The Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic has impacted and is continuing to impact the Central Kentucky community. At H2O Designs, Inc. we value each customer relationship and see no reason, at the present time, to suspend our sales and design operations or otherwise cancel scheduled work. At the same time, we value the health and well-being of all individuals and want to do what we can to protect our employees, customers, and everyone with whom we do business. At this time, we are taking the following measures to keep safety as our top priority:
Virtual Design/Consultations![]() In addition to these measures we will also be offering a new “Virtual Project Design Process” for Lexington & Central Kentucky homeowners. We are still pleased to offer our traditional design meetings and process . However, for those who are wanting a new Water Feature or Outdoor Living Area in the Central KY area and want the security of not physically interacting with our design consultants we are happy to offer the following changes to our process:
Technology truly is amazing and we are happy to be able to continue to work with you through these strange times.
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When To Install My Pond or Outdoor Living Area (Patio, Deck, etc) in Central (Lexington) KY9/20/2019 Fall & Winter Pond or |
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- Landscape & Grass – In the Fall & Winter your grass and landscape are typically dormant so the damage will be less, and they will recover quickly in the Spring.
- Scheduling– There is no denying that Spring is the most popular time of the year for new pond or outdoor living (patio, deck, outdoor kitchen, etc) construction in the Lexington / Central KY area. Therefore, our Spring / early Summer schedule fills up very quickly (often by the end of March). By having your project installed in the Fall/Winter you will be enjoying your new pond, patio, deck, etc while others are patiently waiting for our us to get to their project. Even If you do want to wait to Spring you can put down a minimal deposit to secure your place on our construction schedule come Spring.
- Project Timelines - Spring rains can delay construction for weeks. Fall weather is dryer, cooler, and usually more predictable. On average, you lose fewer days to rain, and the ground is easier to work.
- For Ponds & Water Features
- Plants - Planting marginal (bog) plants in early fall allows them time to get rooted. During fall, plants focus their energy on root development rather than foliar (leaf) growth. When spring arrives they have enough stored energy for lush, healthy growth.
- Landscaping - Perimeter landscaping is always best accomplished in fall. Plants get better established and will be more heat resistant by summer.
- Ecosystem – Installing the pond in the fall enables the pond water to settle and mature. You should experience less of an algae problem, if any, as the pond reaches proper bacterial balance during cooler fall weather.
If you are considering a pond, outdoor living, patio, deck, outdoor kitchen or any outdoor project this Fall & Winter and live in the Lexington / Central Kentucky area. Fill out the form below and our designer will contact you to start the planning stages ASAP…
Do you enjoy spending time outside with your friends and family?
If you own a home here in the Lexington / Central Kentucky area chances are that you have some type of patio or deck in your back yard. Unless you've had your backyard living area (patio or deck) renovated in the past 5 years chances are also pretty good that it may be time to consider how your outdoor living space fits your lifestyle.
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How much does that cost?
The number one question / hesitation we receive from new customers here in the Lexington Ky area is related to cost in one way or another. In general a lot of people think that a patio or deck renovation is simply out of their budget. While this is sometimes the case, if you are serious about wanting a new outdoor living area planning is the first step to the process. After all how do you know you can't afford something when you don't know the cost?
1) - Planning Your Renovation
Planning your patio or deck renovation is much more than having a design / drawing created. The first step to planning your renovation should start with a brainstorming conversation with you and your family. This is the fun part so be sure to consider all ideas regardless of how far fetched they may be. Utilize online resources such as Houzz and Pinterest for ideas.
Questions to consider:
- How many people do we typically entertain? Answering this question will help you determine the size of your new patio or deck or even if enlarging your existing space is even necessary.
- How do we / will we use our new outdoor living area? This question will help you determine what amenities you want to consider. For example, do you usually cook for your guests (Outdoor Kitchen/BBQ Island)? Do your guests hang around well into the evening hours (Fire Pit or Outdoor Fireplace)
- What is our budget? You do not need to know how much things cost at this point to know your budget. The question I always ask m customers is "What are you willing and able to invest into your project at this time?" Keep in mind that many patio or deck renovations can be designed in phases so your initial budget should not determine your overall design (wish list).
- Are we willing to finance some or all of the project? Financing can be a very useful tool if utilized properly. Most companies nowadays offer low interest or even 0% interest financing options. This can be useful when your overall wish list exceeds your initial budget. I always recommend to finance responsibly. For example if you are confident you will have the money for phase 2 saved in a year and a company offers "18 months Same as Cash", it may be a good opportunity to include phase 2 in the initial project phase.
2) Timing of your project.
Spring is by far our busiest time of the year for customer phone calls. It seems that everyone has cabin fever and is excited about getting their new patio or deck renovated in the Spring / Early Summer. The harsh truth is that most quality companies are already scheduled through mid Summer / Early Fall by the time April showers arrive. Imagine the frustration that many customers experience when they find out they have to wait another 6 weeks to have the patio/deck that they have planned and dreamed about all Winter..
Fall & Winter is the best time to begin planning and contacting / interviewing potential contractors for your deck / patio renovation project! Please pause and read the previous statement again! By beginning your project planning in the Fall and Winter you can accomplish many things.
Fall & Winter is the best time to begin planning and contacting / interviewing potential contractors for your deck / patio renovation project! Please pause and read the previous statement again! By beginning your project planning in the Fall and Winter you can accomplish many things.
- You will be higher up on the installation list come Spring.
- More attention to your project design.
- Possible Incentives / Discounts.
- In some cases your project can even be installed in the January/February timeline so you have your new deck or patio ready to use when the weather breaks.
3) Hire a professional or D.I.Y.?
This is usually a fairly straight forward decision. Simply ask yourself this question. Do I have the time, skills and am I physically fit to complete this deck or patio renovation. Time is the most important of these 3 factors. You may be physically fit and have the skills to renovate your patio or deck. However, does your job/lifestyle allow you the time to take on this project?
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4) Choosing a professional?
There are numerous resources on the internet about how to hire a professional. My advice is to do your own research. Make sure that you research every company you will be inviting to your home before calling them. Research their online reviews, website, etc. For your convenience we have provided a list of questions you should ask potential contractors, Click here to review these questions.
Also, keep in mind that listing companies such as Home Advisor, Angies List, etc make money off of the contractors they refer. Just because a company is listed on a referral site does not mean that they are the right company for you and your project.
Also, keep in mind that listing companies such as Home Advisor, Angies List, etc make money off of the contractors they refer. Just because a company is listed on a referral site does not mean that they are the right company for you and your project.
Summary
Whether you just need a couple of amenities such as a new deck bench, outdoor kitchen or patio fire pit or you will be considering a complete renovation of your Central Ky patio or deck start planning now and do your research. By beginning your planning in the Fall and Winter you will ensure a timely and wonderful backyard renovation you can enjoy all year long beginning in the Spring.
How do I Prepare my Pond/Water Feature for Fall-Winter here in the Central Kentucky Area (Lexington)
9/12/2018
When you start to see Halloween decorations and trick-or-treat candy at your local stores it is a sure sign that the need for Fall Pond Maintenance is on its way. Whether you tackle this job yourself or you hire a professional here are some Fall pond maintenance tips to keep in mind when performing Fall Pond & Water Feature Maintenance.
It is important to note that preparing your pond for Fall and preparing it for Winter are 2 completely different tasks. Fall Preparation tasks generally take place in the September / Early October time here in the Lexington Kentucky area while Winter preparation generally occurs in November / Early December. We will focus our attention on Fall Pond Maintenance tasks and postpone addressing Winter tasks to November.
It is important to note that preparing your pond for Fall and preparing it for Winter are 2 completely different tasks. Fall Preparation tasks generally take place in the September / Early October time here in the Lexington Kentucky area while Winter preparation generally occurs in November / Early December. We will focus our attention on Fall Pond Maintenance tasks and postpone addressing Winter tasks to November.
Note: If you own a Pondless Waterfall or Landscape Fountain you will only need to consider Netting your Stream / fountain and using our suggested Algae control products listed below.
As Fall approaches us here in the Central Kentucky area, there are several maintenance tasks to consider. It is likely that not all of these tasks will apply to your pond. However, it is important to make sure you consider all tasks to prevent potential catastrophic issues when the snow and ice arrive.

Cleaning Your Pond - Most of our customers have their pond completely drained and cleaned in the Spring of the year. However, in many cases your pond may need to be cleaned in he Fall as well. I always encourage customers to perform a visual test on their pond. If there is excessive sludge and debris or if you have had excessive string algae issues over the summer your pond (and more importantly your Fish) may need a Fall Pond Cleanout. excessive sludge and debris in the pond cause noxious gasses to build up over the Winter months and can cause fish health issues and even death. A Fall pond clean out is a great way to ensure your fish are safe and healthy all winter long. Also, since you are reducing the debris in your pond in the Fall it will make your Spring pond cleanout much easier and possibly unnecessary. If your pond looks generally clean we recommend a "Partial Pond Cleaning" for your pond. This simply entails removing all excessive leaves and debris in your pond and stream, cleaning your filters, etc. (Learn More)

Netting Your Pond - If you live in the Lexington / Central Kentucky area or a similar climate, we recommend installing a net over your pond. Many times the falling leaves can overwhelm your skimmer system and even worse smother your pond depriving your finned friends of much needed oxygen. Some leaves are already starting to fall so don’t delay netting your pond if you are in direct vicinity of trees. Additionally a pond net will help prevent predators such as the Blue Heron from feasting your pond fish this Winter!!
A pond net can greatly reduce the amount of debris and maintenance for ponds that are in direct vicinity of trees and falling leaves. Pond Frames are custom built with durable PVC piping and the netting is securely strapped to the frame to prevent sagging from the weight of leaves and debris that could ultimately suffocate your pond fish. (Learn More)
A pond net can greatly reduce the amount of debris and maintenance for ponds that are in direct vicinity of trees and falling leaves. Pond Frames are custom built with durable PVC piping and the netting is securely strapped to the frame to prevent sagging from the weight of leaves and debris that could ultimately suffocate your pond fish. (Learn More)

Aquatic Plants - Here in the Lexington / Central Kentucky are we refer to our landscaping plants as perennials & Annuals. Aquatic plants are much like landscaping plants in that we have tropical & hardy plants. Tropical plants (Zone 8 & Above) will need to be removed before winter while hardy plants simply need to be trimmed back. Trimming your hardy aquatic plants that begin going dormant as the weather cools helps to prevent the fall out debris from building in the bottom of your pond. Removing dying plants leaves will make your pond cleaning responsibilities easier. Decaying leaves and foliage produce toxic gases that can harm your fish so you want to remove this debris before winter rolls into town. You don’t need to remove every single last leaf, but try to remove the majority. (Learn More)

Predators - Fall is the perfect time for predators such as the dreaded Blue Heron or even Racoons to find your pond and turn you fish into a savory Halloween Snack!! After trimming your Water Lilies & other plants back you have fully exposed your finned friends to potential dangers. Many of our customers will net their pond in the Fall even if leaves are not an issue just to deter the Heron and other predators from making a quick meal out of your finned friends!!

Aeration / Pond De-icers - While this subject is more suitable for our Winter Pond Maintenance tips we feel that it is important to begin considering how you will aerate your pond this Winter. By planning and even installing components now you will save yourself some headache later. All too often we have customers calling when the temperature is sub freezing wanting a pond de-icer or aerator. If they had installed these items in October they would not be rushing to find a solution in January. Whats the old saying.. An ounce of prevention or something like that.. We will dive more into pond aeration in Novemeber but for now here are a couple of products we recommend for your pond this Winter (Learn More)
Feeding Your Fish - The water temperature will soon be dropping and you should be feeding our fish less as their metabolism slows down. Hopefully you have been feeding your fish well with a high protein food this summer to allow them to build up a reserve of fat to help them through the winter. After the water temperature drops to the sixties you should decrease the amount of food given and feed only once a day. We recommend Aquascape Cold Water Fish Food at this time as it is easily digested. As the water temperatures continue to drop to below 60 degrees you should feed only two or three times a week. It can take your fish two or three days to digest food at this temperature. Once the temperature drops below 50 degrees you should stop feeding altogether until spring when the water temperature remains above 50 degrees.
Algae Control &
Cold Weather Water Treatments |
It is normal here in the Lexington / Central Kentucky area for us to have mild Winters. I have played golf several times on New Years Day thanks to 60 degree+ weather in January. While this is great for us the sporadic weather fluctuations sometimes reek havoc on our pond ecosystems. Often string algae blooms are common. Also, often pond water will become green/murky which creates more sludge and debris in your pond. Therefore, we encourage all of our customers to consider the IonGen system along with regularly using the Aquascape Cold water bacteria when water temperatures are above freezing..
About
H2O Designs has been designing, building and maintaining ponds, water features & Outdoor Living Areas in the Central area KY for over 13 years. In 2005, H2O Designs became Certified by Aquascape Inc. as a Certified Aquascape Contractor (CAC) and in 2010 they added their Outdoor Living By Design division
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