Learn Who to Hire to Build a Fence on Your Property

The fence of your dreams could be just a phone call away

Photo: Douglas Keister / Corbis Documentary / Getty Images
Photo: Douglas Keister / Corbis Documentary / Getty Images
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If you don’t want to DIY your new fence, the proper step is to figure out who to hire to build a fence on your property. A fence installation company or contractor is the best person for this type of job. Let's explore the reasons you should hire a fencing pro to make the fence of your dreams a reality.

Benefits of Hiring a Fence Installer to Build a Fence

When you hire a local fence installer to build the fence on your property, you receive a few key benefits.

Following All Laws

You may ask yourself some legal questions when it's time to build a fence. Do you need a permit to build a fence? Should you hire a surveyor to verify your property lines? Do you have to call 811 to have underground cables marked? When you hire a pro, this person will have experience with helping you follow these laws and requirements. It can be a challenge for you as a homeowner to understand how to take these steps on your own.

Ordering Materials

When you explore how to hire a fence contractor, you ensure that you have the right amount of materials on hand for the job. As a novice fence builder, you as a homeowner may not order everything you need initially, which forces you to halt the project in the middle to buy more supplies. A pro should not have such issues, allowing the project to go faster.

Avoiding Missteps

A professional fence installer can handle the trickiest parts of building a fence without suffering setbacks. The pro shouldn’t make an error that spoils some of the materials or that leads to sagging or damage on the fence that detracts from its aesthetics.

Guaranteeing Quality 

Any local fence contractor you hire should provide you with a guarantee that the fence will match your desired design. The guarantee should ensure that the fence will remain sturdy in tough weather for at least a few years, too.

Recommending the Best Design

You should be able to tell the fence-building professional what you would like the fence to accomplish, and the pro can recommend the best materials and design to use. Whether you want privacy from neighbors, a structure to keep your dogs inside the yard, or an ornamental fence that enhances your home’s design, the pro can suggest materials and styles to match your needs.

Estimating Your Costs

A carpenter building a wooden fence
Photo: Olena Vasylieva / iStock / Getty Images Plus / Getty Images

How much does a fence cost to build? A professional can give you an accurate cost estimate for both materials and labor. If desired, the pro can also estimate costs for permits, land surveys, and other items related to the project, such as a security gate installation cost vs. a basic gate.

Choosing Replacement or Repair

If you have an existing fence that’s seen better days, consider hiring a local fence repair pro to inspect the structure. This professional can give you advice on whether you should repair or replace a fence, as well as repair cost estimates.

Can I DIY Building a Fence?

Some homeowners will feel comfortable enough with this type of DIY work to build a fence on their own. If you hire a pro to build your fence, almost half the cost goes to labor, so you can save quite a bit of money doing the work yourself.

If you buy a fence kit, you should receive plans for building the fence and all the materials you need, which simplifies doing the work yourself.

If you don’t feel comfortable using power tools, digging holes, or taking detailed measurements, building a fence yourself might not be the best choice.

If you want a fence that’s several feet tall or that will involve heavy materials, you may struggle to do the work by yourself, leading you to hire a pro or to have one or more friends on hand to help you.

Can I Hire a Handyperson to Build a Fence?

As another option for who to hire to build a fence, you often can hire a local handyperson to do the job for you. Some less-populated areas may not have fence installation companies, forcing you to turn to another type of pro to construct the fence.

Before hiring a handyperson, make sure this professional has experience with the type of fence that you want built. The handyperson also should know how to obtain a permit and work with a local land surveyor for measuring the property line, should you need these services for your project.

How Do Fence Installers Build a Fence?

A professional fence installer will follow a few key steps to build your fence. They will:

  • Take measurements in the location where you want the fence.

  • Recommend the materials you should use for matching the qualities you want in the fence.

  • Draw plans for the fence.

  • Create a timeline for the job.

  • Order the materials required for the job.

  • Determine if you need permits, a land survey, or to call 811 to have underground cables marked.

  • Use temporary framing to mark the physical layout of the fence, along with any gates.

  • Install the posts in the ground and ensure they are perfectly straight.

  • Attach the other segments of the fence to the posts, such as the rails, making sure all aspects of the fence are square.

  • Paint the materials or finish and seal the materials in another way.

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