To truly commit to a DIY in making your own fence, a few items must be addressed:

What kind of fence are you hoping to construct?

With DIY, you will have to consider two things: the kind of fence you want, and whether you can assemble and construct it safely. A contractor costs a little bit more, but they give you every option. Any kind of fence, they’ve done it (check out our fence gallery). The last thing you want to do is second-guess your choice on a fence based on whether you can do it yourself. This is your yard, your house, and the kind of fence matters. If you choose a simple style, the next few steps will be much easier to answer.

How extensive is the process?

If you opt for the DIY, you must know where to find the supplies. If it’s an extravagant design with graduated lengths of cedar and embellishments, you’ll need to measure and cut your own wood. Many hardware suppliers have a pre-assembled fence, if you want something plain and basic. The contractor, on the other hand, finds out what you want and procures it for you, and even a pre-assembled fence requires additional tools.

What tools do you need?

For a simple wooden picket fence, you will need a level, hammer, circular saw, drill, tape measure and string. You’ll also need a posthole digger, fence panels, treated posts, concrete mix and ground stakes. Some items you may have in your garage. Unless you’re planning on building a lot of fences, however, the complete tool list for a simple fence or a more extravagant one could be as much as $400.00.

How much help do you have?

Maybe you expect your neighbors to help. Maybe you have your brothers and friends who are handy to lend a tool or a helping hand in this process. Ultimately, you cannot do this alone. You need to pick reliable, safe and experienced people if you have them at your disposal. Building a fence is nothing short of hard labor and time. Prepare your “team” for this very thing. The contractor, as you’ve guessed, comes with an equipped team who are licensed and reliable. This is a valuable tool you may not have access to.

DIY is great for many things. The expertise and planning involved in building a fence shouldn’t be underestimated. Hiring a contractor eliminates the necessity of extensive planning and purchasing of additional tools and materials. DIY eliminates costs but places you as the manager and facilitator of the project. Knowing your options puts you in the best position to create a quality investment in your home. Let the quality of the work define your decision. Workmanship, after all, is the best policy.

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Expertise

The first item you must address is the contractor’s level of expertise. If you are a homeowner, assess the type of fence you require to determine what kind of contractor you need. If you are a business owner, you will want a contractor with experience in this field and the specific building codes required for construction. The type of fence, in this case, may also have a play in this hand. Some contractors have expertise in specific kinds of fences, they are carpenters and work with wood, or focus on commercial fencing in businesses. The design and coding you require will have a deciding factor in the kind of contractor you choose.

Credentials

Once you have narrowed your search by expertise, you need to check credentials. The last thing you need in your home or business is a contractor who isn’t BBB approved, insured and licensed. Cold calling is a great way to assess a contractor’s verified skills and begin testing the relationship between you and the potential contractor. Ask them how many projects they work on at a time, ask about warranties and past experience in your chosen design field. Request referrals or reviews that you could investigate.

Insured

If the contractor is not independently or professionally insured, this should ring warning bells. You may also want to ask them about their rules of contract. With the economy as it is, a contractor out of regular work may ask for the full amount up front. This may be for their own safety, but it’s more professional for a contractor to start with a percentage at contract signing and varying payments as the work commences. This, however, depends on the extent of the job and is up to your own discretion with the job you need performed.

The contractor you choose should be the right person for your job. Not all contractors are created equal, however, and some factors should not be ignored. Your contractor should be fully licensed for your job. They should offer warranties on their work: it is a sign of professionalism and proof of confidence in their own work. They should have experience in their field with a passing BBB rating. Last of all, they should be knowledgeable. A contractor should give you options, explain the process and tell you when their experience would lend a helping hand in the process. Building a fence is serious and finding the best contractor is crucial.

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Highs and Lows

The gradation of your land on the slope is a definitive factor in building your fence correctly. If you are dealing with a slope and also small hills that rise and fall on that slope, you have a great deal of measuring of the land and cutting of individual posts and planks. The height difference alone can be a headache to novice builders and poses problems with the pre-assembled fence kits that have become popular in the DIY world. Add a hill or slope to the equation and you have potential building issues which reach further than a simple construction.

Slope percentage

In addition to gradation, the slope itself could cause issues in construction. The best way to assess the incline grade of the slope is to determine the slope percentage. Manually calculating slope percentage can be confusing. You first must determine how many feet the slope rises or falls per 100 feet. If it’s a fairly consistent slope, you can measure horizontally with a level and measure down to the ground from that point. The number of inches to the ground is the slope percentage. Another method uses a stake at the top of the slope and a tape measure or string level pulled to the base of the hill. If you choose to go with a contractor, they will measure this with greater precision and you’ll be sure to have the correct measurements. The percentage of the slope effects a few factors in construction, including angles of posts and planks, positioning of equipment and placement of stakes.

Tools and Equipment

Any grade of slope will pose issues with the use and positioning of tools and equipment. Skill must be used to determine where the stakes should be placed to keep the posts level as they solidify in their foundations. The angle of your posthole digger is imperative in this case. Gaining leverage to use your equipment, especially the posthole digger, will also be affected by a slope. Imagine yourself working with your tools on the hill and determine if you have the strength and skill to position your tools correctly to achieve a straight and level fence. Hiring a fence contractor eliminates these issues and places the use of equipment in the hands of skilled workers.


Drainage and Foundations

Another deciding factor that may encourage you to choose a contractor lies in the drainage of the slope. Although this is a more serious matter when faced with building the foundations of a home, the drainage of your land and amount of saturation in the soil should be assessed by a professional contractor to ensure that the concrete foundations of the fence will be sturdy and firm in time for the fence construction. Knowing that a professional contractor will secure the foundation and construct a level and straight fence for your property may be ultimately more important than proving to yourself that you can do it alone.

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A utility locator’s job is, first and foremost, to locate underground pipes and wires that lie within the area where you will be digging your fence. This includes gas main, sewer, freshwater, and power cables that cross your property. They are crucial to determining where those important main lines and conduits will be situated. A utility locator will find these essential lines and mark them clearly in your yard so that you can avoid a misstep and breaking or damaging government or commercial property.

It is highly recommended that you call the utility locator first before deciding where to put your fence. If a main natural gas line runs directly where you have decided to place your fence, you need to know firsthand. If you have already drawn measurements, purchased materials, and began cutting your wood or posts, finding that you must change your planning completely would be costly and discouraging to your project.

Utility locators, whether employed by state government or under contract, are educated professionals. They must have map and topography knowledge of the surrounding area. They work with gas and utility companies and use sophisticated equipment to pinpoint trouble areas in digging. With written instructions from utility companies, these professionals must also possess strong basic math and blueprint reading skills to make sure this information is interpreted correctly. Quite often, a locator will work with you and describe the process and many times they will demonstrate a correct location by carefully digging to expose a line they have discovered.

These utility locators are also experienced. Unless you have training and years at a job, you cannot expect to find anything on your property in the same fashion. Ask a locator to tell you about their experience, they will have training, mentoring, education and fieldwork to back up their findings. They will probably also have some stories about when their services weren’t used and the sometimes disastrous results.

If you’ve ever heard about gas and water mean breaks, you know of the devastating results. Not only is it illegal in many states to dig without checking for main lines and conduits, you could damage your property and cause issues for the neighborhood. Digging near gas and power lines can cause power outages and thousands of dollars in repairs and fees, especially if you haven’t called a locator before digging. Constructing near water and sewer lines can burst the pipes and cause raw sewage to seep and severe flooding. A utility locator’s job is anything but simple and their experience will help to prevent these unfortunate results.

You want the fence and you want it done right, so remember to call the utility locator in your first stage of planning or confirm that your fence builder has called and rest assured you’re constructing in the correct way.

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The pros of building a fence are certainly why we see so many residential fences around neighborhoods all over america.

PROS

Privacy

The biggest pro, of course, is the privacy a fence can provide you and your family. Having a fence around your property or your pool will allow you to garden, play catch or sun bathe without disturbing your neighbors, or feeling as though you are being watched. You are also free to garden, and play at your leisure. Having privacy in your own yard can play a vital role in ensuring you have quality time outdoors with your friends and family.

Safety

Having a fenced in yard will provide you and your family safety and peace of mind. If you have a swimming pool, most counties and cities have very specific legislation in place for fencing around the pool area, so it is important to check on the legislation in your area. The fence can also keep unwanted visitors out of your yard. If you have a garden you can always build a deer/wildlife fence to ensure that your vegetables go untouched. If you have a dog you can build a property line fence so he or she can run free without you worrying about them not returning home.

The biggest cons in building a fence are often overlooked. Months or years after building a fence consumers may feel like they made the wrong decision.

CONS

Neighbors

A lot of communities. subdivisions and suburban areas prides themselves on the openness and friendliness of their neighborhoods. If you are new to an area and immediately put up a fence, no matter what your personal reason may be, it may be seen as an unfriendly move.

Upkeep

Keeping a wooden fence clean, safe and an asset to your property takes a lot of work. You must maintain the fence at least yearly by cleaning, staining and of course repairing. The wind and weather can also damage it, so you may need to call a professional contractor to help you with the upkeep.

When determining whether to build a fence or not, it is important to weigh the pros and cons. Typically, the pros will outweigh the cons.

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While your needs may vary or your tastes in what fence you choose to put on your property, you should consider carefully the style of your home and your neighborhood.

Although these different types of fences may be different, all fences have some similar parts.

The main parts of the residential fence are:

Posts

This is the part of the fence that goes in to the ground. It provides an anchor for the various parts of the fence. You can choose varying sizes and spacing to match your look.

Rails

This is the horizontal portion of the fence. These are not usually used for much more than the intended purposes of keeping the fence sturdy and strong. However it is not unheard of to use these parts to create shelves. etc.

Panels

This is where the most customization is involved with fences . You can have spaced panels, privacy panels, gothic, English or country panels. The options are nearly endless. If you wish you can even add lattice as the main source of fencing, or as a decorative touch.

No matter what you want, we will be able to work with you to design the fence of your dreams.

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• - Decide what type of fence you want, including materials. Front yard, back yard, property line and swimming pool fences all have their own sets of regulations.
• - Shop for your contractor: Be sure to check Angie’s List and the Better Business Bureau for reviews and recommendations. You should always make sure that the business fully discloses it’s physical location and a contact person.
• - Once you decide on your contractor get a written quotes. These quotes will allow you to meet with the contractor you may hire. You may ask questions at this stage.
• - With your quote in hand check with your county, city and state office on regulations. Since regulations on height and type of fence vary by county and city, it’s always best to check with all levels of government.
• - Apply for a permit if required.
• - Draft up a contract with your preferred contractor. Ensure you fully understand the scope of work, the requirements of you as a property owner and the requirements of the business. Don’t forget if it’s not in writing, it isn’t going to hold up.
• - Have your fence built. Once the job is done ensure your contractor does a walk around with you to inspect the work. You may at this time have an inspector visit your property to get a third opinion if you have questions. Make sure that if the work or products are warrantied to have the written warranties in a safe place. Understand the different warranties provided and ask many questions!

Enjoy!

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