Has Anyone....

[LadyluvsLuxury]

Installed their own fence? Did you find it easier or harder than expected? Did it take a long time? If you had to rate the difficulty level on a scale of 1-10 with 1 being easy and 10 being most difficult, what would you rate it? If possible can you please share the size of the area you fenced. Oh and what kind of fencing was it? wood? vinyl? chain?

 

[lost on 5th]

i have put in a few. wood and chain link mostly. as for how hard, that all depends on the ground! the length isnt really the hard part. it is the number of posts, and the ease of digging the whole that is the problem. you will want to get the bottom of the post hole below the frost line so that winter freezing doesnt psh the post out of level.

if you are talking more than 4 posts, you would probably rent a gas auger. they still get tangled on roots and large rocks, but make easy work of most things.

let me know what you are trying and i might be able to direct you a little more

 

[Diamonds4Me]

We installed 8'' dog-eared stockade fencing around the entire parameter of our back yard. Took more sections that I expected, a set of post hole diggers, lots of concrete and two days to complete. After all my blisteres healed I really got a chance to appreciate it. He did most of the work but I wanted to dig a few holes. Paid for it dearly. But now I love it...aside from the neighbors on the other side using it as their personal junk prop.

Personally, I''d rate it an 8. However, H2B would rate it a 4, lol. I really don''t know the area size that we fenced...I want to say maybe 10,000+/- sq ft. I really didn''t know if it was going to be really difficult but I was sure it wouldn''t be easy with all the holes we had to dig. I think it was right at the difficulty level that I expected.

Are you considering fencing? What kind of fencing are you thinking about? Our neighbor has the really pretty vinyl stockade fencing that has the small strip of lattice across the top. I would have liked that but I found that I like the wood better because it blends in with the wooded area of our yard. But that''s just a personal preference.

 

[Dancing Fire]

Date: 7/13/2005 8:07:23 PM
Author:LadyluvsLuxury
Installed their own fence? Did you find it easier or harder than expected? Did it take a long time? If you had to rate the difficulty level on a scale of 1-10 with 1 being easy and 10 being most difficult, what would you rate it? If possible can you please share the size of the area you fenced. Oh and what kind of fencing was it? wood? vinyl? chain?

you can do a wood fence but use steel post,never rot out again.

 

[LadyluvsLuxury]

Thanks for all the replies everyone!

Hubby and I are thinking about doing our own fencing, from the lot survey it looks like we would be fencing in 365 linear sq ft. We want 6'' privacy wood fencing, nothing too spectacular because it is mainly to keep our babies (aka Pomeranians) in. Also, our screened porch is under the house and more towards the side than the back, so we want to be able to relax on our porch without having our neighbors peeking at us!

Initially we were just going to have it professionally done, however, it never occured to us that there would be such a long lead time for the work (currently 8-10 weeks plus an additional week for the actual install I believe, not to mention we are closing next Wednesday). We have received estimates from $4800-$6100, but the materials from all the estimates only comprised about $2800 of the cost, and I found that most of the materials used was overpriced compared to Home Depot/Lowes. So it got our juices flowing about doing it ourselves, and I have a general idea of what we need to do, I think my biggest concern is doing the actual measurements for the post and ensuring they are accurate. From what I understand the actual digging of the holes and installing the posts are the most time consuming part. As for the ground b/c it is new construction the ground is basically BARE and pretty soft from all the construction trucks/digging/foot traffic etc. So what do you all think? I just do not want us to be too consumed b/c we also have to install 5 ceiling fans, a mailbox, blinds and paint a few rooms before we go back to work. I''m sure some of those things are nothing for most (i.e my dad who is currently 1,000 miles away

), but hubby is NOT too handy, although he has a strong desire to learn. So what do you all think? My biggest fear is failing at the project and having to hire someone to fix up our mess anyway LOL

 

[mrssalvo]

hubby put up our fence. He started building it piece by piece but after doing a small section that took him over 4 hours he headed back to Lowes and bought the pre-built sections. He also had to make his own gates for the front and the back yard. Our fence is only about 4 feet high and is not complete privacy but it does keep our puppy and my kids in the yard. He would rate it at about a 6-8. Digging the holes for the posts and concrete were the hardest parts.

 

[lost on 5th]

that is a good deal of fencing! ~45 post holes. since you are also just moving and have work to do in the house to get it the way you like it. i would consider a contractor''s bid. i would also find someone that will waranty the construction of the fence for a period of time if possible. with new construction the ground may still settle some.

i am all for trying and learning, but you dont want your spirits and motivation broked by a week long fence build!

if you want a good trial on fence installing before you agree to the contract. take a try at the mailbox same post process, different top

 

[windy1365]

Just don''t buy the sections of fence like at Lowe''s. They look terrible when people do that!! It looks so much better when you do the boards individually b/c then they go with the slope of the ground - unless your yard is perfectly flat!!

I''ve always heard that the posts are the hardest part. At our old house, we had it professionally done, and it looked great, but the locks they used didn''t work all that good (an issue if you have dogs). My husband is thinking about doing it himself at our new house - but I don''t know b/c the ground in Arkansas is very rocky!!

 

[lost on 5th]

windy... i agree. built on site looks a lot better than off the shelf.

take a look at alternating slats (front and back) make sure its tight enough for your dogs as well. they look really pretty. i saw this one with a arc top. really looks nice

 

[Capitol Bill]

I worked for a fence company and built & installed all types of fences as my summer job (four summers) way back when I was in school. Since then, I''ve occasionally helped a few friends & family build & install their own fences. Make no mistake -- it''s a chore! I was always a bit of a perfectionist about installing all of the posts exactly in line with each other (very difficult for an amateur). Here''s what I''d advise if you''re considering a do-it-yourself job:
1) Don''t skimp on the quality of your materials. Those home centers like Lowes have been known to stock lower grade wood for fences (lots of knot holes, warped panels, warped posts). If you have one or two warped posts, it can ruin the look of the entire fence. Try to find a store that sells top grade materials. Some fence companies will sell their top quality materials a la carte.
2) If you''re uncertain about tackling such a large project by yourself, consider hiring a fence company to install only the posts (which is the the most difficult part).

Ever since those four summers of installing fences, my eyes can''t help but scrutinize the workmanship of fences everywhere I go. It''s rare that I see a job that was done 100% right. If you were a member of my family, this would be my advice:
Drive around town and look for fences that have that professional "look" to them. Many fence companies leave a small sign on the fences they install. After you''ve seen enough fences by a particular company, you''ll get a good idea of their work product. Hire that company and let their professionals install your fence.

I once tried to repair a brick garden wall by myself. It looked easy enough to do. I got all the right materials. But no matter how hard I tried I could never get the bricks to line up exactly right with the rest of the wall. Times like that remind me that the abilities of a professional are valuable and can seldom be duplicated by an amateur.
Bill Scherlag

 

[mrssalvo]

Date: 7/13/2005 10:29:45 PM
Author: windy1365
Just don't buy the sections of fence like at Lowe's. They look terrible when people do that!! !

actually, that's what we did and our fence turned out beautiful. maybe it makes a difference in how skilled the person is in installing it to accomodate for the uneven ground sections, using a level etc.. but again, hubby knew how to do it right. also, the area we were fencing was not the whole back yard. both of our neighbors on either side have yards already fenced. we just had to finish the front of the house and install a row along the back. we saved a lot of $$ doing it ourselves and saving money is must, how else am i going to get my upgrade

 

[LadyluvsLuxury]

Thanks for all the great advice everyone! Hubby and I decided to just hire a contractor to do it. I know, I know where is the do-it-yourselfer in us, well it went out the window when we realized we had much more on our plates that we had to do. Plus paying for a little piece of mind (not to mention a warranty) is well worth it. Thanks again!

P.S. Lost on 5th, I LOVE the alternating front and back look, I will print this out and show the contractor. Thanks!

P.P.S Any opinions on pressure treated vs. cedar? The contractor said the life expectancy is about the same for both but the cedar looks a little nicer....price difference is about $700.

 

[Capitol Bill]

P.P.S Any opinions on pressure treated vs. cedar? The contractor said the life expectancy is about the same for both but the cedar looks a little nicer....price difference is about $700.

Most people opt for the regular pressure treated panels as a matter of cost. Cedar is more expensive, but it looks great (smells good too). My two most favorite fences to install were cedar and (drool) redwood. It almost hurt to put a nail through that beautiful redwood...but I digress. Until very recently there was another issue to consider regarding pressure treated wood -- arsenic. The details are a bit foggy now, but for some knuckleheaded reason arsenic was always a component of the pressure treatment. But I think Congress addressed this matter recently and now most (if not all) pressure treated wood goes through a different, arsenic-free process. Unless you''re going for a really high-end look for your yard, I''d go with the regular pressure treated fence. Another factor involved is if you have neighboring fences attached to yours. The beauty of a cedar fence will definitely stand out among regular pressure treated fences -- something your neighbors might not appreciate.
Good luck!
Bill Scherlag

 

[windy1365]

I miss our fence! We had only had it for a few months b/f we moved - unexpected. That was $6k lost b/c it didn''t raise the value of the house.

I totally agree about the fence material at Lowe''s. Everytime we go in there, the fence material is always split and broken. And, that''s what they display! It has splinters all over it!!

 

[partgypsy]

Our husband installed our backfence (6 ft wood) although it was a small area it is not difficult but labor intensive. Figure in the cost of getting some kind of post hole digger, and perhaps a small cement mixer. Install each section be vertical up and down, rather than angling/sloping the sections with the ground. That looks like crap! It may mean using smaller sections where the ground slopes more. Since it is labor intensive, make sure your hubby has the time/energy to complete it. Although I might get flamed for saying this (for our house I''ve done painting, tile laying, brick laying) this is definitely a guy''s job. If you do contract out, drive around and if you see a fence you like how it looks (especially recently put in) ask that neighbor who installed it.

 

[LadyluvsLuxury]

Thanks for sharing your experiences and advice! We met with the contractor this weekend and found him to be very knowledgeable and professional. Everything that I read online and that you all shared, he was very honest and forthcoming. I will post pics when the work is done! Thanks again all!

 

[LadyluvsLuxury]

"...They got engaged on Christmas Day, 2004 after Law popped the question with a diamond cluster ring reportedly worth $35,000..." I didn''t realize her engagement ring was a cluster...it is terrible that his kids found him in bed with the nanny

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