This happens a lot to homeowners who feel they can easily pull off a DIY fence project. We have encountered disaster after disaster that cost homeowners more than they intended to save by doing everything themselves. We have listed several of those disasters, and to avoid them, it’s advisable that you hire a professional fencing contractor like Globus Gates instead of going the DIY route.
1. Building the Wrong Kind of Fence
Buying construction materials and embarking on a fence-building journey will not only be expensive but time-consuming as well. It’s quite easy to mess things up and end up in a disaster if you don’t conduct research and plan ahead.
To begin with, you may not know this, but chances are, your local zoning laws may restrict your fence of choice. Check with your county planning commission before taking any steps.
If you make the mistake of putting up a fence that doesn’t conform to local restrictions, you will face two possible consequences. First, you’ll undoubtedly have to bring the fence down and suffer losses, and second, you may be fined for it.
Hiring a local fence company, such as Globus Gates, can save you all that trouble. They’ll not only come equipped with experience, but they’ll know all the regulations beforehand.
Let’s suppose there are no legal restrictions. Choosing the right kind of fence is still not easy because all systems come with pros and cons. The thing is, there is always a right fence for a certain type of job.
Do you want to keep the neighbor’s dog out and your kids in? Are you trying to fence your garden? Are you trying to keep animals in or out? How big are those animals, and how motivated are they to get out? All these options require a different type of fence.
If you are fencing for animals, you need to know their habits to pick the right kind of fence. It can be harder if you are trying to keep predators out of your property. Wild animals, especially coyotes, are hard to deter.
2. Failing to Anchor Down Anchor Posts to the Correct Depth
Anchor posts are the most significant part of the whole project because your fence will only be as strong as the posts. You need to know how deep the posts need to be in order to support the structure, then choose the posts wisely. Apart from being anchored at the right depth, anchor posts need to be braced for the style of fence you want.
They also need to be set in concrete for strength and stability, and you need to wait several days for the concrete to set before installing the fence. Plenty of DIYers have made the mistake of attaching the fence too soon, and what happens is that the posts wobble and eventually fail.
3. Failing to Align Line Posts Correctly
Apart from anchor posts, you’ll also need line posts in between. These don’t need to go as deep or have as much strength since they take up less stress from the fence. Still, they should be positioned accordingly.
The type of fence you pick, the type of soil you have on your property, and the purpose of the fence will highly determine how far apart your line posts should be.
If you have moist or sandy soil and you are trying to keep animals in, you need stout line posts to keep the fence as sturdy as possible. It’s easy for fence contractors to determine all the aspects before installing a fence, and it could save you costs in fence repairs later on.
The next mistake you could make that could result in a disaster is installing crooked posts. The problem is, your fence will not only look bad, but they’ll put a strain on the fence and compromise the whole structure. No, you should not use trees as posts for several good reasons.
For starters, trees attract lightning, which places the whole structure and your property in danger. Don’t forget that trees grow as well, and once the fencing material grows into the tree trunk, both the tree and the fence will be compromised.
4. Digging in the Wrong Places and Damaging Utilities
This is one of the biggest disasters you could encounter and the most costly no less. Unless you know where utility lines run through, it’s quite easy to dig right into them while digging holes for your anchor posts. Think about the disaster that would come with digging up an underground structure like a septic tank and the costs that would come with repairing it.
Different states have different regulations on digging due to the chances of causing severe interruptions to the entire neighborhood.
Even worse, if you plan on installing a metal fence beneath power lines, it may compromise your safety. Instead of risking your safety and property, and possibly having to ante up a hefty fine, hiring a professional fencing contractor like Globus Gates is the way to go.
5. Fencing Beyond Your Property
This problem can escalate very fast and become a disaster, especially if your neighbor is not understanding. Besides, you just can’t fence other people’s property. Imagine realizing that the expensive fence you just finished installing went over the property line. The fence repair costs will shoot through the roof if you have to tear it back down.
A fence requires sufficient space outside your property line to make maintenance easy on both sides. There need to be enough setbacks to prevent protruding parts or concrete footers from invading your neighbors’ property. The wrong placement could easily end up in expensive court battles and the eventual moving of your fence.
6. Gates in the Wrong Place (or No Gate at All)
You’d be surprised at how many DIYers only realize they forgot to install a gate after project completion. The ones who remember tend to install it in the wrong place, and this can be a costly mistake if not a total disaster. Moving a gate will not only be time-consuming, but quite expensive and difficult.
You may also make the mistake of installing the wrong gate size. Fence gates designed for foot traffic should be able to accommodate wheelbarrows, lawnmowers, and garden carts. It’ll need to be larger for larger equipment and vehicles.
A local fence company like Globus Gates will advise you on the type of gate to install since gates tend to wear out faster than the rest of the fence and could sag if not installed carefully.
7. Not Hiring a Fencing Contractor Could Be the Biggest Mistake
Hiring an experienced fencing contractor could be the best decision you make for your property and peace of mind. You may feel that the cost to build a fence yourself would be lower, but you may face long-term problems if you are not careful.
Avoid Trouble: Hire Professional Fencing Services
A local fence company like Globus Gates will save you all that trouble and build you a structure you can be proud of.