Hmmmm. She-Ra is starting to think she is more of a Ding Dong. I'm not going to truly worry about it till after I finish digging. I've come too far to switch gears now. BUT -- I think my weird little diagonal arrangement of bog and intake bay on the "corners" of my pond are going to mean I need a HUGE and EXPENSIVE liner! I shouldn't be allowed to do anything involving numbers or math. Or maybe money.
Guess who is out having fun? (It's ME!) Planning wildlife pond for backyard
- Thread starter bagsmom
- Start date
- Joined
- Jun 23, 2010
- Messages
- 44,413
- Reaction score
- 29,198
- Location
- Frederick, Maryland
- Showcase(s):
- 1
- Hardiness Zone
- 6b
- Country
Oh well can't take it with you!
herzausstahl
herzausstahl
- Joined
- Jul 2, 2011
- Messages
- 790
- Reaction score
- 363
- Location
- Northeast Wisconsin Zone 4a/5b
- Hardiness Zone
- 4a
Worst case join 2 liners using @addy1’s method. Are you planning on a “beach area” at the top of the steps on the pond? I researched a similar pond (wildlife) a few years ago. Definitely more common in the uk. Enjoying the progress and good luck!
- Joined
- Jun 23, 2010
- Messages
- 44,413
- Reaction score
- 29,198
- Location
- Frederick, Maryland
- Showcase(s):
- 1
- Hardiness Zone
- 6b
- Country
Mine was one liner, bog and pond and it was BIG! But two liners will work most of the time, mine had to be just one.
Yes, it is a pond for wildlife, so that first level will be fairly shallow. I'm finding (from my imprecise, preliminary measuring) that I may as well get one liner. I thought I could do a separate liner for the bog but it's looking like it wouldn't save money after all -- just an issue of the different sizes that are sold and the proportions of the pond. I should have planned better -- but once I got digging, I just went crazy!!!! It will be doable -- but it will take me longer to save all the money for the finished product.
OK people. This could be interesting. I am just now learning (somehow) that large pond liners are delivered on a truck but the purchaser is responsible for getting it off the truck and to the pond site. I am a little taller than 5' 4" and I'm almost 53. How the heck am I going to get a 500 pound package off a truck and up a hilly driveway? What have I gotten myself into? Right now, I'm thinking maybe it WILL make sense to do two separate liners (for pond and bog filter) if only to make the carrying a little easier. 
Hmmm... that's weird. Got any neighborhood teens who might want to earn a few bucks? I've also found that I can play on my age (older than you!) and female-ness to get help in these situations. Drivers are often willing to do more than they are "supposed" to do when you present yourself as the only labor. And maybe throw in a few dollars to sweeten the pot. Nope. Not above bribery. And honestly I wouldn't expect them to deliver it to your backyard, but it does seem reasonable that they would get it off the truck!
Side story - we had a large delivery from an online retailer and the driver WAS supposed to bring everything off the truck and into the garage, as long as we made space. We did. He arrives. Tells our contractor he needs $90 to do the unloading. Uh... nope. But just saying - it goes both ways!
Side story - we had a large delivery from an online retailer and the driver WAS supposed to bring everything off the truck and into the garage, as long as we made space. We did. He arrives. Tells our contractor he needs $90 to do the unloading. Uh... nope. But just saying - it goes both ways!
Yeah - I guess my only experience has been with Home Depot and Lowe's, when they deliver things on a flatbed and then drive them up where you want them on a little skid loader thingie. Same with my pallets of rocks for the other pond. I guess this is a different kind of situation. Just shipping as opposed to a "delivery."
Maybe choose a different supplier who will be more helpful with the delivery? Ours was dropped in our driveway, but at least we weren't expected to get it off the truck! At 500 pounds you basically NEED a skid loader!
Y'ALL!!!!!! I have literally dug myself into something here. I just called the Home Depot to see about renting a "small" stand-behind skid loader that would carry 500 pounds up my driveway and to the back yard. $279 per day. My husband is going to be sooooo exasperated. Maybe I need to get out there and try to re-think the hole somehow. Dang it. Dang it, dang it, dang it. My little inexpensive frog pond has become very expensive!
Do you have a local pond store that may be willing to help out? Or a landscaping place. I'd be willing to bet you could hire them for a few hours to come help you move and even install that liner. We had our hole dug by professionals and when our liner came, we had three extra guys to help us get it in place.
Great minds! I actually pulled up the phone number for the closest pond contractor in our area and I'm going to ask them. I might even buy the liner from them, if they can match the price and provide the assistance for a reasonable cost.
Here's the latest! I really hope some folks who are just beginning their planning read this -- and learn from my ignorance. I spoke with our local pond store. They are really nice and I'd rather give them my business if possible. But he was very honest. He said it is very hard to compete with the cost of the online stores. I figured my total cost if I purchase from Webb's and move it myself would be around 1,600, including shipping, lift gate charge, and the rental of a small skid loader from Home Depot for 279. (1600 includes that skid loader.) My local guy said he would have to special order that size and it would normally be 1,900 to get it just to my driveway. But he said he would match the total of 1600 plus 300 to include a couple of guys to help me get the liner sort of in place. Just basic placement and unfolding - for me to futz with on my own. So I have to decide. Either way, I'm going to be in trouble with my dear spouse. Maybe I can entice him with the fun of getting to drive the little skid loader!
Maybe I can entice him with the fun of getting to drive the little skid loader!
I'd pay for the help. All the skid loaders in the world can't help unroll that liner! And especially people who've handled liner before - they know the little tricks for making it easy.