When you’ve decided you want to build a fence you are faced with the question: Do it yourself, or hire someone? The choice might be based upon how much money you wish to spend or the “personal touch” you could bring to your yard. When figuring out the cost of the fence, remember to consider the labor you put into it. When you hire a contractor, you’re not just paying for materials, but also the labor. In DIY, you are only paying for the materials, but the exchange is your own blood, sweat, and tears. If you’re building from scratch, this could be a lot of labor! In theory, the project might only take a week, but you will likely encounter some unexpected challenges along the way. Your time is valuable, so be sure to consider this into your decision-making process.
Either way, Southern Pro Fence can help! If you decide to have your fence professionally built, Southern Pro Fence provides you with the highest quality product and service available. We are licensed and insured and will give you the best fence installation in the area.
If you decide to do it yourself, Southern Pro Fence can deliver all the supplies you need.
There are several steps involved with DIY fence installation and some mistakes to avoid. Here is a basic walkthrough of what is involved with fence installation:
Check the Property Lines, Building Codes, and HOA Restrictions
Many of the major fencing mistakes homeowners make revolve around the lack of planning. Make sure you know where your property ends and your neighbor’s property begins. This is a common mistake that can be very expensive. Another thing to consider is that not all fences are allowed in all areas. Contact your HOA and check local and state codes for restrictions. Different cities also have different laws about digging. You might be required to get a permit, and you might have rules on how deep your fence posts should be.
Be a Good Neighbor
It’s good form to let your neighbors know of your fencing plans. Try not to block their view unnecessarily. Also, it is considered good etiquette when building a wood privacy fence to put the finished side facing the neighbor’s property.
Choose Your Fence Type
In most cases, if you’re doing the installation yourself, you’ll be building a fence out of prefabricated panels. You need to decide on the style of fence you want to build and figure out what the fence panel widths for that fence are. This will help in measuring and planning your fence. Prefabricated panels are usually between six and eight feet wide.
Measure Your Property
When you measure your property for the fence, remember to account for grade. Your yard may have a slope even if you can’t see it. If you fail to consider the slope, obstacles such as utility lines and trees, you can end up under-purchasing materials at best, or tearing out sections of the fence and rebuilding with the new measurements. To learn how to measure your property properly, refer to this guide.
Gather Your Tools
To install a wood fence, you will need these tools and materials, at a minimum:
- Post hole digger
- Hammer
- Power drill
- Tape measure
- Level
- Fence panels
- Fence posts
- Nails
- Screws
- Concrete mix
Prepare Holes and Posts
Set your corner posts first. To align all of the posts in between, stretch a line from your corner posts to use as a guide. Mark where your posts will need to be dug. Make sure you account for obstacles and slopes. Here is a handy guide for measuring your yard and determining where your posts should go.
First step: Find out state and county regulations on how deep your posts should be set. Usually, about 1/3 of the post needs to be buried in the ground. This helps the posts endure heavy weights and high winds. To dig the posts, use a post hole digger. For the sections underground, be sure to use a wood preservative to protect the posts from rotting and breaking down over time.
Set Your Posts
Place two to three shovel scoops of gravel at the bottom of each post hole before placing the post into position. Use a level to make sure the post is even. The post can plumb from left to right without being plumb from front to back, so make sure you use the level of two adjacent sides of the post. After the post is properly aligned, brace it with stakes. Then fill it with dirt, tamping the ground at the post base to pack it. Be very careful not to disturb the post alignment when tamping!
Attach Rails to Fence Posts
Install a bottom and top rail to attach the fence posts. There are different kinds of joinings for railings: if you’re securing the railing to the body of the post, for example, you may need a “butt joint,” but if you’re securing the railing to the top of the post, you’ll need a different type. Be sure to measure that the top and bottom rails are perfectly aligned.
Install Fence Boards
Fix the first board at one of the fence post corners. Use a plumb level to make sure the board is vertical and nail it into place. At another fence post, fix another board into place. Place a string line to the top of both boards. Place another board against the first board and nail it into place. Repeat this action until all boards are installed. Around every 10th board, make sure that all the boards are plumb and adjust if they are not. Finish by installing your gate.
Install the Gate
Make sure you measure the area for your gate and account for any hardware deductions. Install sturdy hinge posts to hang the gate from and check the ground below the gate to make sure it is level.
It’s a lot of work, but we’re used to it! Southern Pro Fence is the best at installing fences to fit your yard, with all its wonderful uniqueness! Call us today at 352-572-1747!
