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Building a fence seems to be a fairly straightforward affair, right? Just hire a professional, buy some wood and off you go. While it may be easy to hire a fencing expert to install your fence, there are a lot of choices to make and questions to answer before you can get started.

There is an old saying “Measure twice and cut once” that applies in this situation. Before you even think about installing a fence, ask yourself these questions:

• What do the local laws, ordinances and HOA rules have to say about fences? Do they have to be below a certain height? Are some materials forbidden? Do they have to be painted a certain color? All of these can have an important affect on your project.
• How do your neighbors feel about a new fence? Rather than just surprising them with a new fence one day, you may want to talk with them to avoid future problems.
• What do you need your fence to do? Each fence has a specific job it is best at. For instance:
  • Security fences – These are tall and durable. They are built to keep people out so they usually have some kind of deterrent built onto the top that make it difficult for people to climb over.
  • Privacy fences – These tall, sturdy fences are built using a very tight construction that minimizes openings. They are used when you want to obstruct sightlines and keep your neighbors from seeing into play areas, hot tubs, bedrooms, etc.
  • Safety fences – These are your typical backyard fences that are used to keep your dogs inside while keeping the neighborhood kids out.
• What type of material should you use? There are a wide variety of materials to choose from and some work better for one fence type than another:
  • Wood – The most common material because of its beauty and versatility. The only downside is that wood will degrade over time without periodic maintenance.
  • Vinyl – Comes in a variety of colors and styles plus it is almost maintenance free. Some people don’t like the look of vinyl and prefer a stronger material like metal or wood.
  • Metal – Is often used in security and ornamental fences because of its strength and durability. The only drawback is that metal tends to be more expensive than other fencing materials.
  • Chain Link – Extremely versatile, strong and economical but some people don’t like the utilitarian look of chain link.

Check out our last blog post about choosing the right fence contractor for the job. At FenceWorks of Georgia we can help you navigate your cities codes and can provide guidance to help you choose your new fence. Give us a call today for a free fence quote!