<h1>Waterfall Contractor Atlanta, GA</h1>
<img class="size-full wp-image-129 alignright" title="man-made waterfalls" src="http://www.waterfallscontractor.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/05/waterfall1a.jpg" alt="waterfalls contractor" width="300" height="225" />
<strong>Allgood Outdoors is one of the best waterfall contractors in the United States and specifically serves the Southeast.  Located in Cumming, Ga.  Allgood Outdoors, started building waterfalls in 1985.  The staff at Allgood Outdoors answered these frequently asked questions about waterfall contracting.</strong>

<h2>What is a waterfall contractor or waterfall builder?</h2> 
Our definition would be a firm or company that professionally constructs a water display that replicates how water might fall in a natural environment. The waterfall is a specialty element that is part of water feature whether it is a pond or swimming pools or fountain..  The waterfall contractor would need to have   excellent  knowledge of masonry procedures, hydraulic mechanics, biology and geology.  The waterfall builder would need to have the sculptural artistry to do a duplication of a natural stream or waterfall or as in some Japanese landscapes, a characterization of a natural waterfall.  These constructions would could include the display of geology and plants around and beyond the water system.  The waterfall contractor would need to understand the different criteria for building waterfalls on swimming pools, koi ponds, municipal fountains, animal exhibits, etc.  At Allgood Outdoors we have been selected to build waterfalls that are the icon or focal point of residential, commercial and municipal landscapes.  We have built waterfalls that add theme to residential and resort pools.  We have built custom waterfalls to display plants at botanical gardens and to help with wildlife displays at nature centers.  Golf courses have contracted with Allgood Outdoors to build waterfalls that enhance the golfing experience. We have built waterfalls that add to koi ponds and Japanese gardens.  We have even built a series of waterfalls that were part of  properties access security 

<h2>What makes an excellent waterfall  contractor?</h2>
There are several things.  One is the history of the company, when you have been building waterfalls for 25 years as we have at Allgood Outdoors, your company has been exposed to many different situations.  While there are some avenues of training, most of these skills and artistry needed to build waterfalls is empirical, that is it come from the hands on lessons learned by doing.  We have taken training with the best and actually were instrumental  in helping the National Association of Pond Professionals form much of their training.  Another important aspect to consider when choosing a waterfall contractor is what type of material and techniques is the contractor skilled at using.  At Allgood Outdoors we strive to expand our resources and skills continuously.  If you e ever find a waterfall contractor that implies that all waterfalls should be built using one system or only certain equipment, then you are dealing with a contractor who will be very limited in helping you maximize  achieve your goals.  At Allgood Outdoors we are capable of using boulder found on site, we will import rock and boulders from different regions, we have artisans who can cast stone replica formations using FRG, and we can sculpt waterfalls using various material.  Equally when choosing the mechanical that will deliver the water and in some cases move the water through a filter, we can work many different pump platforms and can work with the design to help maximize pumping efficiency.  The history of the company is also important because many companies can build a waterfall but the real test is how they standby their product after time.


<h2>When discussing training, besides the “school of hard knocks” what professional training can a waterfall contractor have? </h2>
At Allgood Outdoors, our staff has taken many different courses to help us be the best.  First of all we have on staff professional  who have completed degrees as landscape architects and landscape designers at the university level.  The training helps with fundamental design, composition, and construction   The founder of the company, Cla Allgood, is a registered Landscape Architect.  He has completed continuing  education study on water features at Harvard University.  He has also attended continuing education on fish health at the University of Georgia School of Veterinary Medicine.  Allgood Outdoors sends staff to seminars at the Association of Pool and Spa Professionals (ASPSA,) National Association of Pond Professionals (NAPP,) Southern Nurseryman Association (SNA) and American Society of Landscape Architects (ASLA.)   Cla Allgood is also a frequent lecturer on water feature design and construction and has given   educational presentations to many groups, including the International Water Garden Society (IWGS,) the National Association of Pond Professionals (NAPP,)  and the University of Georgia College of Environment and Design.  

<h2>How do you design a waterfall?</h2>
The design of a waterfall is a very artistic and client specific task. Because each waterfall is different and because they are often geometric forms that bend and curve, they can be challenging to put on paper.   We work with everyone from a homeowner to landscape contractors to municipal boards to developers to world class architects and landscape architects.  Our consistent challenge is communicate with them so that we can prioritize their needs and desires.  The word “natural” is a very critical word.  Different people have different concepts of what “natural” looks like.  And we are always aware of this.  In working with clients and other design professionals, we do sketches of waterfalls, we do computer drawings of waterfalls, we do computer animations of waterfalls and we build clay scale models of waterfalls.  We even will build a full scale mock up of a waterfall using paint, tape and rebar.  All of these efforts are so that everyone is on board with how the waterfall is going to look.  The client has to be understand, the designer needs to understand and most importantly the guys in the field need to understand.   We never really quit designing a waterfall until the water is turned on.  And even then we might go back and modify some of the element to refine the way water falls.

<h2>Is a waterfall design and construction different in different regions?</h2>
The concept of the waterfall does have regional influences.  For instance in north Georgia a waterfall may tumble along a stone formation that has a angular stratification, where as in the western United States the geology may may have a more vertical stratification.  So if we are dealing with a client that wants a waterfall to look native to their region, we always want to take time to study the geology and look at natural waterfalls in the area.

But it is important to remember that some people may want a “natural look” that is not native to the area.  For instance a homeowner may want a waterfall in their backyard in Florida to have a look like a waterfall they saw on vacation in Yellowstone.  So it is not unusual for people from one region to want a look that is “natural” but is imported from another area.
    
Now the construction techniques can be different in different areas.  One big consideration is freeze or how cold and area might get.  This can change how one might build footings for the feature, water proofing the feature and freeze protection for plumbing and mechanical.

Over the years our waterfall construction has taken us through out the Southeastern United States, from south Florida, to the Washington D.C. Area.  We have consulted and designed on waterfalls in Palm Springs, New Jersey and Costa Rica. WE are always interested in talking with people about being of service to their waterfall desires.  


<h2>As a parting question, why are waterfalls so popular? </h2>

That is a good question.  People associate waterfalls as being basic to an environment that is desirable.  It is a  very interesting exercise to ask a group of people to draw or describe their vision of how paradise looks.  You wilf find that  a high number of people automatically include a waterfall.  

A simple answer would be that waterfalls display moving water and they provide pleasing sounds.  But really you can do that with other types of water features like water walls, more architectural looking water features, formal water displays, etc.   It is not just about being “natural” either, because bogs are natural displays of water and they are not near as popular.

The attraction of a waterfall is probably more deeply rooted in our subconscious.  We think people innately sense that water cascading over rocks equates to fresh, clean and cool water.   So while waterfalls add natural formations, sound and sparkle  they also add a sense of cleanliness or a more pristine environment. Also while our forefather probably appreciated the cleanliness of moving water, in a unmechanized world  waterfalls would be even more appreciated as  a rare object of beauty, movement and sound..  Waterfalls are an icon for “wild”, untamed, and unspoiled.  In fact the waterfalls of Yellowstone and Yosemite so impressed early explorers  that the waterfalls helped inspire the creation of the worlds first national park and ultimately the National Park Service.

Whatever the attraction is to waterfalls,  we do know that the popularity of waterfalls has been with us for ages and will probably be with us for years to come.
