How to start a pond maintenance business

If you’re wondering how to start a fish pond business, there are a number of things to consider.

But why a career with ponds in the first place?

Well for starters, there is more work in this area than you may think. In 2022, there were over 24,000 searches for “Pond Construction” alone, 25,000 for “Pond Maintenance”, as well as a further 14,000 for “Water Gardens”*.

Depending on the size and type of pond, you can charge a good amount for installation. After the initial setup, a pond will become a living ecosystem, and so will need regular maintenance.

Developing a good relationship with customers is therefore a great way to guarantee ongoing work. If you set up a pond in the first place, who better to keep it maintained moving forward?

Starting your own pond business rather than working for someone else will give you the freedom to choose your jobs and have control over your work-life balance.

What tasks are involved with a pond maintenance business?

After installing ponds in their gardens, homeowners will do one of two things. Either they will let their new pond become truly wild, letting everything get overgrown and affecting the wildlife, or they’ll want to keep it well maintained.

You’ll probably be able to gauge the type of pond owner when you first meet them. But knowing your trade will mean you can offer a range of services they may not even have considered.

As a varied job, here are some of the things you’ll need to have a grasp on when starting a pond business:

• Fitting new filters
• Changing filters
• Cleaning pond interiors
• Changing plants
• Fitting fountains or water features
• Replacing tubing
• Landscaping (brickwork, decking or slabbing)

And these are just some of the ongoing jobs. When putting a pond in to start off with, there are other skills you’ll need too!

What qualifications do you need when starting a pond business?

There are no official qualifications to run a pond business. However, knowledge and experience in gardening would be beneficial. When it comes to installing ponds, a rough idea of building techniques may also come in handy.

Across the UK there are college courses, apprenticeships and higher education opportunities that you might want to consider.

For example:

• Level 3 Certificate in Landscape Construction
• Horticulture or Landscape Construction Operative Level 2 Intermediate Apprenticeship
• Landscape or Horticulture Supervisor Level 3 Advanced Apprenticeship

Many skills needed for starting a pond business can also be learned on horticulture courses. They will help you understand about the different plants and ecosystems that can work in ponds.

There is a vast array of information that can be gained from industry hubs such as GoLandscape, providing pathways to becoming a landscape gardener. There are also other formal qualifications you could consider from the Royal Horticultural Society (RHS).

As well as getting qualified, you may also want to think about joining a trade body when starting a pond business.

What trade associations could you join?

BALI, short for the British Association Landscape Industries, is the official trade body for those working as landscapers and landscape gardeners.

Customers tend to trust tradespeople more when they are vetted and checked by official trade bodies. That includes people working in the areas of landscaping, gardening and ponds.

If you’re just starting out and wondering how to start a fish pond business, for example, trade accreditation is not the first step to take. However, if you’re already working in the industry and looking to legitimise a new business, becoming a member of BALI can really help you.

Throughout the UK there are many rogue trades, making it harder for both quality tradespeople and customers. Joining a trade association like BALI helps build trust and can even get you more work.

How to register your new pond business

Setting up a new company or beginning work as a sole trader both have different processes. So it is important to have a business plan in place before you start.

If you’re starting a pond business as a sole trader, you’ll need to think about:

• Choosing a name
• Informing HMRC
• Think about registering for VAT
• Filling in your annual tax returns

However, when you want to know how to set up a company, you also need to consider:

• Registering with Companies House
• Setting up a registered office address
• Business legal structure

There are different considerations to make, so do your research before starting a pond business.

Compare the pros and cons of both being a sole trader or a limited company, and then following the necessary registration process.

Either way, you’ll need to get set up with HMRC and pay the correct taxes at the appropriate time.

How to market your new pond business

Whether you are just starting a pond business, or offering the services as part of wider landscaper trade work, you’ll need to start marketing.

There are a number of things you can do to start generating more work and getting seen in your local area.

To help you out, we’ve put it all together in one place, giving you the lowdown on everything marketing related.

Fill in your details below, and we’ll send you over a copy of your complete guide to marketing a new business.

As with all businesses, you can start to think about a broad variety of marketing methods, including:

• Website
• PPC
• SEO
• Social Media
• Print advertising
• Online directories
• Email marketing
• Branded van or workwear
• Community events
• Trade shows
• Referral schemes

However you choose to market your new pond business, don’t forget to provide great customer service and collect reviews. Repeat business is one of the most effective ways of marketing, and also the cheapest!

Don’t forget that you might also be able to claim back the cost of marketing expenses. In some cases they are tax deductible. Again, make sure to get familiar with all of the rules before setting out.

Getting covered with the right insurance

You’ll need business insurance to cover your new business. Both as a sole trader or limited company, it is important to get the right cover, in case anything goes wrong.

There a number of different insurance types that you will need as a tradesperson. While every insurance type may not be a legal requirement for your individual, all Checkatrade members are required to have public liability insurance as standard.

Here is a list of insurance cover that you may need:

• Public liability insurance
• Employer’s liability insurance
• Professional indemnity insurance
• Tools insurance
• Goods in Transit insurance
• Vehicle insurance

Read through our useful guide to help you choose the right cover for your new pond business:

As part of our member benefits, people who sign up with Checkatrade can save 20% on their PLI. People need to log into our Member’s Area to see the latest insurance deals.

Getting the right insurance may not seem like a priority when starting a pond business. Being insured early, however, could really be of benefit in the unlikely event that something goes wrong.

How can Checkatrade help you?

Along with many benefits, helping our members save across a wide variety of services, Checkatrade can help your new pond business to find more work.

In 2022, there were over 60,000 searches on our website for pond related jobs.* Whether installation or maintenance, there is a vast quantity of work, and a deficit of skilled people to carry it out.

Joining today could start the process of putting you in touch with more customers. Collecting reviews and sharing pictures of work helps build trust and shows that you’re a quality tradesperson and not a rogue.

At Checkatrade, we have membership to suit all trade businesses. Our fixed membership option lets you build the plan that’s perfect for you and your business needs.

FAQs

Is it difficult to maintain a pond?

Yes, and no. Get the right balance of plants, water and light, and a wonderful new ecosystem can be build in someone’s garden. If there are living things, as part of a fish pond, that could change the balance, and therefore the need to keep it maintained.

When algae growth is under control, pond maintenance can be relatively simple. However, the need for people working in the pond maintenance business is because the ecosystem of a pond is seldom that easy.

Is there much work with a fish pond business?

Unlike standard pets, fish are much easier to maintain. Keep them well fed and clean and they should look after themselves. When keeping fish in a pond, the importance of cleaning regularly is not quite the same, but avoiding algae build-up is still a pressing issue.

When there are so many jobs to be done with ponds, there will be a steady stream of work with your new pond maintenance business. Develop a good relationship with customers straight away, and you’ll find they come back to you again and again.

* Data collected from average searches across the Checkatrade website in 2022.