What to ask contractors for mid-size pond project?

[j.w]

Thanks, Brokensword. I'm glad you can overlook that major shortcoming of mine and still allow me to stay here.

I suppose no one is perfect, but I suppose those of you with bogs are much closer than I am!

I don't have a bog but I don't have good filters either. I'd have put a bog in if I had known about them years ago. I get nagged here a lot to make one and I may own a shovel but I don't want to become one w/it anymore for a job that big....................or I could just I'm lazy...............but hey my choice for either one right?

 

[WaterGardener]

Right. I'm very happy with my set up and don't want to change it. Since the pond is in a greenhouse in winter the pump runs year round and I don't have the spring start up problems that can happen.

I spend way, way more time on my plants than I ever have on cleaning filters.

 

[bagsmom]

If it were me, I would contact Aquascape and get the name of a certified aquascape pond contractor in my area. They are all trained through the company, so there is a reasonable expectation that you would get someone who knew what they were doing. I believe they mostly do ecosystem ponds, though. That doesn't sound like what you are looking for. (Does anyone know if Aquascape does DKPs?) Even after getting some names, I agree with others that you should research the contractors and ask for names of clients willing to let you see their work. My neighbor had a wonderful landscaper build her concrete pond and although it is what she wanted aesthetically, she has had many problems with how it functions. He did a great job considering he had never done one before - but you really want someone with experience, knowledge, skill, and artistry. I can't wait to see your pond in progress!

 

[jgrandmont]

get more than one estimaate if you can.

Yes! I recently needed to get some electrical work done on the house -- about a days-worth of work for 2 guys. First estimate I got was for almost $4000, which I thought was way too high. But... the second estimate topped it at an unbelievable $5000!!! I ended up finding a local older guy who gave me a price of $1300 and did a fine job. It pays to do your homework.

 

[Lisak1]

Aquascape builds only ecosystem ponds. Biggest pond builder in the world... they know what they're doing. And the build lots and lots of ponds that are home to beautiful, expensive koi (as well as lots of goldfish and pond mutts!). An ecosystem pond is perfectly suited to koi of all kinds and sizes. You can definitely build a pond that is for koi only, but it will also include rocks and gravel and plants, which DKP owners would for sure not include. I think of DKPs as swimming pools for fish.

The difference between the two types of ponds is where is your filtration happening? In an ecosystem pund, the majority happens within the pond itself - in the gravel, on the rocks, and the algae and the plants. (Most ecosystem ponds also have some type of mechanical filtration, but the biological filtration is all handled by the pond.) In a DKP all the filtration is happening outside of the pond, in whatever kind of filtration system (or systems) you choose to install.

Knowing which type of pond you're interested in is the first step. But understanding WHY you're choosing the pond you're choosing is equally important.

 

[sissy]

I am lucky my son is a licensed plumber and electrical contractor , but sad he decided to move back to NJ because his towing company and tattoo parlor needed him .But learned how to do a lot of it myself plus my friend Mike is licensed also and helps me . Happy to have friends .These days expect everything to cost 2 or 3 times what it used to cost in 2020