6 mistakes NOT to Make When Building A Fence

The first mistake when building your own fence could be your most expensive mistake or worst…

Mistake #1Not getting the underground utilities located.

You would be surprised at how many utility lines are actually buried under and around your house.The consequences of hitting one of these underground utilities could range from thousands of dollars to replace the damaged utilities, bodily harm and  worst case scenario, death if you accidentally hit a buried electrical line.

Do yourself and your check book a favour by locating your underground utilities located before building your next fence

Another common mistake that happens all too often is.

Mistake #2 Not getting your fence post buried deep enough.

Getting your fence set at 2 feet in order to get underneath the frost line and to also prevent heat from pushing the fence post up in the future. You probably have noticed a lot when looking at a straight line of fence and notice that the top is not straight. It looks more like a go–kart track (YIKES)

Do yourself a favour and set your post at least 24inches or more depending on where in the country live in and what weather climate you may be exposed to regularly.

Mistake #3 Using pre-built fence panels that can be purchased at your local home building stores.

Unfortunately when you do this you are not able to contour the pre-bought fence to the ground. Instead what you will get is an end result that looks stair stepped. This is not a great look aesthetically speaking and it certainly does not end up looking custom built. Why not save yourself a huge headache and make sure the fence is built on sight, this way you are able to follow whatever terrain that your individual yard has.

Gates are  one of the most important components to any fence. This is how you and your family will be getting in and out of your yard. Also one of the #1 reasons for call backs for contracts to come and fix. This is because the posts are going to start leaning, warping or twisting. Ultimately the gate frame is not going to stay in the ground the way that it should.

Mistake #4 Do not use wood posts and wood frames.

When you use steel posts, steel hardware and steel frames, it will ensure that your gate will swing true and correct for the longevity of your fence.

Mistake #5 Not building a proper transition from a 4 foot fence to a 6 foot fence

This step really does not take any extra time and effort to make the fence look that much more unique and custom for the yard. 

Building a transition from  6 feet tall down to 4 feet tall over an 8 foot wide section will give a nice gentle slope and  ultimately leaves the fence looking custom to the yard as opposed to a “cookie cutter fence” that has just been picked up from a local hardware store.

Unfortunately this is very common to see: When the 6 foot tall fence wall ends and the 4 foot tall fence will immediately begin without any type of transition. By building a proper transition you will give your yard that professional clean and custom look that everyone is looking for.

Mistake #6 Not staining and  sealing your fence

When you have invested so much money and time in building a fence why would you not want to make it look great and last for years to come? By making sure not to skip this step you are ensuring years of life to the fence as well as years of enjoyment to your yard for you and your family. That polished clean look is what every yard should strive for.

Whether you are building a new fence or having a new fence installed avoid these top 6 mistakes and you’ll end up making yourself look like the fence expert in your neighbourhood.

The next time you are looking to build a fence in your yard, we hope that these tips will deter you from making common mistakes.

Happy building!