Water features can make a statement in any backyard project. Whether it’s a fish pond featuring a dramatic waterfall or a pondless waterfall with gorgeous night lighting, these types of additions add a lot of value to your backyard both in terms of aesthetic appeal and enjoyment for the whole family.
But since no two backyards are exactly alike, having the proper water feature or pond design for your yard is of critical importance. It’s more than just fitting the space properly. The feature must also look like a natural addition to its surroundings. A good design will take into account many factors including your wants, the layout of your specific property, accessibility issues, and more.
Here’s what you can expect during the water feature design process:
1. Initial Consultation for your pondless waterfall
Before officially getting started with any design work, a free consultation is an opportunity to discuss the basic ideas of the project including simple details of what you’re looking for in a water feature or pond design for your Los Angeles home. Getting an understanding of the main features you’d like to have will help you get a good sense of what you can expect to pay.
Of course, you should understand that this may change if you decide to add more features to your design. But an initial quote should at least give you a good starting point as you begin the process of designing your backyard water feature. The initial consultation for your water feature is absolutely free.
2. Design Consultation
After getting an initial quote and agreeing upon an approximate project budget, if you plan to move forward with a water garden design, the design consultation is the time to establish specifics. This is not a step to be taken lightly. Many would say the design phase may even be the most important step of the entire process. That’s because everything that follows will adhere to what was established with the design. In fact, a good design can be the difference between a water feature or pond installation that goes smoothly from start to finish, and one that goes astray.
During a design consultation, you should expect to get into project specifics. These are some of the features that will make your project one-of-a-kind. With a custom design the end result is a water feature that is specific to your backyard, with all of your personal wants and needs addressed. The last thing you want is a cookie cutter pond or pondless waterfall design that everybody else has, too.
In order to get to the bottom of what kind of water feature is right for you, be prepared to answer questions like:
- Why do you want a water feature?
- What features or additions are most important to you?
- Who from your family will use it most often?
- How much time do you have for pond maintenance?
- What other plans do you have for the surrounding space?
Putting together a smart water feature or pond design is not exactly a small feat. There are many factors that designers consider during this phase.
These include:
- Water feature placement
- The shape of the pond or water feature
- Size and depth of ponds or features
- The size and accessibility of your yard
- What plants will be used
- What rocks will be added
- Inclusion of fish (if a pond is chosen)
- Lighting for the pond, waterfalls, etc.
With all of these elements to take into consideration, it’s no doubt that the design phase is important. Getting all those details down will make all the difference in the world when it’s time to move into the installation phase.
3. Putting your Water Garden or Pond Design into Action
Once you have the design complete, the fun really begins. A good design coupled with some detailed planning will ensure that the installation process goes smoothly. This is important as the installation is definitely a time when critical mistakes can be made that will impact the end result.
With so many steps involved in the design process as well as the proper installation, selecting a true professional is essential. You want to hire someone who truly knows their stuff. A lot of contractors claim to install ponds and water features, but if it’s not something they do a lot of, they simply won’t have the experience or the know-how to get the job done right from start to finish.
At California Waterscapes, we have both design and installation experience and expertise for ponds, and other water features such as pondless waterfalls. We can help you choose the right water feature for your home and guide you through the entire process from design to installation. Or, if you’re still in the brainstorming phase on what pond design options you might choose from your Los Angeles home, we have plenty of water feature and pond design ideas that you can browse.