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10 things to ask before hiring a contractor
1. Q. Do you have active contractor license with the state of CA?
A. By law in the state of CA you MUST have a contractor's license in order to perform work at somebody's house. All certified contractors have a copy of their license and should be able to provide proof of it. If you have work done by an unlicensed contractor, you have no recourse if anything goes wrong.
2. Q. Do you have proof of workman's comp and liability insurance?
A. It is a state law that any licensed contractor who does work on your property must have workman's comp and liability insurance. If you hire an unlicensed contractor and their employee gets injured on your property, they may collect compensation for their injuries from YOUR homeowners insurance. Liability insurance will protect you if any damage was done to your property by your contractor or their employees.
3. Q. Can I see examples of your pond work and customer testimonials?
A. Make sure to ask your contractor if they specialize in building ponds and or other water features. Ask to see a photo album or have them email you pictures of their previous work. Ask them to provide 2 or 3 past customers whom you can call for references.
4. Q. Does your pond come with a warranty?
A. The California State Law states that a licensed contractor is to guarantee all workmanship and materials for one year. If your contractor doesn't guarantee their work, they probably aren't licensed.
5. Q. Does this pond come with a biological filtration system? Is it rated for how many gallons I have?
A. All experienced pond contractors will install a biological filtration system in every pond they build. It is essential to maintaining a clean pond. Your filtration system should be able to accommodate the amount of gallons in your pond.
6. Q. How big is my pump? Is it a pond pump? How energy efficient is it?
A. A pump for your pond should be able to circulate your pond water every 2 hours. Quite often contractors will try to save money by installing a pool pump. Pool pumps are not designed to run 24 hours a day. In order to have adequate filtration, it is important to run your pond pump 24 hours a day. A pool pump could cost you several hundreds of dollars each month compared to a pond pump that is extremely energy efficient.
7. Q. Is there going to be an electrical outlet for the pond pump?
A. Make sure there is a dedicated GFI outlet installed by a certified electrician. Most manufacturers will void the warranty on their pump if the plug is cut off. It is recommended that your pump plug in to an outlet. Your outlet should have a bubble cover which protects it from the elements.
8. How are you going to line the pond?
A. Find out if your contractor prefers to work with concrete or 45 mil rubber liner. Installing concrete ponds is expensive and will give you problems later on. Over time, concrete ponds crack due to the settling of the earth beneath the pond. When that happens, your pond will leak, you'll need to drain it, move your fish and either paint it with epoxy or cover it with rubber liner. Initially, concrete ponds will leach lime in to the water which will cause you to have high ph problems. High ph is dangerous for fish. Rubber liner is the most cost effective way to line your pond and it is the most natural looking. Rubber liner will never crack and is extremely safe for all pond inhabitants.
9. Should my pond have an autofill valve and overflow drain?
A. If you want one or both, make sure you tell your contractor to add them. The purpose of an auto fill is to keep your water at its proper level at all times. And you don't have to do any of the work. It's not uncommon for a pond to lose 3-4 inches of water a week in the summer. The other alternative is to manually fill your pond every 3-4 days with the hose. If you go on vacation, someone will have to come and fill your pond while you're away. An over flow drain prevents your pond from flooding. A properly installed overflow will direct all excess water to a landscape drain or a part of your property that isn't near your pond.
10. How will I maintain my pond?
A. Once your pond is up and running, it is important for the contractor to walk you through the process of how everything works. The contractor should be able to show you where equipment is and how to service it if need be. Your contractor should also show you how to treat your pond to jumpstart its ecosystem. Make sure to ask for a local source where you can buy your supplies and continually get educated on how to properly maintain your pond.