The Cost of Digging a Pond

The cost of digging a pond is a big subject — the cost changes due to a number of different things like pond types and styles of the garden pond you want.  On this webpage, Mark – The Pond Advisor will explain the cost of building a garden pond for you. Plus mark talks about the average cost to build a koi pond.

Here is also a video Mark made about the subject. How much does a pond cost?

How much does a garden pond cost?

One of the first questions we get here at Any Pond is: How much does a garden pond cost?  The quick answer to that is a challenging question to answer. However, I hope to help you (to the best of my ability).  It’s easy to explain some general pricing guidelines for garden ponds.

When buying a garden pond, the price ranges can vary drastically.  There are so many options and styles to choose from, like buying a new vehicle or purchasing a new home.   Suppose you think about buying both of these items.  You have so many options and enhancements to consider.

However, most people understand the importance of getting what they want when buying these items. So they don’t have any regrets.  Yes, you can trade in a vehicle if you don’t like it, but it’s much harder to change with ponds and houses if you don’t like it anymore.

You’re going to see your garden pond every day for as long as you live in your home.  Please buy the best option for you and you’re lifestyle; this will, in turn, keep you the happiest in the long run.

The average cost of landscaping a garden with a pond

Our average garden pond cost is around £5000 to £7000 as we build ponds of all shapes and sizes.  There are so many variables however with not only our ponds to consider, you also have other options and prices if you’re thinking about doing it yourself. So the average pond cost to a DIY pond build-cost of digging a pond er is a lot less as they would be purchasing only the materials.

Deciding to create a new garden pond or water feature is an exciting time for any household.  But what is the average cost or the cost of digging a pond? It depends on many factors like the above — the different options and enhancements.

There are many places to find good landscaping ideas and some great information on basic pond construction.  But not many places to find out what custom things are priced at or the cost of digging a pond, like this, constantly changes from garden to garden.

Many general landscapers and local builders will not be able to give you pond package prices or even price ranges on there websites.  Most should know how much they would charge you with a couple of pictures, but most say they need to work it out (interesting i wonder why that is).  But they obviously do not build enough of them each year, or they change the selling price on the spot, depending on the car you drive.

Do not overlook any water feature design, especially ponds, as it can cost you more money in the long run.

All we want as homeowners is a quick answer or guide prices to budget.  Without potential buyers knowing a rough cost, it’s tough to budget.  A garden pond or water feature project should be simple.

After first understanding what you and your family want and need.  You should expect a guide price when you are ready.  Via a telephone call, email exchange, when ever you are ready to have that conversation.  The building and construction cost of a pond or water feature is simple and easy we can give you it all up front.  You should be able to be compared and buy a simple pond package or water feature from a web page.

The building and construction cost of any pond or water feature is simple and easy. We can give you it all upfront the cost of digging a pond (even if it’s a custom one of a kind water feature, everyone should work to a budget).

We believe you should be able to be compared and buy a simple pond package or water feature from a web page.

How much does it cost to build a pond in the UK
How much does it cost to build a pond in the UK

We are open and honest with pricing, all our display ponds and water features are priced individually because that’s the beauty of a water feature.  You can own a simple patio pond from as little as a couple of hundred pounds all the way up to 60k, 70k or £80,000 depending on your budget and space.

We believe you should know the cost of building a pond and other prices before coming out.  So everybody is on the same page, and we are talking about the same picture.  This is designed to save you time; it is simple once you know which pond you would like to own.

Are you unsure which water feature you would like to invest in?  Many people in your position need help looking for water feature ideas?  This is why we have several displays you can visit (in our inspiration gardens) you can book a time to come and visit; just let us know you would like to view our garden, and we will put the kettle on.

Deciding on which type of feature to have is easy for most people.  Once that is chosen then the next step is. To choose the actual positioning of the new feature in the garden.  Deciding on both these is a very good achievement.  But then finding out the cost could be a brain racking experience, as most people have no idea of the cost, so they can quickly decide if it’s with in their budget on not.

There can also be so many different features on a pond that can make the prices vary.  It is not necessarily always the size of the pond that changes the cost of the water feature.  But what goes into the construction process for aesthetic or functional purposes.

What affects the price of a pond building project?

The cost of having us build you a custom garden pond can vary greatly.  As it can depend on size, the shape, the grade change of the garden, access, moving waste around.

The size of the feature can change the price or the cost of digging a pond. It is self-explanatory as most people understand the more prominent the construction, the more significant the cost.  Garden pond sizes can range from a tiny wildlife pond up to large recreational ponds.

How the shape of the pond can change the price.  The shape of the pond can alter the time needed to construct the pond. Some shapes take a lot longer and require more skill to create.

The grade change on the garden can change the price of a garden pond. As this is down to the possibility of extra excavation work and the need for retaining walls.  It might be a case of having to dig down to the final water level before even excavating the pond. The grade change on the garden can also affect how much soil has to be removed from the garden.

The access to the construction site might affect the price due to again time (speed of building the pond) and also precautions around property damage.  Tight access limits the size of the machinery and the size of rock we can use.  We face this problem quite often in the Midlands UK.

The distance from the pond building site and a driveway or a road can increase the price, especially when we are taking waste away. As everything needs to be protected to minimise garden and property damage.

Keeping a tidy site when we have a long distance between the new pond excavation site and where the soil has to go, like skips or other areas in the garden.  Moving machines around can make more mess than needed.

Even walking across the grass several times will wear the grass thin as we need to move around with wheelbarrows full of soil, gravel, rocks and other pond building equipment.

These things all add time to the project.  So the most cost-effective pond builds are in the front garden (no access issues) with good digging conditions.  The area is nice and level, with enough room to build up banking to get a creative lovely waterfall backdrop.

How much does it cost to build a small pond?

Sometimes a smaller pond will actually cost the same as a bigger pond would without the options.  Plus sometimes smaller garden pond installations can be more like building a ship in a bottle.  As it can take the same amount of time to build as a normal ship would have.  We have had a couple of cases when they cost even more money per square meter.

Generally most people want a much higher attention to detail on smaller water features.  If I can give you the example of a bonsai tree.  As you would expect they tend to cost more money.  Than the same age of tree that is even larger that the bonsai.  This is due to the time that is spent caring and shaping the lovely bonsai trees.

Some examples of pond quote request I get, like the average cost to build a koi pond 

I really do need a rough idea of the cost to build a pond in my back garden.  I don’t have limitless funds plus my partner is unsure.  To whether or not a garden pond is a priority at the moment.

I really am keen to know just how much it would cost us to have a garden pond – roughly so we know what we are thinking about. even if you can give us the average cost to build a koi pond.

I believe it would be an investment and would improve our garden immensely.  Plus I wouldn’t have to look out on a pea soup puddle any more.

I am interested to know what can be done in my garden and roughly how much it will it cost to build a pond?

What the pond costs, all depends on what you would like, what is important to you.  Foregoing some features that would make a whole lot of difference to some people can change the price of a pond. When you think of the top luxury ponds you need to think about the style.  The functionality and the options that you want with the pond.  Do you need/want pond lights, an extra stream, additional landscaping to blend the pond or water feature into your landscape.

How much does it cost to build a pond in the UK?

So the answer to How much does it cost to build a pond in the UK?  It doesn’t have to be rocket science.  You can go for a pond package starting as low as a few hundred pounds or a few thousand pounds depending on the size and style. You can off course go as luxury and is unique as you desire.  The sky is not the limit if you can dream it we can build it.  But you would need to have your bank details ready.

Hope this article has helped you know the cost of installing a pond, If you are looking to build the pond yourself then the cost of building a garden pond is a lot less.  But remember as pond builders all we do the same is dig a hole.  So the average cost to build a koi pond yourself versus hiring at pond professional.  Could be double or triple the cost of the materials, due to the price of skilled labour is high.

The Average Cost to Building a Koi Pond

Like all of the other types of garden pond listed and mentioned above, koi ponds and pool are no different. But to give you the average cost to build a koi pond is what you might be looking for.

All I can talk about in this article are our professionally installed koi pond package prices; if you want to be totally hands-on and dig the water feature (pool or pond) yourself, the price will be different as the ponds we make are much different from your average traditional fish pool or something your local builder might create for you.

Our average pond packages (Paradise in your own back garden) are around £8500 to £16,000.  However, if you are looking for something more affordable due to funds or limited space then others companies might be better suited to your needs. Traditional builders might be able to make a lovely raised fish pool for around £5000 to £6000.

How koi pond costs compare to other water feature types.

So for our base price, koi pond £15,999.98, you would be looking at a lovely 11’ by 16’ by 3’ koi pond with a beautiful waterfall on its edge.

I can see it on of course this includes personal tastes, level of experience as a hobbyist, and of course the budgets.

Koi are big fish, so they need a big pond, so the price is much more than a patio pond! Then we need to consider how many koi carp want to be kept. What type of detailing do you want around the actual pond. Is it an in-ground koi pool like a swimming pool with fish in? Everything is dedicated to keeping as many fish as possible in a small footprint. Did you know you can have more fish than water with an open system? Fish farming is made very easy with all the gadgets and whistles. However, it is a lot more work and attention than an ecosystem pond, which is much more like keeping them free range.

Some Koi enthusiasts spend thousands of person-hours each year trying to get the best results from the Koi pond, which is all part of their hobby. Cleaning and looking after the fish is rewarding in itself. Many people want to enjoy the relaxing pond side.

They prefer to sit and enjoy the beautiful coloured fish swimming around a much more naturally balanced ecosystem pond. So as you can see, it is tough to compare the costs of different water features because each is designed specifically for a specific thing.

Let’s compare the cost of a koi pond instead of a re-circulating stream or disappearing waterfall.

It’s tough to compare the costs of different water features because they are designed for other things.

So for our £15,999,95 base price, you could have an 8m long stream.

An 8m re-circulating streams or waterfalls project is perfect for people looking for a natural mountain stream flowing in their back garden. They can enjoy the sights and sounds of a custom water feature. You can have flowing water at a flick of a switch whenever you feel like it.

Well is obvious to say you can’t keep Koi carp in a mountain stream. Also, you can’t have a great big natural re-circulating stream/waterfall without a water reservoir. We hide the water feature reservoir underneath the ground on these systems, so the water looks like it disappears.

We design these systems to hold two and a half times the water emotion. This allows for evaporation, and it doesn’t matter where the level is in the underground reservoir because you can’t see it.

Our average stream builds come in at 6-8K, but our smallest fairy features have a base price starting at £1498.98 with DIY kits from a few hundred pounds.

Stream and waterfall packages can be enhanced right up to Niagara Falls if space and the level of investment is right (not many people know Niagara falls is in fact man made to some extent has it has an artificial flow rate controlled by humans!). There is truly no limit to these projects’ potential size, scope, and cost.

Let’s compare the cost of a lovely koi pond to a self-contained fountain.

We’re not talking about the off-the-shelf water features that you can buy from your average garden centre. We’re talking about the one-of-a-kind, custom, unique, show-stopping works of art.

So for our £15,999.98 base price, you could have a professionally installed masterpiece incorporating many elements like a mixture of precious metals (brass, copper, tombac, titanium etc.), fire, spectacular lighting displays, manipulated and hand-carved natural stone.

If you have minimal space, then fountains and other water features are fantastic because the possibilities are endless.

These water features don’t have to be that small. They can be a combination of different aquatic art pieces all coming together to make a truly spectacular impact.

The amount of water in motion determines the size of the reservoir. These reservoirs and basins are hidden again out of sight (like the disappearing streams and waterfalls mentioned above). These basins can range in size from a few hundred litres of water to sizeable rain-water harvesting systems storing thousands of litres of water.

The range of possibilities is endless. A good starting point for a professionally designed water feature would be a couple of thousand pounds. Honestly, some of the elements cost a lot more due to the amount of work involved in these works of art.

You can also incorporate these water features into a pond. So in conclusion here, I hope that helps you when comparing the cost of different water features.

Some more articles on pond costs:

3 responses to “The Cost of Digging a Pond”

  1. Glen says:

    Hi Mark,I’m looking to relocate my fish pond to the other side of my garden from being in the ground to a razed pond.

  2. Tony Jones says:

    Sent this enquiry last week but no response – can you help?
    25 years ago I inherited a 5 x 3 x 0.75m (max) pond which has a plastic liner over, I think, a preformed shell. I want to upgrade to something like 6 x 4 x 1m, fed by a 3m watercourse.
    I have suitable Oase pump/ fibreglass filter and UV filter so I need excavation and disposal, liner/underlay and construction of a watercourse.
    I live near Huntingdon, about 40 miles from you. Could you give me some idea of cost and timing please?
    Regards,
    Tony

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