Summer is a great time to work on a DIY fence project. What's nice about consulting a fencing contractor, even when going at it on your own, is they can often give you hints that will help you do your best job.
Here are 6 important tips to help make your fencing project a success:
Know Why You Want a Fence Knowing the reason behind installing a fence is important. Are you looking for a white picket fence to add some decoration to your yard or do you want a stockade fence to keep the nosy neighbors from watching your every move while outside?
The reasons for installing a fence are as numerous as the different kinds of fences and it helps to know in advance why.
Know What Material You Want This is connected to the previous step but has a further purpose. Knowing the purpose behind installing a fence helps to narrow down your choices of material, but there are still plenty of different materials left to choose from.
You need to decide between metal, wood or plastic, among others. Deciding what material you want will help make it possible to have all materials measured and ready when you start your project.
Consult Building Codes and Utility Companies Every city has its own rules regarding what kind of fencing a person can have. This will include permits you have to obtain, how high the fence can be, whether it is possible to build the kind of fence you want in the area you want and other safety standards.
Knowing these things in advance will help prevent trouble down the road. Contacting the utility companies is also an important step. Often there are electric and gas lines that are beneath the ground and you don't want to accidentally cut into them. The same goes for water and sewer.
Discuss Your Project with Neighbors While you may think a stockade fence would be nice, it is common courtesy to discuss your plans with any neighbors that may be subjected to the fence also.
Another thing to keep in mind is to check property lines. Some people get upset if you build only a fraction of an inch on their property and you don't want something that is supposed to bring pleasure to cause a feud with neighbors.
It may be that your neighbor does have access to a fencing contractor that can help you improve on your original plan.
Follow a Plan It may be fun to be spontaneous at times, but a project like installing a fence isn't one of those times. Make a plan that includes all measurements and breaks down the exact amount of material you will need. Then follow the plan! This will help eliminate frustration brought about by incorrectly fitting material or not having enough material.
On the other hand, it can save you money by preventing you from getting the material you won't need. The plan doesn't have to be fancy or look like an engineer created it. What it does need is measurements of both the entire area to be fenced and a breakdown of needed material.
Don't Forget Your Gate One of the biggest things a fencing contractor has to remind people about is the need for some kind of gate. Too often, people, surround their yard with a fence and the only way in or out of the yard is, through the house. This makes it difficult for things like a cookout with the neighbors or a family barbecue.
You may not always want a lot of people traipsing through your home and dirtying your rugs when it would be much easier to have a gate available for people to enter the yard directly.
Having a gate is also a matter of safety. You never know when you may need to make a quick exit and going through the house isn't a good option.
