INSTALLING YOUR OWN FENCE
You decided you want a fence to secure your home’s boundaries with increased safety, security, and privacy. The first step is determining whether you are going to hire a fence contractor or perform the fence installation yourself.
In order to help you make this decision, let’s go over the advantages and disadvantages of DIY fencing as well as the basic steps to building a fence on your own.
ADVANTAGES
There are several advantages of installing your own fence. The major one is that you can save some of your hard earned money. Not only are fence companies being paid more for their time, but they are also getting paid extra for their years of expertise. So if you have the time, skill and patience, you may want to opt out of paying for the labor costs of a professional.
You would also have complete control over precisely how you would like your fence to look. This is especially beneficial if you found a great fence company but they do not provide the specific type of fence material or style you really want.
Lastly, you will without a doubt feel a great sense of pride every time you look at the new fence that you created.
FENCE INSTALLATION STEPS
If you decide to DIY, below is a glimpse at the basic steps to building a fence that fits your budget, needs, and style.
- Call 811 to ensure there are no water, gas or power lines beneath where you are planning to install your fence
- Call the city to determine whether building your fence will require any permits
- Have your land surveyed to ensure you will not be crossing over any property lines
- Let your neighbors know you will be building a fence
- Layout where you are planning to place the fence with wooden stakes and a mason’s line
6. Measure 3 feet for the width and 4 feet for the length then ensure there is a 5 foot diagonal distance between posts.
7. Trace the border of the bottom of each fence post with chalk
8. Dig holes with a post hole digger
9. Ensure the holes are one third as deep as the finished fence
10. If you have loose soil, add concrete to ensure the post will be secure.
11. Wrap the bottom of the post with a waterproof self adhesive flashing. This will prevent the post from absorbing moisture from the concrete.
12. Pour 3 to 4 inches of drainage stone into each hole and pat it down. This will allow for proper drainage.
13. Set the post in the hole and make sure it’s level
14. Pour the dry mix concrete into the hole
15. Saturate the concrete with water and thoroughly mix it.
16. Let the concrete dry per the manufacturer’s instructions
17. Purchase pre-assembled fence panels and follow the manufacturer’s instructions
DISADVANTAGES
As you could imagine, there are also several disadvantages of installing your own fence. The major one here is that, even though you are saving money, you will be spending a lot of your valuable time on research, planning, and on performing several hours of hard labor.
Your fence will also likely take much longer to complete, as reputable fence companies have a team of expert installers that do this type of work all day every day. Building your own fence will require a significant amount of time researching and planning before you even begin installing your fence. On the contrary, with their extensive years of experience, these installers have already streamlined the most efficient process.
Professional fence installers have also already encountered and overcome the challenges and mistakes you may encounter, so there is no wasted time or money. In many instances, when a mistake is made, home owners end up paying even more installing their own fence than if they would have hired a professional in the first place.
DO IT YOURSELF?
In summary, if you have the extra free time, friend’s to help you out, and experience with construction then building your own fence is a fit for you!
On the other hand, if you would prefer to have more peace of mind knowing that your fence will turn out just as you envisioned without any mistakes and without you having to lift a single finger, then give our experts a call for a free consultation and no obligation recommendations.