Expert Consulting

		Soilmovers LLC *Trophy Fishing Lakes*

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Expert and experienced recreation lake, trophy fishing lake, ranch lake, plastic lake liner construction and total infrastructure design and implementation.

Consultation services available based on years of successful lake design and construction.

Expert Consulting

Choosing a consultant for your project

The most effective way to begin development of your recreational land tract including pond and lake construction is to arrange an on site visit by a qualified consultant. What is a qualified consultant? Someone who has “been there, done that” AND is still doing it.

There are a number of consultants in the development of recreational land tracts along with pond and fishing lake construction. These consultants may hold a variety of degreed titles including lake management, wildlife and fisheries biologists, geotechnical engineers and civil engineers. All of these individuals have their place and a few of them could be useful in the planning/building of your project. However what the client must remember is that although these people might generate volumes of useful information they will not move a single yard of dirt. The contractor that you choose to actually build the project is the most important part of the process. This is because there is simply no substitute for field experience and “boots on the ground.”

Nick Jones - Soilmovers LLC

Over the years I have consulted on many failed projects across the country. The most interesting ones were the projects that had extensive engineering before, during and after the project completion/failure. On many of these projects the events that led up to the failed project were elementary and easy to see, if only someone had been paying attention and been willing to do something about it. Once a project fails the landowner is left holding the bag with the only good part being the entertainment generated by the interesting excuses and “fixes” that are presented to you. On one such fiasco the construction field notes on a very large project simply vanished, including those filed at the state level. Another rodeo for the record books was a 90+ acre failed lake project where the only water that the lake would hold was a five feet deep, one surface acre pool of water that stood in front of the dam. Instead of simply pumping out the water so that a thorough inspection could be made “divers with GPS’s” were brought in (most likely in black helicopters) to map the toe of the dam, in five feet of water. Recently I was hired to consult on a six year old project that had never held water. Engineering fees were over $100,000 and the client was on the second engineering firm. After my consult the engineering firm was fired with the client saying, “They were still studying their navels as they walked out of the door.”

In my travels I have found that the overall failure rate of pond and lake construction projects is almost 50%. This is because soils are typically good, (hi plasticity fat clays) and consistent (the good soils that do not vary) only about half the time. The failed projects usually have soils that are not conducive to holding water and/or vary from good soils (good water holding capability) to bad soils (will not hold water).

Another problematic issue that I encounter almost 100% of the time is the aesthetic failure. Most local contractors do not have the artistic ability to properly design a project aesthetically. This is why you see so many bodies of water that look like “just a hole in the ground.” A properly designed project will involve the entire site. From the roads coming into the site, to the pond/lake and including the building structure sites; all components must work together in harmony with what nature has provided. Design must include creating optical illusions and lines of sight that enhance key features of the property.

The lack of designing for easy maintenance is almost as common as aesthetic failure.. A recreational land tract should be designed for fun, not work. As in all things a certain amount of work is always necessary but designing for easy maintenance should be one of your project goals.

In a failed project, the monetary loss can be devastating. Usually however the aggravation level and the time spent dealing with the failure is a larger burden than the financial issue. An excavation project is a simple set of steps that if done correctly and in order will last forever. Skipping steps, compromising quality or doing the steps out of order can lead to a project failure of epic and far reaching proportions.

We consult nationwide with fees based on time/travel and the scope of the project.

Contact Soilmovers LLC today.

“We build your dreams”

		Home Site Map Soilmovers LLC - Nick Jones (866) 294-0582 Contact Nick Expert and experienced recreation lake, trophy fishing lake, ranch lake, plastic lake liner construction and total infrastructure design and implementation. Consultation services available based on years of successful lake design and construction. Copyright © 2004-2012, Soilmovers LLC Last Update:01/20/2012 No portion of this website may be reproduced without express written consent. All photographs are the sole property of Soilmovers LLC and are 100% original, reflecting actual projects Soilmovers LLC has done.