When looking for a new water feature, the first piece of advice is often to hire a Certified Aquascape Contractor (CAC). But does that certification mean you are hiring the best, an artist or just a safe choice?
Let’s be honest about what the CAC designation means and how it should factor into your decision.
The Certified Pond Builder: A Good Starting Point
A contractor becoming a Certified Aquascape Contractor must follow a certain code of ethics and adhere to established building techniques. Aquascape works hard to offer many classes and events to help contractors improve their building skills.
For homeowners looking for an average, functional pond, waterfall, or stream, choosing a CAC is an almost safe bet. You will likely have a good experience, and the feature will work as it should. Aquascape also does a good job of responding to customer concerns when problems come up and they are contacted.
The focus of the certification is often on:
- Participation: Attending training events and seminars.
- Product Use: Proving that they use Aquascape products.
- Ethics: Adhering to a general code of conduct for their business.
When Certification Isn’t Enough: Artistry and Expertise
The honest truth is that being a Certified Aquascape Contractor is not a guarantee of superior talent or next-level artistry.
We have met some of the best pond builders in the world. While many of them are CACs, (We are) some are not. Why? Because the certification doesn’t manage or track a few key things:
- Artistry and Natural Look: Aquascape does not police things like artistry or the ability to make a water feature truly mimic nature.
- Skill for Big Projects: There is no test to prove the company has the deep knowledge needed to build very large or complex systems, like a recreation pond.
- Field Quality Control: While Aquascape offers training, they have no way to track that the actual person working on your property is doing things according to standard practices. Each company sets its own standards and chooses who they send to the training events which ideally should be the person building your water feature along with the manager in the company.
This is the moment where you spot the difference between a natural-looking masterpiece and a feature that looks like a simple “pile of rocks were placed on top of others to create a man-made water feature.” True art takes love and dedication but honestly with the right knowledge this can be achieved faster and with less materials.
Finding True Art: Look at the Work, Not Just the Certificate
Your water feature is an investment, and believe us, it will be the focal point of your backyard. If it’s built properly, you will feel like you are in nature every morning when drinking your coffee, reading a book, or entertaining guests.
For a project that truly mimics nature or involves a complex, large system, we suggest you look past the certificate.
Here is what you should do:
- Look at Their Work: Ask for photos and videos of their completed projects.
- Compare with the Best: Compare their work with some of the best builders in the industry like Deckers Pondscapes, Atlantis Water Gardens, and Aquascape Construction.’s top projects.
- See it in Real Life: Go and see their projects in person if possible.
Decide which contractor and style you feel most confident with. You are looking for a company that pours their heart and soul into the work but at the same time will solve any issues if they arise.
The Test of True Art: If your guests ask “Where is the water coming from and where is it going?”—that is a sign your contractor truly did a one-of-a-kind project. True art can be spotted right away.
We’re confident in our ability to create a water feature that captures the look and feel of nature as closely as possible — though we understand that beauty is subjective, and you may see it differently, after doing your due diligence hire the cpntractor best aligns with your vision, we are very confident our work is one of the best in the area but if after seeing what we are capable of creating and you don’t find it as appealing as we do, look for other company, there are several other very respectful and talented Certified Aquascape Contractors in the Bay area that have been in business way longer than our company.
We want to be the company that builds your next project as long as you feel confident of our ability, a water feature like a koi pond or pondless watefall is a big investment, it will bring you joy and pleasure if build properly but headches and regrest if not, unfortunally 80% of our work is to fix someone else’s attempt.
Questions and Answers About Certified Pond Builders
Q1: What is the main benefit of hiring a CAC?
A: The main benefit is consistency. A CAC has agreed to follow certain building techniques and a code of ethics, making them a generally safe and reliable bet for a basic, functional water feature.
Q2: Does a CAC certification mean the company is one of the best builders in the world?
A: Not necessarily. The certification shows they use the products and attend training, but it does not test for or guarantee a superior level of artistry or the advanced expertise needed for very complex, large-scale projects like recreation ponds.
Q3: If I want my pond to look like a truly natural stream, should I still look for a CAC?
A: Yes, start with CACs, but for true artistry, you must look closely at their portfolio of completed work. Focus on how natural their features look and compare them to the best work in the industry, but most importantly that aligns with your vision and expectations.
Q4: How can I tell if a contractor built an artistic pond versus just a functional one?
A: An artistic pond mimics and follows nature. The best sign is when the water sources and exits are hidden, and the entire feature looks like it has always been there, making guests wonder how it works.
Q5: Are we Certified Aquascape Contractor?
A: We’re proud to be Certified Aquascape Contractors, but we don’t expect that title to speak for itself. We’d rather let our work do the talking. When you schedule a consultation, feel free to challenge us, ask questions, and ask to see real-life examples of our projects — we welcome it.
