Cost to build 1 acre pond

[EddieWalker]

However, the Great Lakes area is NOT Texas or down South. We get a LOT more precipitation.

Texas is a big state. In my part of East Texas, where it's green and lush, full of pine trees and swamps, I get 4ft of rain per year, on average. My personal record is 8 1/2 inches in one day, which is nothing compared to some areas that have received 14 inches in a day. I don't know what the records are, but I do know that most places couldn't survive that much water. A 3 to 5 inch rain in a day happens a few times a year and most storms drop an inch or more. When it rains, it really comes down.

Just in case you wanted to know about rain in East Texas.

Eddie

 

[MarkV]

I'll just add that building a pond is more than digging a hole in the ground. Without the right type of soil and water shed area you can end up with nothing but a very expensive hole. I don't know about Canada but in the states there are government agencys that will offer a great deal of information and often have experts that will do on site evaluations of the location and soil types. May well be worth seeing what is available in your area.

MarkV

 

[jml755]

Didn't mean to suggest that ALL of the South was bone dry. But the one reply (from TX) said 3-4 ft down and I didn't want the OP to think that would necessarily be the case in his location. Of course, this is based upon MY experience in the same climate zone but with a different sized pond. And yeah, I've been in Texas during some VERY rainy weather years ago. The rain almost hurt. :laughing:

 

[rogerius]

Time to give you the status of my project:
- the pond size has been changed from 1 acre to 0.5 acre because of the budget.
- the shape of the pond has been changed from an "oval shape" to a "kidney shape" because of landscape design.
- the permit building from our Conservation Authority was received
- we searched for a while for a good quote and the price range for a 0.5 acre at 10ft deep (with soil leveled at max 300ft away plus an extension of the driveway with 200ft)came from 40K (ridiculous) to a low of 10K (no experience with ponds but heavy experience in excavation). At the end we selected a local company for 15K (experience in pond construction).
- the next think is to dig the test holes to confirm the price and soil structure, and hope no surprises will appear.
- once the project will start I'll keep you informed. The contractor didn't finish his schedule and ask me when I preffer.

Now I've got some questions and I appreciate any suggestion:
- what do you think about 15K quote; too much? not enough? Make sense?
- when is the best time to dig? Right now the ground is frozen and we have 3ft of snow.
- the contractor mentioned that the shore slop will be around 1:3 and will not require any rocks for wave erosion. Do you agree?
- Any advice what to capture/cover in the contract?
- Any other tips? :drool:
Thanks

 

[Kyle241]

Time to give you the status of my project:

Now I've got some questions and I appreciate any suggestion:
- what do you think about 15K quote; too much? not enough? Make sense?
- when is the best time to dig? Right now the ground is frozen and we have 3ft of snow.
- the contractor mentioned that the shore slop will be around 1:3 and will not require any rocks for wave erosion. Do you agree?
- Any advice what to capture/cover in the contract?
- Any other tips?
Thanks

15K from an experienced reputable pond company isn't bad. Considering you are also getting an extension of 200ft of driveway, it seems like a decent price.

Best time to dig depends on a few things. I believe the best time to dig is when it's driest so nobody needs to pump out water while they are continuing to excavate. In your area, my guess that would be September? In the spring, heavy equipment is going to make a mess if it has to drive to the location of the pond. I'm assuming the company will use an excavator and dozer(s)? These will make less damage than a hoe, especially if you make a dent in the ground with your heel. Or is the extended driveway going to be close to the pond?

I would like to know how you get on as I am planning a pond on my property in Eastern Ontario however I am going to assist with the excavation and moving the soil to help raise a trail through a low point in the property.

 

[HiTechTed]

Texas is a big state. In my part of East Texas, where it's green and lush, full of pine trees and swamps, I get 4ft of rain per year, on average. My personal record is 8 1/2 inches in one day, which is nothing compared to some areas that have received 14 inches in a day. I don't know what the records are, but I do know that most places couldn't survive that much water. A 3 to 5 inch rain in a day happens a few times a year and most storms drop an inch or more. When it rains, it really comes down.

Just in case you wanted to know about rain in East Texas.

Eddie

I honestly did not know that it rained like that anywhere in Texas. You learn something new every day I suppose!

 

[cdnt]

Not that I can be of much help, but we have a relatively new pond ~0.5A also in Grey County, that is not spring or river fed (issues with NEC, and the Conservation Authority as you know). It is fed by run-off and is actually connected to an irrigation system as well (which has been used but would likely suck it dry if we ran it hard). We have a nearby newly added dug well that we could use to help fill if required.

It's not placed very well (too high), but it is deep (~20' in some parts - also kidney shaped) and will last the summer easily for swimming - stayed at a lovely temperature all through August this year. We keep two aeration units running 24hrs per day for spring, summer and fall to keep weeds at bay (you'll need a high-end pump to keep up with this). If you can, I would go as deep as you can in some places to keep the water fresh and cool.

Our problem is the pond slope is too steep in some areas and needs to be flattened and we also have an issues that the area needs to have the topsoil replaced (we just bought the place in the summer and this was left undone) as it's mostly clay-like subsoil.

As some point we will get a proper site design and fix the area up as well. From a report we have that actually included measuring the pond slopes and water content of soil "the pond basic slopes should be 3:! and no steeper than 2:1....the slopes are as steep as 52*...slopes on the pond should be 15* and no steeper than 22*

As far as build time, I would think summer would be best. I'm not sure who the contractor was, but I could guess!

Cheers

 

[rogerius]

I just received an interesting quote (break down) last week and I didn't see something like this before. So now I'm confused, because all other quotes were as raising a tumb and speak... What's your opinion? Make sense?

a. Pond excavating: 225'x100'x12' c/w 3:1 slope
Excavator bucket volume (cy) 1
Total volume to excavate (cy) 6500
Time to excavate one bucket (min.) 0.5
Total time to excavate (hours) 54.17
No. of times to move excavator 14
Time to move excavator (min.) 5
Total time to move the excavator (hours) 1.17
TOTAL TIME (hours)+10% inspection 60.87
Operator/Excavator/Fuel cost/hour $100.00
a. TOTAL COST for excavating $6,086.67

b. Transport & level the soil (max. 300ft around) (fertile soil on top)
Loader bucket volume (cy) 5
Total volume to be transported & level (cy) 6000
Time to transport one bucket (min.) 3
Total time to transport & level (hours)+10% inspection 66
Operator/Loader/Fuel cost/hour $55.00
b. TOTAL COST for transport & level soil $3,630.00

c. Landscape the shore (3:1 slope) and clean the site (fertile soil on top)
Time to landscape (hours) 20
Operator/Loader/Fuel cost/hour $55.00
c. TOTAL COST landscape $1,100.00

Total a+b+c $10,816.67
HST $1,406.17
TOTAL $12,222.83

Quote to be confirmed once the test pit holes are in place.

 

[CompactTractorFan]

I just received an interesting quote (break down) last week and I didn't see something like this before. So now I'm confused, because all other quotes were as raising a tumb and speak... What's your opinion? Make sense?

a. Pond excavating: 225'x100'x12' c/w 3:1 slope
Excavator bucket volume (cy) 1
Total volume to excavate (cy) 6500
Time to excavate one bucket (min.) 0.5
Total time to excavate (hours) 54.17
No. of times to move excavator 14
Time to move excavator (min.) 5
Total time to move the excavator (hours) 1.17
TOTAL TIME (hours)+10% inspection 60.87
Operator/Excavator/Fuel cost/hour $100.00
a. TOTAL COST for excavating $6,086.67

b. Transport & level the soil (max. 300ft around) (fertile soil on top)
Loader bucket volume (cy) 5
Total volume to be transported & level (cy) 6000
Time to transport one bucket (min.) 3
Total time to transport & level (hours)+10% inspection 66
Operator/Loader/Fuel cost/hour $55.00
b. TOTAL COST for transport & level soil $3,630.00

c. Landscape the shore (3:1 slope) and clean the site (fertile soil on top)
Time to landscape (hours) 20
Operator/Loader/Fuel cost/hour $55.00
c. TOTAL COST landscape $1,100.00

Total a+b+c $10,816.67
HST $1,406.17
TOTAL $12,222.83

Quote to be confirmed once the test pit holes are in place.

I followed this thread before...Didn't you already select someone to dig the pond? Also, what is the "HST" charge?

 

[rogerius]

I followed this thread before...Didn't you already select someone to dig the pond? Also, what is the "HST" charge?

I didn't make any deal so far, and I tough I decided for 15K until I saw this quote for 12K.
The HST is our donation to goverment 13% taxes.

 

[EddieWalker]

I can't speak for the cost of the job, but I do like a detailed quote. That tells me volumes about the contractor and what he's doing.

The biggest fear that you will have when hiring dirt work, is not getting what you agreed to for the price you agreed to, or they run up the hours and go way over budget. Nailing them down on the final cost before they start is always the biggest challenge. Then keeping the price at the agreed rate comes in a close second.

Get they payment schedule worked out before hand and be sure not to pay the final amount until it is done to your satisfaction.

Good luck,
Eddie

 

[CompactTractorFan]

The HST is our donation to goverment 13% taxes.

:laughing:

 

[swiss]

I have to second that this is a great quote, you could not ask for more. Dozer rates today in GA USA are around 100 per hour on qualified operators with equipment not sure what they are in Canada but for the South these prices are in line. More importantly the guy knows his business and has thought through the job. I would hire him if his references checked out in a heartbeat.

Why:
1. Spent the time to thoroughly estimate the job
2.) Understands what it will take to do the job
3.) Has tiered rates on the type of work being done

Steve

 

[bindian]

I honestly did not know that it rained like that anywhere in Texas. You learn something new every day I suppose!

Yep, we get dumped on here in East Texas.:laughing:
hugs, Brandi

 

[Kyle_in_Tex]

I just received an interesting quote (break down) last week and I didn't see something like this before. So now I'm confused, because all other quotes were as raising a tumb and speak... What's your opinion? Make sense?

a. Pond excavating: 225'x100'x12' c/w 3:1 slope
Excavator bucket volume (cy) 1
Total volume to excavate (cy) 6500
Time to excavate one bucket (min.) 0.5
Total time to excavate (hours) 54.17
No. of times to move excavator 14
Time to move excavator (min.) 5
Total time to move the excavator (hours) 1.17
TOTAL TIME (hours)+10% inspection 60.87
Operator/Excavator/Fuel cost/hour $100.00
a. TOTAL COST for excavating $6,086.67

b. Transport & level the soil (max. 300ft around) (fertile soil on top)
Loader bucket volume (cy) 5
Total volume to be transported & level (cy) 6000
Time to transport one bucket (min.) 3
Total time to transport & level (hours)+10% inspection 66
Operator/Loader/Fuel cost/hour $55.00
b. TOTAL COST for transport & level soil $3,630.00

c. Landscape the shore (3:1 slope) and clean the site (fertile soil on top)
Time to landscape (hours) 20
Operator/Loader/Fuel cost/hour $55.00
c. TOTAL COST landscape $1,100.00

Total a+b+c $10,816.67
HST $1,406.17
TOTAL $12,222.83

Quote to be confirmed once the test pit holes are in place.

I like what I see but he seems low maybe. Not giving himself much wiggle room in case of rain and mud. I would think he might want a bit to create spill or bring in topsoil to cover. Good luck.

 

[rogerius]

The test hole is in place. So after two days without rain some water came up and the water level is at 8 ft under the top. The forcast is rain for the next three days, so I keep my fingers cross.

 

[Kyle_in_Tex]

Looks like you got a few decent sized rocks in the mix.

 

[JoeinTX]

You've gotten a lot of good responses so far and I can only echo the general mood.

Dirt work is a **** of a mess. You never know what you're going to dig into and find or how it can effect your time to complete the job. I am not an operator but I know their problem well. We ranch and many jobs, like cleaning out stock tanks, we can handle with a farm tractor and a soil mover, a chisel, for the cost of fuel and our time here and there invested. Other jobs are completely different and we hire it done. We don't ask the local dozer guy for an estimate because we know he can't give one. We know his hourly rate, we watch his hours on the job, and we generally come up somewhere close to one-another when the job is done. He's a pretty blunt and honest operator at that so nailing down the final price hasn't been hard.

Anyway, just someone else's $.02 worth.....

 

[fishwhiz]

Lots of experience on this thread. I'd add where is the cost of sealing the pond in the bid? You at least have to compact the soil, if not add clay. I got this from a pond construction cost page on a pond builder's site. They also reminded me of what will the cost of dredging a poorly designed pond add to the expense a decade or two later if the pond is built in a poor site like a ravine that washes lots of sediments.