For many people, the image of a backyard with nice, lush greenery, tall, shady trees, and even a nice, tranquil pond has something deeply soothing to it. A backyard pond can surely bring about many benefits to your daily life. And yet, as with any major change to your home, it’s important that you properly consider the pros and cons before building one.

Tip: you’ll also want to consult with a wildlife removal company before you begin any construction work. They’ll be able to advise you on the most common types of wildlife in your area that may be attracted to your pond, and how to avoid these.

Let’s start with the pros of a backyard pond

A pond increases resale value.

While nobody wants to think about leaving their house, it’s worth keeping in the back of your mind that any improvement you bring to your home will increase its overall selling value, when and if you decide to sell.

Since a pond increases comfort and visual effect, it will allow you to spring for a higher asking price when you sell your home.

It brightens the yard.

A pond is probably one of the nicest additions you can bring to your backyard. Not only is the water itself calming, but you can surround and populate your pond with a wide choice of plants and shrubs. These can range from the practical (with fruits you can use in the household) to the aesthetically pleasing.

You can keep fish.

Keeping fish as pets can be a great experience, and a good addition to your state of mind. However, keeping fish in an indoor aquarium is a no-no for many people due to the poor living conditions.

An outside pond, on the other hand, would allow you to keep fish, without restricting their movement, or forcing them in a cramped living environment. It would also brighten up the place, and make your pond even more pleasant to be around

Note: Take note of the weather, however. If you live in an area where you get extreme winter temperatures, you may be forced to find alternative housing for your fish in the cold months.

It encourages a wildlife sanctuary.

Turning your backyard into a sanctuary for wild animals like birds or squirrels can be deeply rewarding, in and of itself. And having a pond provides them with a natural water source, thus increasing your chances of attracting wild animals.

However, it may also attract wild animals you don’t wish to invite, like raccoons, opossums, and even snakes. So before you make any decision, make sure you’re up on all the most recent raccoon prevention tips, to keep your pond free of nuisance animals.

You might build your pond yourself.

If you are a DIY enthusiast, and aren’t looking for an overly complex pond design, you may be able to build it yourself. This can constitute a fun project for you (and even your friends, or your children), as well as an opportunity to save money.

On top of all that, you’ll have the satisfaction of having built something with your own hands, which always makes it twice as valuable.

It allows you to relax.

Water has always been associated with peace and tranquility, so your pond might go a long way in just helping you relax after a long day.

Now, let’s look at the cons.

While a backyard pond does, indeed, have numerous benefits, there are also some downsides, which you’ll need to consider. Such as?

It requires a lot of maintenance.

Unfortunately, a pond will also mean a lot of upkeep. You’ll need to regularly scrub the bottom liner to avoid accumulation. You’ll also need to check the water’s pH every 7-10 days, and replace filters weekly.

You will need to clean the water regularly, removing fallen leaves, twigs, flies and so on.

You’ll attract insects.

The trouble with any body of water is that it attracts insects – flies, mosquitoes, roaches (check out cockroach prevention tips), they’ll all be attracted to your pond. So you want to make sure you’ve got some prevention/extermination techniques handy before you start construction.

It may be costly.

Even if you can build the pond yourself, many areas require that you get a construction permit before installing a pond. This is to ensure the safety of your pets and children, as well as to make sure you don’t disturb any pipes or wires that may be in the ground. This will require a professional inspection, as well as additional permit and regulatory costs that you need to consider carefully.

All in all, having a backyard pond can be a great addition to your property, and a great opportunity for some peace and quiet. Just make sure you understand what you’re signing up for preferably before you actually sign anything!