Garden fountain and water feature installer

Homeowners, landscapers who subcontract the work, HOAs, restaurants, hotels and small commercial property owners.

Fixed-price quotes per project covering design, materials markup and labor. Larger custom builds bring higher margins, and repeat work comes from referrals and landscapers.

• Basic plumbing and masonry
• Reading site plans and measuring
• Estimating and quoting jobs
• Customer service and design sense

• License requirements vary by state and locality. Decorative, self-contained features may not need a contractor license in some places, but plumbing, electrical or landscaping scope often does, so confirm before you quote
• General liability insurance, plus workers' compensation once you hire
• Electrical work near water usually must be done by a licensed electrician and meet code (such as GFCI protection), so check local rules or subcontract it
• Permits and rules for ponds or deep water features, including fencing for child safety, in your city or county
• Heavy lifting and digging, so plan for equipment and help

Startup costs are typically around $3,000 to $15,000, depending on your tools, vehicle and equipment for digging and lifting. These are estimates, and starting with self-contained features can keep early costs lower than jobs needing plumbing or electrical work.

It varies by state and locality, so confirm before you quote. Plumbing, electrical or landscaping scope often needs a license. Also check electrical rules near water, such as GFCI protection, plus permits and child-safety fencing for ponds.

Monthly revenue is typically estimated at around $2,000 to $10,000, depending on job size, how many jobs you complete and whether landscapers subcontract work to you. The estimate assumes about 15 or more hours a week, before materials and other costs.