ArcaMax

With its soothing atmosphere in a tranquil setting, it’s hard to beat the appeal of a garden pond in a landscape. A pond creates a welcome environment to escape from the hectic noise and commotion of daily living. You can create a garden pond as the focal point of a landscape plan or tuck it away as a quiet retreat. If you’re considering adding one to your property, choose a level area that gets plenty of sunshine, because aquatic plants bloom best with a full day of direct sunlight. Don’t forget to fill the pond; it’s convenient to be within reach of the water spigot so the pond can be filled easily.

A landscaper will charge $5,900, including labor and material to install a shallow 6-foot-by-8-foot pond. If you want to do it yourself, buy a pond kit for $4,575, the cost of a kit, and the landscaping materials for a pond that size. The kit comes with all the components, including a 10-foot-by-15-foot liner, pump, filter, 25 feet of 1-inch tubing and fittings.

Installing a pond involves first creating an outline for the edges of the pond, followed by excavating the area, laying down padding and underlayment, installing the liner, building a rock border, and then installing a filtration system. It's an ambitious project for a do-it-yourselfer, but well worth the effort.

Pro Cost: $5,900 — DIY Cost: $4,575 — Pro time: 45.0
DIY Time: 47.5 — DIY Savings: $1,325 — Percent Saved: 22%

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To find more DIY project costs and to post comments and: questions, visit www.diyornot.com and m.diyornot.com on smartphones.

©2025 Gene and Katie Hamilton. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.