters, and plants. The second was a fence repair and both turned out great. They were fairly priced, scheduled quickly, executed on time, and worked through my lunch list at the… Read more
We chose Thrive Landscaping after a friend of ours used them for their own backyard and we could not be happier with our decision. Travis and team were incredibly professional, thorough and communicative the entire time. They added new grass, flowers, gravel and lights to our… Read more
Travis with Thrive Landscape & Design did an amazing job redesigning our backyard! They were hard-working, timely, responsive and appreciated their craftsmanship they put into the project. The space looks better than we imagined — highly recommend!
Wow! Travis and his team did an amazing job refreshing our back yard! They were professional, prompt, respectful and above all had an eye for detail! It was an absolute pleasure working with them to create our dream back yard! I highly recommend Thrive Landscape and DESIGN… Read more
Our project was the tear-out, re-design and rebuild of a fairly substantial deck. Great experience with Travis Odom and Thrive Landscape. Travis is congenial, professional and great to work with. The guys on site did excellent work. We’re very happy with the finished product and… Read more
Mr Travis Odom made an excellent, unique, and original cedar fence design that we ended up using.
Great design and construction for my landscaping project. Travis and his crew were very attentive and detailed. They also took on board our feedback and we’re very willing to evolve their designs.
Travis did a great job fixing the drainage along the side of my house! Was very responsive, timely, and reasonably priced. Would reach out to again for any future landscaping needs.
Travis was very responsive and did an excellent job designing our difficult yard. We LOVE the end result and can’t wait to do phase two. Can’t say enough how happy we are with the design!
Smart Controllers & Sensors
Weather, Soil & App Control For Austin Yards
A smart irrigation system is built from a WiFi controller and the right sensors for your yard. Here is what we install most often, and what each part does. We match the setup to your zones, your soil, and how hands-on you want to be.
Request A QuoteAn app-controlled, multi-zone WiFi controller that pulls local weather and uses evapotranspiration (ET) to water only what your yard lost to heat, sun, and wind. It runs from your phone, skips a cycle after rain, and follows your assigned watering day on its own.
A soil-moisture sensor reads the real moisture in your root zone and holds a cycle when the ground is already wet, which is handy on Austin’s water-holding clay. A rain sensor pauses watering during and after a storm. Both stop the system from running when your yard does not need it.
Most upgrades are a no-dig retrofit. We swap your old timer for a smart controller, reuse the existing valve wiring, and add sensors. We can also build a smart controller into a brand-new in-ground system, and we install the brands that fit your yard, including Rachio, Orbit B-hyve, Hunter Hydrawise, and Rain Bird.
Why Choose Thrive Landscape and Design?
Auto-Compliant Watering
We program your assigned day and allowed hours into the controller, so it follows Austin’s once-a-week schedule on its own. No more guessing your day or watering on the wrong one.
Real Water Savings
Weather and soil sensors stop the system from running when your yard does not need it. The EPA estimates a WaterSense labeled controller can save an average home up to about 15,000 gallons a year.
No-Dig Retrofits
Most upgrades reuse your existing valve wiring, so we rarely have to dig. We swap the timer, add sensors, and help you enroll in Austin Water rebates with the paperwork done for you.
TCEQ-Licensed, Veteran-Owned
Texas law requires a TCEQ-licensed irrigator to alter an irrigation system, and our work is handled by one. We are veteran-owned, with over 20 years in Central Texas and a 5.0 Google rating from 70+ reviews.
Smart Irrigation Across Austin, TX
We install and retrofit smart irrigation systems across Austin and the surrounding area, from Round Rock and Cedar Park to Bee Cave and Westlake Hills, with full attention to local soil, the once-a-week watering schedule, and Austin Water rebate paperwork.
Frequently Asked Questions
Swapping an old timer for a WiFi smart sprinkler controller and adding a rain or soil sensor is a modest upgrade, not a full rebuild. The controller is a few hundred dollars, and our labor depends on your zone count, your wiring, and whether sensors get added. A whole new in-ground system with a smart controller costs much more, since that adds pipe, heads, valves, and a backflow preventer. We give itemized, on-site estimates for free and tell you whether a retrofit or a new system is the smarter spend.
Yes, in most cases. A smart controller replaces the old timer on the wall and uses the same valve wiring, so we rarely have to dig. We confirm your zone count, check the wiring and valves, mount the WiFi controller, connect it to your home network, and add a rain or soil-moisture sensor if you want one. Then we program every zone by hydrozone. If a zone has broken heads or a leaking valve, we flag it, because a smart controller cannot fix a system that is wasting water underground.
Yes, when it is set up right. Austin runs a year-round once-a-week watering schedule, with your day tied to your address. We program your assigned day and allowed hours into the controller, so it will not run on the wrong day. The weather and sensor features then skip or shorten that one cycle when rain or cool weather means your yard does not need it. During a drought the city can return to tighter Stage 2 or Stage 3 limits, and we set the controller so it is easy to adjust. Confirm your day on the City of Austin watering schedule.
ET stands for evapotranspiration, the water your soil and plants lose to heat, sun, and wind. A weather-based controller pulls local weather data, estimates how much water your yard lost, and adjusts run times to replace just that amount. On a cool, wet week it waters less or skips the cycle. In a hot, dry stretch it waters a little more. A plain clock timer cannot do that, so it tends to overwater. The EPA estimates a WaterSense labeled controller can save an average home up to about 15,000 gallons of water a year.
Austin Water runs several water-efficiency rebates, including a watering timer rebate and an irrigation upgrade rebate worth up to $1,000 for improving your system. Names, amounts, and eligibility change, so we point you to the current Austin Water rebates page and help with the paperwork. We can also point you to the free WaterMyYard tool from Texas A&M AgriLife, which sends weekly watering advice based on local weather where it is offered. We are not the rebate program, so final approval is always up to Austin Water.
We install and program the major WiFi controllers, including Rachio, Orbit B-hyve, Hunter Hydrawise, and Rain Bird, and we match the unit to your yard and budget. Rachio and Orbit B-hyve are both EPA WaterSense certified and run from a phone app. Rachio leans on hyper-local weather data and is the pricier option, while Orbit B-hyve is a strong value with on-unit buttons and a screen. The right pick depends on your zone count, your WiFi signal at the controller, and how hands-on you want to be.
Yes. Texas law requires anyone who sells, designs, installs, alters, repairs, or services an in-ground irrigation system to be a TCEQ-licensed irrigator or to work directly under one. Adding or swapping a smart controller and connecting sensors counts as altering the system, so it falls under that rule. Our work is handled by TCEQ-licensed irrigators who follow the state irrigation rules. If a quote comes in suspiciously cheap, ask whether the installer is licensed before you sign.
A weather-based ET controller uses local weather to estimate how much water your yard needs, then adjusts run times to match. A soil-moisture sensor sits in the root zone and measures the actual moisture in the ground, so it can hold a cycle when the soil is already wet. ET works off a forecast and a formula, while a soil sensor works off a real reading from your dirt. The two pair well, and some controllers use both. On Austin’s clay, which holds water, a soil sensor is a useful check.
