How Much Does a Small Water Feature Cost?

From birdbaths, waterfalls, ponds, to streams, small water features come in handy in improving the aesthetic appeal of your outdoor spaces. A fountain with soothing sound of trickling water or birds twittering as they bath in the water, and the sight of beautiful fish such as koi can relieve all your stress from a hectic day at work. While we all agree that small water features come with unmatched ambience in outdoor spaces, one main question lingers in the minds of many, including our clients; how much does it cost to install a small water feature? Depending on size, design, number, and type of additional features, the cost of installing a small water feature starts as low as $300 and goes as high as $20,000. This article gives a breakdown of cost of installing different types of small water features.

Birdbaths

Just as the name suggests, birdbaths are small additions in outdoor spaces where birds come to take baths and quench their thirst. Birdbaths are among the few small water features suitable for properties with small outdoor spaces. The sight of birds twittering and their wings flapping as they take a bath is mind calming. All you have to do is install the bath and the birds will come on their own. You can decide to make them even more appealing by adding other aquatic life such as koi and goldfish. On average, installing birdbaths ranges from $50 and $300, depending on design and materials used.

Waterfalls

They are also a great choice for properties with limited outdoor space. A waterfall simply encompasses an underground hole where water escapes after cascading a series of rocky steps. Upon hitting the hole, the water is then pumped back in a recirculating series. In addition to the visual appeal of the recirculating water, the sound of the water is also soothing and good for calming your mind. It becomes even more blissful when birds come to take a bath and quench their thirst. Installing a waterfall costs somewhere between $500 and $3000, depending on size, design and materials used.

Ponds

Ponds are popular with properties with ample backyard space and people who cherish aquatic life. A backyard pond simply entails excavating a depression, plastering it, laying down the lining, filling it with water and then introducing aquatic life such as goldfish, koi, frogs, and planktons. To make it even more appealing, consider adding colorful pebbles at the base and lighting to illuminate the beautiful aquatic life under the water. On average, installing a pond should cost you between $200 and $2000, depending on size, design and materials used. The only limitation that comes with ponds is that they are not very friendly for a homestead with kids due to safety reasons.

Fountains

From tabletop design to more elaborate outdoor designs, cost of installing a fountain on outdoor spaces ranges from $1100 to $7500, depending on size, design and materials used. However, for smaller sizes, the cost can come down to $130. A fountain is another great choice for limited outdoor spaces where homeowners crave for a sight of flowing water without the safety risk associated with ponds.

Streams

Among the most popular features for outdoor spaces is the streams. These introduce a sense of tranquility and natural beauty by mimicking natural waterways. These can be made to meander around garden features such as trees to create gentle curves that follow the contour of the landscape. Installing a stream in your backyard entails digging some shallow canals, plastering, installing a lining, filling it water and adding aquatic life. 

To make it even more blissful, you can introduce colorful pebbles and LED lightings on both banks of the stream to illuminate aquatic life at night. Depending on width, length, terrain, depth and material used, the average cost of installing backyard streams ranges between $500 and $5000.

Additional Features and Maintenance

The above cost estimates can increase or reduce depending on number and type of additional features you may decide to introduce on the small water features. For instance, installation of pumps and filtration systems may cost you between $100 and $500. Lighting systems cost ranges from $50 to a few hundreds of dollars. Maintenance costs vary according to your choice of the small water feature. 

From large estates to townhouses and single-family properties, we, Artificial Rock Works, can customize any type of backyard water feature to suit outdoor space of any size and topography while still paying attention to your budget. That said, call us today and let us get started in bringing your outdoor space dream to life.