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Frequently Asked Questions:
Find answers to all of your pond-building questions!
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Frequently Asked Questions
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Why should I use you instead of my (self|landscaper|friend)?
This is what we do. It's ALL we do. You need someone on-site that can mold and fold liner,
place rocks safely and effectively, eliminate leaks and splatter, keep fish safe from chemicals and critters, winterize equipment, calculate the
proper volumes for equipment, etc.
A pond can be a hole in the ground with water or it can be an attractive addition to your landscaping.
Worried about the cost? Well, we buy at wholesale discounts so by the time our fee is added in, your probably at the same
cost as if you had purchased materials at a retail location and built it yourself.
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How much will a pond or water feature cost?
Pond cost greatly depends on the style of pond that you choose and the abundance of materials available. Here in New Hampshire,
rock is a little less expensive than elsewhere but fish and plants may be more expensive and more difficult to find.
Our prices are completely based on equipment and labor hours. Of course, we'll be happy to provide you with an estimate in person or you can even send
us photos or sketches. Most garden water features range between $600-$1500. Larger ponds and waterfalls are usually between $4,000 and $8,000.
Our largest projects (trout ponds with 20' depth, ponds with dimensions greater than 100' on a side, etc.) can be anywhere up to $50,000.
We strongly recommend spending a little bit extra for better equipment when you're ready to build!
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What are your payment terms and other policies?
Payment is expected in advance for expenses. This includes plants, hardware and tractor setup and delivery. For projects
that will last longer than two days, we require a partial payment every second day for hours up to that point.
We are very careful while building but are not responsible for damage to the surrounding landscape during construction. If we
are bringing our heavy equipment or dump trucks, your grass will be damaged. Please let us know if you would like us to reseed
for you at the end of the project.
We accept all major credit cards with a signature on the receipt or online payment. Bounced checks will incur a $40 fee.
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What areas do you cover?
We work primarily in New Hampshire and Southern Maine. Our offices are located in Rochester (Strafford County).
The majority of our clients are in the seacoast area but we will travel any distance upon agreement to pay travel time and expenses. See our
Pricing page for details.
Our frequently visited territory includes all of the areas surrounding:
NH: Dover, Somersworth, Newington, Portsmouth, Hampton, Hampton Falls, Exeter, Durham, New Durham, Stratham, Rye, Rollinsford, Gonic, Rochester, Farmington, Wolfeboro, Lee, Lebanon, Milton
Maine: Wells, Kennebunk, Kennebunkport, York, Cape Neddick, Sanford, Waterboro, Biddeford, Ogunquit
We will travel for large jobs, commercial projects or emergency situations. Travel is billed at a discounted rate.
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Do you work with landscapers and other resellers?
Quite a bit actually! Most of our clients are through customer referrals but many landscaping and construction companies hire us
to create water gardens for their clients. If your landscaper or landscape architect has a plan, we can manage the construction
of the project, even using their own labor in many cases.
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How long will construction take?
We will build most garden ponds in one day (assuming that the soil is cooperative) rain or shine. Larger ponds can take up to a week. We can then set up a maintenance
program with you if you would like.
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How do maintenance programs work?
We will set up a schedule to clean your pond, test and treat the water, fix and problems, work with and place water plants,
inspect fish and wildlife for problems, prepare your pond for seasonal changes, etc. The cost is based on the frequency of the
visits but is not very expensive. You will pay for expenses (like chemicals) and a small amount for our service depending on
your location.
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Wont mosquitos breed in my pond?
Not at all. In fact, ponds can actually reduce the number of mosquitos in an area. A pond should always have moving water. If water stays
stagnant for a long period of time, mosquito larvae can hatch. Most of the time, your fish will eat them before they learn to fly
though. In a constantly running stream or active pond environment, bugs and mosquitos can not find suitable locations to lay eggs
so they will move on to other locations.
Even bog gardens can reduce the number of mosquitos in an area by attracting other carnivorous insects like dragonflies, mantis,
and ladybugs. Even bats can be attracted to certain types of pond ecosystems.
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I have a pond but it's green with algae. What do I do?
Most people dump chemicals in a green pond but you are not treating the source of the problem. With the proper balance of plants, fish, and
filtration that simulates a natural stream, a pond will remain clear. We usually suggest the addition of a low wattage ultraviolet light and
attempt to add lava rock to any flowing water. Barley helps in some cases but nothing beats a natural plant filter.
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I can not keep my koi because (i'm moving/live in Maine/I lost some last winter). What can I do?
If you have koi that you can no longer keep. Please let us know and we will pick them up or you're welcome to drop them off (by appointment).
We offer a winterization service (see our pricing page) where we keep your fish indoors in either our greenhouse or indoor stock tanks for
the duration of the winter. Even if you live in Maine, we may be able to get a waiver to pick them up for transport out of the state. We are currently working
with their D.E.P. to develop such a program.
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So what are the laws regarding fish and plants in Maine?
Good luck finding specific laws about fish in Maine. If you find anything in legal jargon, email us a link. All we've been able
to find is this link but if you keep koi, be sure
the warden will show you some hidden statute.
Maine also recently passed a law making it illegal to sell or distribute 11 species of aquatic plants in the state. These plants are
considered to be invasive and therefore a threat to the natural waters of Maine. We're right there with them on the plant issue, not so
much with the fish though. Koi just aren't an aggresive species. Anyway, contact the Maine DEP Invasive Aquatic Species
Program at 207-287-3901 if you have any questions. Below is a list of the illegal plants with possible alternate names:
Cabomba caroliniana (Fanwort, Carolina fanwort, Green Cabomba), Egeria densa (Brazilian elodea), Anacharis, canadensis gigantea, Elodea, canadensis gigantea, Elodea canadensis, Brazilian waterweed, Common waterweed, Leafy elodea, Hydrilla verticillata (Hydrilla, Water thyme), Hydrocharis morsus-ranae (Frogbit, European frogbit), Myriophyllum aquaticum (Parrot feather), Myriophyllum proserpinacoides, Myriophyllum aquatica, Brazilian Watermilfoil, Myriophyllum heterophyllum (Variable-leaf watermilfoil), Myriophyllum sp. (or spp.) Myriophyllum pinnatum, Two-leaf watermilfoil, Red Foxtail, Red Myrio, Myriophyllum spicatum (Eurasian watermilfoil), Myriophyllum sp. (or spp.) Spiked watermilfoil Najas minor (European naiad, Brittle water-nymph), Nymphoides peltata (Yellow floating heart), Potamogeton crispus (Curly-leaf pondweed), Trapa natans (Water chestnut)
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| You can also find us on the HomeBlue Contractor Network |
Ponds and Falls, llc.
5-A Janet St. Rochester, NH 03867
E-mail
ph. 603-969-7498
We are gone all day and rarely have phones accessible so it is easier if you e-mail us instead of calling.
Sorry, we do not stock or sell retail.
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