Website design By BotEap.com1.) Have you thought of a water feature? – Is it true that a water feature will add value to my home? How about a swimming pool? Doesn’t a pond require a lot of maintenance? What is the average cost? Do i need a building permit? Do I have to eat fish? … We travel a lot!

Website design By BotEap.comAmerican Society of Landscape Architects

Website design By BotEap.comLandscape Architects Identify Trends for 2007

Website design By BotEap.comWASHINGTON, Dec. 21 / PRNewswire-USNewswire / – “Sustainable design is bigger than ever and home and commercial building owners are looking to make more use of outdoor spaces. The New Year will bring a host of exciting design solutions and creative ideas from landscape architects.

Website design By BotEap.comHomeowners are requesting that landscape architects design entire outdoor rooms, such as kitchens and bars, for entertaining. Water features such as koi ponds, waterfalls and fountains continue to be popular (with no signs of slowing down), according to a new survey of prominent members of the American Society of Landscape Architects (ASLA). “

Website design By BotEap.comThe American Nurseryman Association reports that “water features are the fastest growing trend in landscaping since 1990 (2007 should break all records).”

Website design By BotEap.comRegionally, inground pools will add about 5 percent to a home’s value in the Northeast, about 6 percent in the Midwest, and 7.5 percent in the Southeast and West. In the Southwest, a swimming pool will add almost 11 percent to the value of the home.

Website design By BotEap.comAdding a $ 35,000 common fund to a $ 300,000 home will barely recoup your initial expense. However, you still have the high cost of maintenance and you have just limited future buyers of your home to people who want a pool. Therefore, you have actually reduced your home equity. On the other hand, everyone loves a beautiful water feature, young and old! Therefore, greater equity!

Website design By BotEap.comSwimming pools require constant attention and maintenance. Unlike ponds, pool owners cannot rely on the nitrogen cycle to help keep their water healthy. This can only be achieved with due diligence and a large number of chemicals. Unlike a pond, the enjoyment of a pool comes from its use; And for most regions of the country, the climate dictates a very short period of time for pool use. Unless you heat your pool, then you are throwing more money into your pool.

Website design By BotEap.comA pond requires minimal care compared to a swimming pool. Once a properly constructed pond is established with the proper ratio of fish, plants and biological elements, a pond will take care of itself, the rest is enjoyment, all year round. You don’t need to use a pond like you do a pool, it just needs to exist for you to enjoy it.

Website design By BotEap.com2.) What do I do with the safety of my young children or grandchildren? How big should it be? Is this something I can do on my own or do I need professional help to build a pond?

Website design By BotEap.comUnlike a swimming pool, ponds can be child-proof, with very little expense. However, a swimming pool requires special self-closing doors with special latches. Another required code requirement is 95 decibel alarms on all exit doors leading to the backyard.

Website design By BotEap.comAnd for added peace of mind, you can install an unsightly, removable, lightweight fence that costs hundreds of dollars. Then you can continually agonize over whether you or someone else forgot to close the fence gate.

Website design By BotEap.comHowever, a pond can be filled with large rocks, which can be removed later as the children grow older. Or you can build a waterfall without a pond to start with. Now you can still enjoy the sight and sound of cascading water without worrying about safety.

Website design By BotEap.comAn additional advantage of a waterfall without a pond is that a waterfall without a pond costs less to build and maintain. A pondless waterfall can be added to your front yard, meet all building code requirements, increase curb appeal, and therefore increase your home’s equity and resale value.

Website design By BotEap.comThe “size of the water source” is a relative term. There are many factors that must be taken into account. Much more than can be discussed in the space I have allocated for this article. I’ll cover it in my next article. Some questions to ask yourself: How big is your garden? Where do you spend most of your time? What is your budget? How do the size, shape and topography of your garden relate to certain limitations regarding building codes? Will the existing water table affect your water source? Does your property currently have adequate drainage? Do you have underground utilities? If so, where are they located? What are the local building codes regarding pond depth? Do you need a building permit or a licensed contractor? … just to name a few of the topics covered.

Website design By BotEap.comIf you need a professional contractor is another item. What type of access do you have to your property? Do you want big rocks? If so, is there enough room for a crane or Bobcat? How do you find a qualified contractor? How do you rate them? Do they have the proper licenses? Insured? Guaranteed? Workers compensation? Liability insurance? Hospitalization? References Background checks and much, much more. Do your homework and do the proper research before you start, it could save you thousands of dollars.

Website design By BotEap.com3.) What is the most important first step in building a water feature? And the team? Should you buy koi fish and a turtle? Where should I put my pond and waterfall? All of these questions can be addressed in two words: Plan and design!

Website design By BotEap.comFirst, decide where you spend most of your leisure activity … family room, living room, patio, etc. Your waterfall and pond should be very close to that location. Not in the furthest corner of your property. Sound and visualization are two of the main benefits of a waterfall and a pond. These decisions are part of the planning process. Once you decide on these topics, the design process begins.

Website design By BotEap.comThe best way to approach this phase is to consider a digital design. There are companies that can produce an amazing digitally designed virtual photo of your backyard, simply by providing them with a digital photo of the area where you want the water feature to be located. You can choose to digitally design yours. There are digital design programs that are easy to master on your own for less than a hundred dollars. Just search the web by typing in digitally designed ponds or waterfalls.

Website design By BotEap.comThe type of equipment you should use depends on the size of your pond. Your budget is another factor. If you are on a small budget, you are considering designing a small pond. Also, look at the options available for building materials.

Website design By BotEap.comYou can purchase a rubber liner kit and install it yourself, or have an installer install it for you. The bottom line, either way, is that there is no guarantee against crooked-toothed creatures like mice, rats, ground squirrels, gophers, and ground pigs, from digging under its expensive rubber coating and poking a hole in it. Concrete (3,500 psi) and rebar are the best construction method, and if done right, they will last for generations. Concrete ponds cost only 10-20% more to build than liner ponds.

Website design By BotEap.comYour pond will require less maintenance if you allow the nitrogen cycle to do all the work. This means that you must do your part by providing the elements necessary for the nitrogen cycle to work. Fish provides the waste that produces nitrates and ammonia. Certain essential bacteria break down nitrates and ammonia into safe by-products used by plants and other organisms.

Website design By BotEap.comOnce this process has started, with the help of a biological filter and possibly ultraviolet light, future maintenance is minimal and routine. A high-efficiency air pump produces more water flow with half the energy and less upfront cost than a sump pump used with liner ponds. The electrical cost savings alone could easily pay for the added cost of professional concrete construction in less than three years.

Website design By BotEap.com4.) Where do I find the equipment and construction material I need to complete my project? How do I know what size filter, pump or UV light I need? If I want to have a concrete pond and a waterfall shell, where do I start?

Website design By BotEap.comThe Internet is the best place to start looking for equipment. Local pond shops tend to have a higher price due to overhead. Most Internet dealers know the size of pumps, filters, and UV lights for ponds or waterfalls of any size. However, keep in mind that most online dealers are trying to push pond liners, sump pumps, and filters and accessories related to pond liners.

Website design By BotEap.comLook for energy-efficient pumps first, and those dealers will carry concrete pond-related products like bottom drains, pool-type skimmers, and pressurized, back-washable biological bead filters. In addition, Liner dealers sell cheap mechanical auto-fill devices, due to a high profit margin.

Website design By BotEap.comMake sure you invest in a reliable electronic automatic fill system that is less likely to malfunction, such as levelers and water fill systems. A stuck float could lead to the death of all your fish from chlorine poisoning and possibly thousands of dollars in flood damage.

Website design By BotEap.comIf you act as your own project manager, you can get competitive bids from a local concrete contractor to pour your pond and waterfall shell. Also find a bricklayer to build your waterfall with mortar. With liner ponds and waterfalls, the rocks settle on the liner and can easily move when stepped on by adults or children, resulting in serious accidents.

Website design By BotEap.comTrying to save hundreds upfront could cost you thousands in the future. You get what you pay for.

Website design By BotEap.comPenny Wise and [pond] fool? Happy koi, peace and joy.

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