You may decide to add a fence to your property for privacy, to keep your children and pets in the yard, or solely for decorative purposes. Having a nice fence increases the appearance of your yard and home, increasing the curb appeal and resale value. Whatever your reason for choosing to install a fence, careful consideration should go to the choice of installation methods.
Installing a fence requires extensive knowledge of installation methods and a detailed approach to ensure maximum longevity. Working with a professional contractor, you’ll benefit from their know-how and expertise for minimum impact on your property.
In addition to preserving the aesthetics of your property, read on to learn how newer fence installation methods are much easier on your property.
The Postholes
The hardest part of any fence installation is the posthole digging that’s required for setting the posts in place. For shorter fences, a manual posthole digger is sufficient. However, for longer fences where you have more than ten holes to dig, a gas-powered posthole digger may be your best bet.
The excavation required when digging a pothole can lead to rocks and large roots. Depending on the depth and size of these obstacles, significant damage could to your yard is possible.
Setting Posts
When determining the location of the posts, special attention is paid to where the rails are placed to avoid the potential for lawn damage.
Your professional installation team will want to pay close attention to the location of plants and flowers and you should always advise them of key landscaping areas to avoid. This way, the integrity and beauty of your yard are maintained throughout the project.
Inclement Weather
You may think weather would have little to no effect on the installation of your fence. However, if it’s raining or the humidity is high, or if the temperatures are too high or too low, the fence installation can negatively impact your property.
If moisture is the problem, the concrete may not set while installing the fence posts. Without properly set posts, the reliability of your fence is in jeopardy. Similarly, if temperatures are too high or too low, it may also cause problems with your concrete, and your fence materials may swell or contract.
The best time to install a fence is on a warm day when rain is far off in the future.
Fence Placement
Depending on how and where your fence was installed, ongoing maintenance of your yard could become more difficult. Additionally, if your fence touches the ground, and depending on the fence material used, it may accelerate potential damage caused by moisture.
However, if your primary goal is to keep rodents or other small animals out of your yard or garden area, it may make sense for your fence to touch the ground. In either case, careful consideration should be given to the potential adverse effects on your property.
Types of Fences
The final consideration for effects of newer fence installation methods is the type of fence that’s best for your yard. Depending on the type, it will either increase or decrease property values.
To help you decide and minimize the negative impact of a fence on your property, ask yourself why you need a fence in the first place. Instead of leading with “I want a fence because…” prioritize your needs over your wants.
For instance, installation of wooden fences tends to work the best, especially if you’re in the market for a privacy fence. But always check with your home owner’s association (HOA) before committing to a fence to ensure it meets the neighborhood standards.
Lower the Effect on your Property
Though you can try installing a fence on your own, the process requires specialized tools and a lot of hard work. Not to mention a contractor will know the newest installation methods and will mitigate the damage to your property during the installation process.
