Calculate excavation volumes, material quantities, and project scope for your property. Enter your dimensions and we'll show you what's involved.
Standard sizes: 9×12 backyard kit (108 sq ft) or 14×20 production unit (280 sq ft). Custom dimensions accepted.
Offered as an add-on for the 14×20 production unit (280 sq ft). Includes excavation, gravel, pipe, and fan. Not available for the 9×12 backyard kit.
Includes design, permit, and installation. Size scales with bedrooms.
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Send us this scope summary and we'll price it based on your site.
Can a 20-tonne excavator reach the site? Every extra hour of mobilization adds cost. Narrow driveways, gates, soft ground, and steep approaches all increase the price before any digging starts.
Rock means slow digging and sometimes a breaker attachment. Wet clay means waiting for dry weather or accepting lower-quality compaction. Sandy soil means more compaction passes and potentially importing clay for pond sealing.
Larger projects have lower per-unit costs. A 500 m3 pond is cheaper per cubic metre than a 50 m3 pond because mobilization and setup costs are spread over more volume. Combining multiple items in one visit saves money.
Summer work is most efficient. Wet-season work needs more time, more fuel, more cleanup, and risks soil compaction damage. On Vancouver Island, the window from June to September is prime time.
Dam safety reviews, water licences, and septic permits add time and cost depending on scope. Projects near streams trigger riparian assessments. Budget for regulatory requirements early.
The biggest savings come from combining work items in a single mobilization. A pond, swale system, and site clearing done together is significantly cheaper than three separate visits.
Need help with this on your property? Swell Farms designs and builds across Vancouver Island and the Gulf Islands. Book a site visit and we'll scope your project on the ground.
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