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| We offer a Koi Rescue Service. |
Contractors v Koi Keepers We have had several new members who have had ponds built or plan to have them done. In a recent issue of “What’s Up Doc” they had some helpful hints on the contractor and customer relationship. The article is excerpted here with a few addition from your editor. Signs of a Professional Pond Builder: There’s much more to a professionally built pond than what it looks like when it’s finished. It should be functional as well as beautiful. Low-maintenance and healthy systems are available for comparable cost. The buyer should know what to look for in a prospective builder. He should know what questions to ask and how to separate the professional pond builder from the rest of the pack. Remember - if he is representing himself as a pond builder, he is stating that pond-building is his business and he should know it well! Signs of a Real Professional: * Knows the difference between a side-skimmer and a fish-safe skimmer. (A side-skimmer just draws water from the surface and does not offer proper water flow to prevent stagnant pockets) * Suggests placing an ultraviolet water sterilizer on the pond and can tell you why. * Tells you the importance of installing an external pump vs a submersible pump. * Can install a low-maintenance system such as a bead filter and external pump. * Has showcase ponds that you can visit. * Provides lots of references. (Check them out!) * Owns (or rents) equipment. * Returns your messages and shows up on time. * Is probably booked for a few weeks to a month (unless it’s winter). * Knows the difference between a koi pond and a water garden. * Does not line the bottom of the pond with rocks. * Takes more than a day to build the pond. * Builds more than 10 ponds a year. Signs of a Builder Who Knows Only the Side-Skimmer System * Suggests placing rocks on the floor of the pond to hide the liner. * Says your filter is in the waterfall. * Pushes you toward the side-skimmer system. * Has never installed an external pump, bead or vortex filter. *Tells you it will take him no more than a day or two to build the pond. * Does not like to build ponds more than 2-1/2 ft. Deep. Signs of a Disaster About to Happen * Says you do NOT need a filter. * Can install a bog “filter” using sand or lava rock and that’s all you need! * Uses a hard plastic preformed pond liner. * Suggests a submersible pump. * Has never heard of a bead filter. * Shows up late a half asleep. * Has no references because he’s “new” to town. * Drives up towing a trailer filled with lawn mowers and weed eaters only. Meeting Expectations: A pond-building project requires good negotiation skills from both the builder and the buyer from the bidding process through the end of the project. Know what to expect and what are unrealistic expectations. Buyer’s Side: * Understand your budget very well and remember that the rule of thumb is build the biggest pond you can within that budget. * Don’t expect to get something for nothing. Installing even a small pond with a contractor is expensive and a 5000 gal. pond will cost several thousand dollars. * Don’t expect the pond to be finished in a day. Sometimes it takes a week or two, depending on the amount of hardscaping to be done. You have lived without a pond for many years and if it takes even a few months to get one that is all right. * Expect problems. Don’t be surprised by them but expect them to be corrected before completion of the project. * If you deviate from the original plan expect to pay a little more. Changes can cost the builder labor and materials. * When comparing bids, compare apples to apples. One might have a better filtration plan than the other. Ask why one is higher than the other. * Don’t be afraid to question anything. EXPECT GOOD ANSWERS YOU CAN UNDERSTAND. * Do your homework. Know what components you want in your system and how they work. Know how to figure gallonage study pond design online or in books, trust your contractor, but examine each phase of the construction * Listen to any suggestions by the builder. If it saves you time or money it may be well worth it. * Ask for warrantee paperwork and packaging before the work begins because these things are easily thrown away and lost during construction. * Expect a mess for a while! * If he doesn’t return your calls during the bidding process he won’t return them if there is a problem after construction. * Remember, just building the pond is the first step in pond owning. You have to know enough to maintain the pond and its inhabitants long after the contractor has left your backyard. Understand how to work all items associated with your pond. Ask for written instructions if necessary. Builder’s Side * Be prepared to explain the components you want to install and the reasons why. * Return phone calls promptly and show up on time. * Expect questions. *You’re there to give them what they want, not what you want to give them. Listen to them. * The job is not finished until they have been checked out on the system. Make sure they know how to clean the filters, etc. before you walk away. * Pass along any warrantee paperwork and packaging. |
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