Project Cost

$375,000

For years, these homeowners sat by their pool, longing for a deeper connection with nature. Over the years, the pool’s still, blue waters had brought moments of tranquility, but it never quite felt alive or provided the sense of connection they were looking for in their outdoor space. In those days, they enjoyed a smaller pond with a stream that meandered through their outdoor living area. They found it to be a great source of joy and a place where they could decompress & connect. The whole “pool area” had lost its charm since their children had grown and moved on. They began to desire more of the peaceful sound of moving water and the feeling they got from watching their dogs playfully wading in the stream. They began to dream of something more…

One day, the gentleman who built their original pond urged them to take an “inspirational field trip” to Modern Design Aquascaping’s headquarters (A.K.A. “The Oasis”). Upon arrival, they were excited and inspired by what they saw! They wandered about the displays, taking in all the breathtaking cascades, immaculate plantings, and admiring the crystal-clear waters of the swimming pond. During this visit, they began to imagine the potential for transforming their own pool area into something extraordinary—something that could truly bring nature into their backyard and provide them the connection they were seeking. They called upon Modern Design and the Adams family to help them design an aquatic paradise for their space!

After a few months of designing and dreaming they agreed to move forward with a transformational design. A complete back yard make-over that would make their outdoor living dreams come true!

This new water feature gave them the connection they were looking for! Integrating with their new outdoor kitchen & living area & transforming the entire space into a comprehensive outdoor experience. A place where the joy of water, fish, and wildlife now surround them year-round. It was a decision that redefined their outdoor experience, turning a simple pool into a thriving, living ecosystem that became the heart of their home.

 

Turning a once 14-foot-deep concrete pool into a custom large scale koi pond wasn’t just about construction—it was a feat of dedication, precision, and pure perseverance. The journey began with tearing down the pool itself: a towering challenge of rebar and concrete. The pool was reinforced with rebar set on six-inch centers, meaning this wasn’t just some casual demolition job. We had to attack it relentlessly with jackhammers and concrete saws-piece by piece, hauling away what seemed like mountains of concrete and metal. Every bang of the jackhammer felt like a fight against the past, unearthing and reshaping a forgotten space to bring new life to it.

 

After the rubble had been cleared, we faced an even tougher task: filling in the space left behind. But not just any filling would do. Every layer of soil had to be compacted with the utmost precision. If we didn’t, we’d risk a future of shifting pond boulders— a hazard for both the pond’s integrity and the koi themselves. This process felt like taming a stubborn beast, slowly but surely laying the groundwork for what was to come.

Then came the construction, and with it, another realization: access was only possible on three sides of the future water feature. We couldn’t dig it all at once, nor could we simply work our way around. The pond had to be dug, lined, and rocked in sections. It was a piece-by-piece assembly, like a giant puzzle that, if not properly thought through, couldn’t be completed.

Each section required us to seam the liner as we progressed. Any slip-up could put the entire project at risk. It was a delicate dance of precision and coordination to avoid “land-locking” ourselves—a mistake that would have meant a complete overhaul of weeks’ worth of work.

The waterfall presented its own challenge. In the original pool area, there wasn’t the natural slope or hillside we wanted to work with. Constructing a cascading waterfall meant building an artificial slope after filling in the pond. We piled up layer after layer of soil to create the necessary elevation changes to get the waterfall to flow seamlessly into the pond. This process involved an intense cycle of excavation, compaction, and re-excavation. Every day, we moved earth from one end to another, only to reposition it again as the project evolved. It felt as if we were sculpting a mountain, one excavator bucket at a time.

After weeks of wrestling with the earth, we were finally ready to dig the pond itself. Maneuvering the machines around the site posed a whole new obstacle. We had to rely on a slim path around the top of the old koi pond. But we pressed on, knowing our determination was transforming the landscape into something extraordinary.

In the end, what emerged was more than just a koi pond. It was a testament to overcoming barriers. Every jackhammered piece of concrete, each painstakingly compacted layer of soil, and the artful creation of the massive pond and waterfall came together to form a masterpiece of hard-won beauty.