Everything You Need to Know to Build the Perfect Backyard Pond
Everything You Need to Know to Build the Perfect Backyard Pond
Want to introduce an attractive new dimension to your landscape? Just add water. The experts at This Old House explain what it takes to create a handsome, thriving aquatic centerpiece for your backyard
What's it cost? Home-center kits start at $70 for a simple 9-square-foot, 84-gallon pond. A more typical 176-square-footer installed by a pro starts at $5,000, while more grandiose versions can easily exceed $50,000.
DIY or hire a pro? Ponds longer than 6 feet on a side and deeper than 18 inches require so much digging and other heavy work that they are best left to pros. Smaller ponds are good DIY projects, but let pros handle the plumbing and electrical work.
How long do they last? It all depends on the liner. The best ones have a 20-year warranty and 30- to 40-year life span.
How much maintenance? The electricity to run a pump for a typical 176-square-foot pond costs about $260 a year. Filters need frequent cleaning. A pond-maintenance firm starts at about $1,000 a year.
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