Building a backyard pond costs $3,382 on average, with most homeowners paying $1,225 to $5,669, according to Angi (updated September 2026, drawing on 620 verified projects)1. HomeAdvisor – corporate sibling publishing matching figures, which alone do not establish independent corroboration – reports the same $3,382 average and $1,225 to $5,669 range, with total costs spanning $300 to $11,000 (updated June 2026)2. Fixr, an unaffiliated publisher, reports a higher national average of $9,000 for a 6 x 8-foot koi pond with a rubber liner and complete landscaping, within a $5,000 to $20,000 range (updated August 2022)3; the averages diverge across publishers, and no conclusion about which applies follows from the differences.
Cost by pond type
Each publisher prices the common pond types per project123:
| Pond type | Angi (2026) | HomeAdvisor (2026) | Fixr (2022) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Garden or backyard pond | $1,200 – $8,000 | $500 – $25,000 | $3,000 – $15,000 |
| Koi pond | $5,000 – $15,000 | – | $9,000 – $13,000 |
| Wildlife pond | $3,000 – $12,000 | – | – |
| Natural swimming pond | $15,000 – $40,000 | $30,000 – $80,000 | $60,000 – $80,000 |
| Farm pond | $2,500 – $20,000 | – | – |
| Above-ground pond | – | – | $1,850 – $5,000 |
| Fishing pond | – | – | $10,000 – $75,000 |
| Man-made lake | – | – | $30,000 – $50,000 |
The natural swimming pond figures diverge across all three publishers; no conclusion about which applies follows from the differences. HomeAdvisor's type figures for farm, koi, fishing, and human-made ponds conflict across its own table and text, so they are omitted. Fixr's farm pond table and text disagree with each other, so its farm figures are omitted.
Cost by size
Angi prices small backyard ponds at $10 to $20 per square foot, with larger or more complex ponds reaching $30 to $35 per square foot, and breaks out typical projects by size (2026)1:
| Pond size | Angi average cost (2026) |
|---|---|
| 50 sq ft / 400 gal (small decorative) | $1,200 – $3,000 |
| 150 sq ft / 1,200 gal (medium backyard) | $4,000 – $8,000 |
| 300 sq ft / 2,400 gal (large koi or wildlife) | $9,000 – $18,000 |
| 600 sq ft / 5,000+ gal (swimming or farm) | $15,000 – $40,000 |
HomeAdvisor's size figures cover a wider span of project scales (2026)2:
| Pond size | HomeAdvisor average cost (2026) |
|---|---|
| Up to 5,000 sq ft | $3,000 – $15,000 |
| Up to 1/2 acre | $4,000 – $25,000 |
| 10 acres | $20,000 – $50,000 |
HomeAdvisor's 1-acre and 20-acre rows and its general per-acre range conflict with figures elsewhere on the same page, so they are omitted. Fixr separately prices a one-acre pond at $10,000 to $20,0003.
Fixr's installed prices scale with the pond's footprint, assuming typical two-to-three-foot depths (2022)3:
| Pond dimensions | Fixr average cost installed (2022) |
|---|---|
| 4 x 6 ft | $3,500 – $5,000 |
| 6 x 8 ft | $7,500 – $10,000 |
| 8 x 11 ft | $12,000 – $16,000 |
| 11 x 16 ft | $13,000 – $25,000 |
| 16 x 21 ft | $25,000 – $35,000 |
| 26 x 26 ft | $35,000 – $50,000 |
Fixr also quotes by volume, from $2,500 – $5,000 for a 360-gallon pond to $35,000 – $50,000 for a 10,000-gallon pond. Its stated $1,850 low-end project is a 4 x 6-foot above-ground pond with no landscaping, a different scope than its in-ground installed table3. Planning a size? Our pond water volume calculator converts dimensions to gallons.
Where the money goes
Angi's itemized breakdown of a typical pond build (2026)1:
| Item | Low end | High end |
|---|---|---|
| Excavation | $500 | $5,000 |
| Pond liner | $150 | $7,000 |
| Pumps and filtration | $200 | $2,000 |
| Edging and landscaping | $300 | $5,000 |
| Water features | $400 | $7,500 |
| Lighting and electrical | $250 | $3,000 |
| Plants and fish | $100 | $2,500 |
| Labor and design | $800 | $8,000 |
Liner costs by material
Liners are priced per square foot, materials only. HomeAdvisor (2026)2 and Fixr (2022)3 publish overlapping but frequently different figures:
| Liner material | HomeAdvisor (2026) | Fixr (2022) |
|---|---|---|
| Plastic | – | $0.25 – $1.20 |
| HDPE | $0.35 – $0.70 | $0.35 – $0.60 |
| Vinyl (PVC) | – | $0.50 – $7.50 |
| Bentonite | – | $1.15 – $2.45 |
| Fiberglass (preformed) | $10 – $80 | $3.50 – $6 |
| Concrete | $64 – $114 | $60 – $120 |
Fixr's rubber liner figures conflict across its own table and text ($0.35 – $2.50 vs $0.35 – $2.05 per sq ft), so they are omitted. For any liner, follow the exact product's manufacturer instructions.
Labor and excavation
Pond builders and landscapers charge $50 to $150 per hour according to Angi, with total labor for a standard project running $2,000 to $8,000 or more; electricians add $70 to $150 per hour and landscape designers $75 to $200 per hour1. HomeAdvisor and Fixr both put pond labor at $50 to $200 per hour23 – separately published figures, and the pages state no shared sourcing. Fixr adds that labor runs from $500 for a small pond with no landscaping to $12,000 for larger projects with moderate edging, with excavation labor at $2.75 to $7 per square foot3. HomeAdvisor prices excavation for small ponds at $2.50 to $7.15 per square foot and larger ponds at $1.50 to $3.50 per cubic yard, and notes that clay, rocky terrain, or heavy tree cover can add $1,200 or more, with land grading averaging $2,000 if not included2.
Equipment and stocking
Fixr prices pond pumps at $50 to $400 and filters at $50 to $400 for materials, with skimmer filters at $50 to $250, internal filters at $75 to $400, and external filters at $100 to $4003. Stocking costs, per fish (2022)3:
| Fish | Fixr cost per fish (2022) |
|---|---|
| Goldfish | $0.25 – $0.50 |
| Catfish | $0.55 – $1.55 |
| Trout | $0.60 – $1.60 |
| Bass | $0.90 – $3.20 |
| Black moor | $5 – $6 |
| Koi | $10 – $25 |
Aquatic plants run $4 to $55 each at Fixr, from anacharis at $4 to $8 up to water lilies at $30 to $45 and lotus plants at $40 to $55; other wildlife such as frogs, newts, and turtles runs $2.60 to $200 per animal3.
Fixr's snail price is printed as an inverted range ($10 – $8.50), so it is omitted.
Add-ons and extras
The most common additions, per project unless noted123:
| Add-on | Angi (2026) | HomeAdvisor (2026) | Fixr (2022) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Waterfall | – | $900 – $4,500 | $855 – $4,465 |
| Fountain | – | $900 – $5,000 | $2,750 – $15,000 |
| Lighting | $250 – $3,000 (with electrical) | – | $50 – $3,000 |
| Water features (general) | $400 – $7,500 | – | – |
| Edging | – | $1 – $15 per sq ft | – |
| Bridge | – | – | $100 – $1,700 |
| Statue | – | – | $10 – $4,200 |
| Heater | – | – | $25 – $340 |
| Patio | – | $2,000 – $6,000 | – |
| Boat dock | – | around $15,000 | – |
| Fence | – | – | $15 – $25 per linear ft |
| Pond fill-in (removal) | – | – | $300 – $800 |
Fixr's edging material figures conflict across its own table and text ($350 – $1,500 vs $250 – $1,500), so they are omitted.
On site preparation and permits: Angi lists site clearing, grading, and soil testing at $500 to $3,000 and permit fees at $100 to $2,0001, while HomeAdvisor advises budgeting a minimum of $150 to $500 for permits2.
Ongoing costs
HomeAdvisor puts basic pond maintenance at $400 to $5,000 per year and professional cleaning at $300 to $1,000 per visit2. Fixr prices a cleaning service at $450 to $5,000 per year, typically billed as $115 to $1,250 per quarterly visit, and puts self-performed upkeep supplies at $20 to $40 per month3. Angi lists maintenance service providers at $50 to $150 per visit1. For repairs, Angi lists liner leak fixes at $200 to $1,000 and pump replacements at $150 to $5001.
Renovating or remodeling an existing pond
Angi prices pond renovation – replacing the liner, upgrading the pump, or adding plants – at $500 to $5,000, and full remodels that expand the pond or change its shape or use at $5,000 to $20,000 or more1.
Cost by city
HomeAdvisor's average project costs in major metros (2026)2:
| City | HomeAdvisor average cost (2026) |
|---|---|
| Atlanta | $2,400 |
| Boston | $3,600 |
| Chicago | $2,300 |
| Dallas | $2,900 |
| Denver | $2,600 |
| Kansas City | $2,000 |
| Philadelphia | $3,600 |
| San Francisco | $3,800 |
What affects the price
The publishers point to the same main drivers. Size and depth dominate, since larger ponds need more excavation, bigger liners, and stronger pumps13. The pond type sets the baseline, with swimming and fishing ponds far above garden ponds13. Difficult soil – clay, rock, or heavy tree cover – raises excavation costs2. The liner material ranges from under $1 per square foot for plastic or HDPE to $60 or more for concrete23. Finally, features like waterfalls, fountains, and lighting, plus regional labor rates, move the total12.
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