What should I do with this pond/hole in my garden?

moneysaved_2

Hi all,

I moved into my house last year. Previous occupants were a elderly couple who used to love sitting by the pond in the garden.
Now I am left with the pond but for the forseeable future I would not plan to actually use it as a functional pond.

I am trying to work out what would be the best MoneySaving (long and short term) way to deal with the pond or hole in my garden (depending on how it is presently viewed).

Heres a scan taken from original estate agents listing shows how the garden originally looked with the pond at the back behind the bench.



At that time the pond used to have a wooden netting structure over the top, in my haste I removed this first bank holiday after moving in, before I realised the issue of the pond would take some more thought.

Now this is what it looks like (Higher resolution pictures linked in)

FRONT


BACK


ANGLE


Has deteriorated a bit so that it is an eyesore both for me and my neighbours.

So I am considering two options and would appreciate any ideas/point of views.

1- To pay a builder/handy man to totally remove the pond from my garden, not sure yet how much this would cost

2- Alternatively since I maybe selling the house in the near future eg next five years. I am considering covering it up with some waterproof wood cover since I thought perhaps it will increase resale value on the house.

Would greatly appreciate any input/ideas

Thanks

tanith

I don't think it will EVER increase the value of your house and you should get rid of it.. no doubt that concrete shell goes down numerous feet into the ground and is going be a long hard slog to remove , but you can at least use some of the broken up bricks(if thats what is under the concrete) to fill in the hole then once everything else is removed either cover with new cement or soil whichever is your preference. You will need a skip for the rubble I would think too.

Leif

I wonder what that box thing is for? Electrics? It looks vile ... but some form of paint/finish could make it look neat, rather than the flooded entrance to a nuclear bunker. Or perhaps buy a sledge hammer and some eye protection. At present it is a death trap for hedgehogs, foxes, cats, dogs, small children etc.

Or ... tart up the outside surface and top, drain, drill largish drainage holes in base, fill with compost (cheap grow bags) and use as raised bed or ornamental garden.

Jonesya

Leif wrote: »

Or ... tart up the outside surface and top, drain, drill largish drainage holes in base, fill with compost (cheap grow bags) and use as raised bed or ornamental garden.

I think that's the easiest route - with a selection of herbs growing in it, cleaned up and painted with masonry paint it could look quite smart.

tanith

Its going to take a lorry load of grow bags to fill that hole and some!!:eek:

Hobsons_Choice

Put a really good layer of rubble/bricks and grow veggies?

Leif

tanith wrote: »

Its going to take a lorry load of grow bags to fill that hole and some!!:eek:

Yes it will, but you can perhaps get mushroom compost in bulk, or know someone who wants to get rid of garden cuttings. But it must have plenty of holes in the base unless you want a bog garden. :rotfl:

freezspirit

Could do what a friend of the family did where they had a similar thing in their garden. Cleaned it out and painted it with a waterproof paint on the inside so had a pool to soak in during the summer. Rest of time it had a strong decking structure/cover on as a raise platform so his daugther play on as in a stage.

Other options he did was to fill it with sand or colour plastic balls.

But I guess these will only work if you have children.

Leif

Put an ornate roof on and some steps, and you have a family mausoleum.

moneysaved_2

Great Ideas!:cool:

It's really helpful getting other perspectives on what can be done with this monstrosity.

Definitely giving me some options to mull over. May even be able to keep my pocket healthier as a result.:money:

Thanks ALL!! Lets see if together we can come up with...

"50 WAYS TO DEAL WITH AN UNLOVED MONSTROUS POND IN THE BACK GARDEN"!!!:D

CaptainKidd

Maybe the next person buying the house will want to bury their dog in it