To build or not to build.......yourself?

[Lam Nguyen]

If finance or time is not an issue, what would you rather do? Would you rather build your own dream pond or have a contractor build it for you?

[Dwight]

I think I'd go with the contractor IF you can find a good one who doesn't mind you staying in the middle of construction to make sure it is done your way. A rare and valuable animal indeed. On my ponds I combined the two approaches. I did most of the digging and all the plumbing and had a contractor do the concrete , flagstone and bolder placement

[luke frisbee]

I am definitely going with DIY.
The sense of pride as well as learning new skills can not be diminished.
I can lay block very well now...not fast but very well.

[smithvillemike]

I would pay. That way it would be done right. I would be very involved in the project, but I'm an internet guy and not very mechanically inclined. I built an elevated deck at my house and my friend a contractor tells me it's time for an update. It works and has been there for years, it just could have been done better. That said I did build my current pond and am pretty happy with it, although there are things I would do differently now. As Luke says I feel a sense of pride that I built it and it is still standing. It's all about the comfort level.

I also would not want to do the manual labor of digging a pond. No heavy equipment can get into my yard as it has to cross a stream and the bridge wouldn't hold the weight.

[JosephandGabby]

I'm definitely a DIY kinda' guy, although I did solicit assistance from a few relatives when building my various ponds and related backyard projects...

[Lam Nguyen]

Ah, it's nice to have friends and relatives who are willing to help. Nothing better than a group of guys huffin & puffin & gruntin with a shovel in one hand and a beer in the other!

[MCA]

If I have the time...I do it. For our 8' deep 10,000 pond, the only help I had was the excavator, my wife doing some bucket brigade at cleanup, and club members helping rollout the liner. All the design, concrete, block, plumbing, electrical, was dome by me.

[schildkoi]

I may be a DIY guy, with both education and experience in the construction industry, BUT, at 50, the body doesn't always want to cooperation with what the brain is willing to do.

I would prefer acting AS the general contractor and sub out portions such as excavation, steel work and gunite, while allowing the pond to be "stubbed out" per my specifications. I can handle the sealing, plumbing and electrical.

Steve

[aquitori]

If time and money was no issue, which it always is....I would probably GC the project and sub-out the work to those who I know can do the various phases of the project.

[MikeM]

LOL... however much I might prefer it otherwise, competence dictates that I not do it myself.