Belgard contractors are used to creating show-stopping focal points for projects, but Nick Molter’s client had an unusual request for a truly one-of-a-kind hardscape element. The homeowners had been moving an antique garden fountain from house to house for more than a decade, and although it hadn’t worked in years, they wanted the ornate concrete sculpture to be a centerpiece of their new outdoor living space.

Molter, of Virginia-based Precision Patios and Pools, worked with the client on the design and was able to show them realistic 3D renderings of the space – including the beloved fountain – with Belgard Design Studio (BDS). “We ended up getting Belgard to do a 3D drawing from my original 2D drawing. When you compare the rendering to the completed outdoor living space, it’s pretty much spot-on.”

Molter relies on BDS to help him convey his vision to clients to make sure everyone is on the same page before the first paver is ever laid.

“I’m a really visual person. So when I explain these jobs I can see it in my head, but explaining it to a homeowner can be kind of tricky, just because everybody’s a little bit different.”

BDS takes the guesswork out of the design process, ensuring a build that both contractor and homeowner are totally happy with.

For this project, Molter stuck with the winning formula that’s made so many of his clients happy over the years. “Typically on every job, I try to add some sort of seat wall or a column feature to give it a little bit of height.” Here, he used pavers from the Belgard Highland Stone and Dimensions collections throughout the design, using the complementary stones to tie together the patio, pool coping, fire pit, and water feature.

The build started off smoothly enough, but the one element that no one can control is the weather. “We did that project at the beginning of the year, so we ended up having a lot of issues with the weather. Pretty much the whole month of February was ice, rain, and cold,” he says, adding, “We even ended up having to re-trowel the bottom of the pool.”

But once Spring sprung and the project got back on track, all went according to Molter’s plan. “Materials were delivered on the job when needed, the materials were made when they were needed – we didn’t have any issues with manufacturing, which was great, because sometimes that does happen.”

And that fountain? Molter and his crew went above and beyond to make sure the homeowners finally got their long-held wish. The team custom fabricated a liner, ran new plumbing, “and when we plugged it in, the homeowner came walking down the steps literally as we turned it on.” The work paid off. “They were pretty excited about the fountain, and it gave a wow factor to the entire outdoor living space. Everybody was happy and we’re able to walk away from that job and be proud.”

 

This winning project was completed using the following products:

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