With summer on the way, what better way to enjoy your yard with a relaxing bubbling brook stocked with gold fish? That’s the mindset of Jackson resident and pond builder Chris Tallarico whose company NJ Pond Guys builds and installs water features and ponds all over the northeast.
“Over the 17 years in the pond business I’ve been asked many times why folks would want a pond and what the benefits would be. There are various answers and each persons reasons are different,” Tallarico said. “Personally having a pond brings back memories of my childhood hiking in the woods, fishing and exploring for and frogs and turtles. It seems as though the more people I talk to who own ponds I find that they also have very similar stories growing up. There’s nothing quite like sitting by the pond seeing a dragonfly zip by and stop to rest on a blade of grass to rest–Or watching a frog sitting on a lily pad waiting for him to answer another frogs call.”
Tallarico said sometimes, ponds are the next step people advance to after wanting more out of their small indoor aquarium project.
They have a pond because it’s a hobby.
“They may have started with an aquarium in their home but they wanted to try something on a larger scale. Once they own a pond it opens a whole new door to learning. If you think you know everything about your pond just go buy a microscope and you’ll find there are endless things to learn,” he said.
Having a pond is a perfect place for kids as a pond can make a huge impact on how they care for our planet as adults.
We all have areas of our yard that are empty and could use a little “something”. This is usually the perfect place for a pond. The sound of water flowing down a waterfall into a pond is the most relaxing sound in the world. Not only does it fill a void in a yard but it also gives us a place that we can find serenity from our often stressful lives.
“I was told by one client that his pond has saved him thousands of dollars in co-payments for counseling,” he joked.
“I don’t think too many people know this but having a pond actually adds value to your home. I use to think having a swimming pool would add value to my home if I was to sell it,” he added. “But I’ve been told by realtors that this is not true that it can actually lessen the value and make it less desirable to a buyer. But having a water feature or a pond makes a home much more desirable. Just the sound of moving water draws you in.”
Let’s talk about how the pond build process begins
Tallarico said nothing can happen without an open, honest conversation between the homeowner and myself. It’s important that he knows and understand what his clients envision for their future backyard oasis.
“We talk openly about budget and what is most important for them,” he said.
He likes to set expectations so the homeowner understands the steps so they’re not surprised as things occur.
A good example of this would be a client coming home and seeing a huge hole in their yard and pallets or rocks in the street.
“I have to admit it looks scary but it’s actually organized chaos. It’s so very important that folks know what it’s going to look like during the stages so when they do see things like this they’ll say to themselves” Oh ya…Chris did say it would look like a bomb went off and not to worry,” he said.
Some ponds can be built in a day and there are some ponds could take a week, a month, or even longer. It all depends upon the size and the scale of the project. The average pond NJ Pond Guys install would be completed within a weeks time.
They also do all the maintenance for many of their clients. Ponds that are not natural, meaning man made, need to have some maintenance. In nature a pond would have the rain water and melting snow wash them out. But in an enclosed system, like the ponds that are constructed, they do need periodic care.
Tallarico said he receives 3-4 calls each week from do-it-yourself pond builders who are in a situation they can’t figure out, usually with leaks or green water.
Firstly these problems aren’t because the homeowners didn’t do their due diligence. It’s because there is so much material on the internet that’s just not correct. If the information on the internet was 100% true pond owners would not be having negative experiences building or caring for their pond.
Homeowners invest quite a bit of money into purchasing the materials to build a pond on their own. They spend endless nights and weekends digging and moving rocks and stones only to have a leak or green water that they can’t get to go away.
“Hiring a guy like myself that has designed and built hundreds of ponds means that I’ve made the mistakes and know how to get it done so these problems won’t happen,” he said. “There’s always more to learn and I’d be the first to tell you I don’t know everything. But I do attend most, if not all available training so I keep up with all things ponds. I have a sincere compassion for fish and have educated myself so I can help care and educate folks on the care of fish. This is more than a hobby for me…it’s a way of life.”
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