Thinking about buying a home with a koi pond? Purchasing a home with a backyard pond or water feature can be very exciting whether you have had a pond before or it’s your first time.
But what are some of the red flags that you need to look out for when buying a home with a pond? What potential drawbacks should research before signing on the dotted line?
As certified Aquascape contractors and seasoned water feature maintenance professionals, our team is here to walk you through the key points that you need to think about before purchasing a home that already has a koi pond. By the end of this article, you should have a better idea of whether buying a home with a pond will be a good investment for you.
The Pond Might Need Some Work
When you buy a home with a pond, you risk getting a feature that is damaged or in need of renovation. Oftentimes, you can negotiate to have the seller do a repair or renovation before you buy the home, but the problem is that you may not know whether the pond has any issues before you buy it.
Liner ponds are typically durable when built correctly, however a hole or tear in the liner will lead to you having to constantly refill from the loss of water.
With a concrete pond, your plaster surface might also be worn down and in need of refinishing.
Any pond can have leaks or problems due to improper construction, so be sure to hire a professional pond contractor to look at the pond’s condition before purchasing the home.
It Might Not Be the Right Pond for You
Many people buy a home with a pond only to realize that it’s not the right one for them. Every year we replace and renovate several pond and water features because the homeowner realizes that they like having a pond, but they don’t like that particular type of pond (usually because of the high maintenance).
Ultimately, it will cost more to replace a pond than to build a new one.
Pond Safety
If you have children, you may want to be prepared to spend the extra money to keep your little ones safe. This might mean having some slight renovations to adjust the depth of your pond or adding a fence to keep small children from getting to close.
Pond Maintenance
Some pond shoppers are surprised to learn just how much maintaining a koi pond costs. On a well-built ecosystem pond, maintenance can sometimes be as little as once a year. However, a large number of ponds are not built with the proper filtration to maintain a healthy balanced ecosystem.
Your typical expenses across all pond types will be chemicals and electricity to maintain the pond which is minimal. Most ponds could use at least one full deep cleaning a year which price varies depending on size.
Many factors can affect how often your pond will require maintenance. This includes seasonal changes in weather, ponds that receive high sunlight, ponds that collect debris such as leaves, amount of fish, or other wildlife in the pond. You might find that you need to hire a pond service professional to help you maintain your pond on a semi-regular basis.
Fewer Options
Building your own pond gives you a ton of options, including the size, location, and any built-in features.
For example, you can choose the best water feature type for your lifestyle and you can choose a size that fits your needs and gives you the space that you want.
When you buy a home with a pond, however, you’re stuck with the size and design that you have. You might be able to upgrade or renovate it with some nice add-ons like lighting, but you won’t have much control over any other design elements.
If you’re considering building a new pond for your home instead and you want to explore your pond and water feature options feel free to browse our pond packages or request a custom quote.