With its soothing atmosphere in a tranquil setting, it’s hard to beat the appeal of a garden pond in a landscape. A pond creates a welcome environment to escape from the hectic noise and commotion of daily living. You can create a garden pond as the focal point of a landscape plan or tuck it away as a quiet retreat. If you’re considering adding one to your property, choose a level area that gets plenty of sunshine, because aquatic plants bloom best with a full day of direct sunlight. Don’t forget to fill the pond; it’s convenient to be within reach of the water spigot so the pond can be filled easily.
A landscaper will charge $5,900, including labor and material to install a shallow 6-foot-by-8-foot pond. If you want to do it yourself, buy a pond kit for $4,575, the cost of a kit, and the landscaping materials for a pond that size. The kit comes with all the components, including a 10-foot-by-15-foot liner, pump, filter, 25 feet of 1-inch tubing, and fittings.
Installing a pond involves first creating an outline for the edges of the pond, followed by excavating the area, laying down padding and underlayment, installing the liner, building a rock border, and then installing a filtration system. It’s an ambitious project for a do-it-yourselfer, but well worth the effort.
To find more DIY project costs and to post comments and questions, visit www.diyornot.com and m.diyornot.com on smartphones.
Pro Cost—DIY Cost—Pro time—DIY Time—DIY Savings—Percent Saved
$5,900—$4,575—45.0—47.5—$1,325—22 percent
