by Michelle Hille @ www.newhomesource.com
When planning on building a fence, you have to realize that there will be some problems that may pop up that you didn’t think about before. But don’t worry, just follow the fence rules and you will have no problem at all! By following these steps, you won’t have to deal with the terrible task of tearing down your fence and starting over.
- First, take a trip downtown to check with city officials to take care of any permits, restrictions, design flaws, and property lines. Draw up the plan for the fence because city officials might need to see the plan in order to approve it. Don’t skip this step because you don’t want to get caught without a building permit, or you will more than likely have to take the fence down. Inform your neighbors about your fence plan since they’ll be looking at it too.
- Decide the height of the fence. You want to keep your yard private, but you don’t want to box yourself in. You could try varying the fence in different places to keep costs down and the ending result will make the fence look more interesting. Carry a cardboard square around the yard while a friend tells you what looks good.
- Now it’s time to start building the fence. Put in the wooden stakes where the metal rods for the property line are found. You may need a metal detector to find the stakes- and to make sure they are the stakes and not a coin.
- When putting the fence up, be sure to make two large gates. Allow the gates to be large enough, so that you can easily get a lawnmower or a wheelbarrow through.
- Design your fence so that one panel close to the street is removable. This allows for easy access if you ever have a load of mulch or stones in a truck to drop off.
And there you have it! You have a brand new fence that not only secures your privacy, but is also aesthetically pleasing. By keeping up your fence’s maintenance via replacing boards that succumb to decay and weathering, you can ensure yourself a beautiful fence that will last for years.