Fences provide many great benefits for properties including adding an element of security, providing privacy, and offering an improved look and curb appeal. However, it can be sometimes overwhelming to look at all the options a professional fencing service can offer you.
There are a few things to look at when it comes to deciding on which fence is right for your property, and we look at 5 of these in more detail below.
- What is your design preference?
Depending on what kind of house style you have you will likely want to choose your fence accordingly to match it well. There are all sorts of fences to choose from including white picket, aluminum, split rail, arched, frame, scalloped, shadowbox, stockade, horizontal, and basketweave, just to name a few. You may see fences in your neighbourhood that accompany similar houses to yours, and you may want to stay consistent with what they have done, or you might want to think outside of the box and go with something different so that your property stands out a bit more. Fences can tailored to meet your requirements, and whether you want a standard architectural style, or something more unique, you have the opportunity to decide.
- Why do you really want one?
When you decide that a fence is needed for your property you likely have at least one good reason why. If you have kids, especially younger ones, and live near a busy road then a fence is a good idea to keep them on your property and safe from cars. Perhaps you have a pet dog that you want to keep on your property but not have to tie up all the time. A fence provides an excellent solution so that you can let your dog out of your house without having to keep an eye on him or her. Depending on the size and leaping ability of your dog you may want a taller structure if you have a tall animal or one that can really jump high, or a shorter one may be more desirable if you have a little dog who stays low to the ground and so you can still see over it to look around your neighbourhood. Perhaps you have a pool that you want to be isolated for safety reasons, and a fence is how you want to solve this problem. Or maybe you just want some privacy from your surrounding neighbours and a fence will enable you and your family to gain that seclusion, and create a more intimate environment.
- What’s your budget?
Fences can be manufactured and installed in all sorts of price ranges, and depending on how much you value this property asset, your budget will dictate what you can accomplish. If you are handy you may decide to keep it simple and buy some wood and put up your own, but in many cases people want one professionally built and erected so it’s done right the first time. There are all sorts of materials that can be used when it comes to fences, so determining this element of the project is likely a good place to start. A building permit may also be needed before you can start your fencing project, so be sure to research what kind of cost you may be looking at.
- How much maintenance time are you willing to invest?
Depending on the material used for your fence it will dictate how much maintenance work you will need to do on it. Wooden fences may require more money and effort to maintain over the years as compared to aluminum fences for example. Think long-term when it comes to your fence as getting it up is just the beginning of the ownership experience.
- What fences already exist in your neighbourhood?
We already briefly touched on this subject matter earlier in this article, but your fence decision may be swayed depending on what already exists in your area. Also, some neighbourhoods have a homeowners association that can come with fence restrictions and stipulations, so be sure to find out if your options are limited for this reason. If you aren’t sure about a homeowners association for your neighbourhood then speak to some neighbours about the topic, or contact your town or city’s officials to learn first-hand.