Whether you’re building a new home, renovating an existing one, or just looking to upgrade your outdoor space, at some point, you may start thinking about fences.  If and when you do, there are a few things you can do to ensure that you get the best fence for your budget.

Take Down Your Old Fence Yourself…

One way to save money on a fence installation is to remove the existing fence yourself.  Cutting back trees and plants along the fence line so the fence installer has easy access can also save you a fair amount of money.  Find out about dumping old materials at your local landfill, or co-ordinate with your neighbors, so you can share a dumpster to take your old fencing away.  Choosing to remove the existing fence and materials yourself could end up saving quite a bit of money that you could put towards upgrading your new fence.

… But Protect Your Property Marker Pins

Before your fence company can install a new fence, they need to know where the property line is. There are usually pins in the ground that indicate the corners of your property, and finding and exposing those for your fence company can save a lot of time, and with fences, time is money!

Opt for Straight Lines Where Possible

Fence lines that make lots of twists, turns, corners, ends and jogs will take longer to install and use more materials, and that will cost more. If you can shift a line slightly so that it’s straight instead, you can save a bundle on your fence.

And Avoid Slopes

It’s not always possible to avoid sloped ground when planning a fence, but the more level the surface that your fence will be installed on, the less work for the fence company, and the lower the cost of the installation will be.

Consider Lifespan Costs

In many cases, homeowners choose a fence that is cheaper to install upfront, like painted wood. However, over the lifespan of a painted wood fence, you will need to repaint many times to maintain the appearance of the fence. Opting for treated, unpainted wood, cedar, composite or one of the vinyl products on the market will cut down on those costs significantly, and that will save you money long term.

Stick to Standards

Most fence systems will have standard products, which includes standard components, colors, gate sizes and heights.  It is always cheaper to opt for a standard product than to choose something custom, which may require modifying installation, painting or powder coating or other changes.  You will also wait longer for the product to arrive, and if there are any mistakes in the ordering process, you can spend a long time worrying about fences.

A good fence makes your yard safer for kids and pets, provides privacy and enhances the look of your home. Make sure you consider your choices carefully, and opt for a product that will give you great, trouble free service for as long as possible.