Patio fountain installation in Boise, Idaho

Patio fountain installation in Boise often comes up right after a patio is finished. The chairs are out, but when you sit there in the evening, something is missing. A fountain fills that gap: close enough to hear from your seat, with the splash kept off the pavers you just paid for.

I'm Kabe Hockema, owner of Hockema Landscape Design & Build. I've built patios and landscapes since 2012, and I'm on site for every job. My patio fountains use Aquascape components with a buried basin, so they sit in the ground beside or within the patio, not on top of it. For all my fountain work, see the fountain contractor page.

A fountain you sit right next to

A patio fountain is different from one out in the yard, because you're close to it. That changes a few things.

Sound level. Two feet from your chair, a gentle bubble is plenty. A strong splash that sounds nice from across the yard can be too loud to talk over. I set the flow with you sitting where you'll actually sit.

Scale. The fountain should fit the patio, not crowd it. A single urn or a short basalt column often works better beside a small patio than a big grouping.

Walking room. Leave space to pull out chairs and walk past without stepping on wet stone.

Inside the patio, at the edge, or in a raised bed

There are three common ways to place a patio fountain:

• At the edge. The basin goes in the planting bed right next to the patio. This is the simplest, and it works with most existing patios.
• In a cutout. A section of the patio is left open, and the fountain sits inside it, ringed by pavers. It looks built in, but it's best planned before the patio goes in.
• In a raised bed or seat wall. The fountain sits in a bed framed by a short wall, which brings the water closer to eye level when you're sitting.

Plan the power and plumbing before the pavers

The best time for a patio fountain is while the patio is being built. Before the base rock and pavers go down, I run conduit for the power cord and leave room for the basin. Then nothing gets cut or patched later. If you're planning a new patio, my paver patios page covers how I build those.

Already have a patio? It can still work. I set the fountain at the edge and route power around the outside, or lift a few pavers, run conduit underneath and reset them.

Keeping splash off your pavers

Splash is the biggest problem with patio fountains here, for two reasons.

Hard water stains. Treasure Valley water is full of minerals. When splash dries on pavers or flagstone, it leaves white spots and rings, and over a season they build up.

Wind. Our afternoon wind carries spray farther than you'd think. Water landing on the patio is also water lost from the basin.

So I keep the spray low, set the feature in the middle of a gravel catch area that's wider than the splash, and place it so the usual wind blows spray away from the patio, not across it. Wet pavers can get slick, too, which is one more reason to keep the water in the rock.

What changes the cost

Aquascape fountain kits start at $5,500. Beyond that, the cost depends on:

• Whether it goes in with a new patio or gets added to an existing one.
• Cutting pavers or concrete for a cutout or for conduit.
• How far the power has to run.
• A seat wall, raised bed, lighting or plants around it.

Related work

Patio fountains often go in as part of a bigger outdoor space with a fire pit, lighting and seating. If your fountain will live out in the yard instead, read about backyard fountain installation. For a modern look, like a basalt column or a spillway beside a clean-lined patio, see architectural water features. The steps of the build itself are on my fountain installation page.

Where I install patio fountains

Boise is home base. I also install patio fountains in Eagle, Meridian, Garden City, Star, Kuna, Nampa, Caldwell, Middleton and Hidden Springs, and in Sun Valley and Ketchum.

Add a fountain to your patio

If your patio needs the sound of water, schedule a consultation for patio fountain installation in Boise. If a new patio is in your plans, reach out before it's built so we can plan the fountain in from the start.