Is it worth putting in your own fence panels?
Are you thinking of putting up a fence? A garden fence can serve as a good privacy barrier as well as block out unwanted intruders and safety threats. When it comes to building a fence, the obvious question is whether to do it yourself or hire somebody to do the dirty work for you. To make that decision, it all comes down to whether you are physically and mentally motivated. Things to consider include preparation work, physical construction, sorting out legal issues, and the layout of your place.
Preparation work
Setting up a fence requires a lot of raw materials and knowledge as well as financial investment. You can probably get most of the raw materials from any of the DIY stores like Wickes or B&Q, and they will probably offer you some advice. Deciding on the type of fence and the material you use is paramount. If you had no prior experience, procuring the right material could be tricky and you could end up losing your money.
Physical construction
Putting up a fence is manual labour and that equates hard work. You need to have the physical stamina to dig some deep postholes, and they need to be spaced at regular distances. That takes prior planning and you need to avoid any underground pipes or electricity wires. Getting your fence set up straight is important as you want it to last for a long time. If this is not up to your taste, then you can get a constructor to do the postholes for you.
Legal Quagmire
The worst thing that can happen is putting your garden fence over your neighbour’s territory. In the UK, you need to get planning permission if you want to build a garden fence higher than 2 metres, and if it is adjoining the highway then more than 1 metre. This changes if you are living in a listed building so always consult the local planning authority if there are any doubts. Again if you are doing this on your own, check first before proceeding.
Sorting out the Layout
The layout of your lawn is very important as not everyone has a flat piece of ground! Any elevation in the ground needs to be taken into account and the height of your panel needs to be varied. It is not a “one size fits all” and further expert remodeling of individual panels may be needed. You cannot achieve this with simple tools.
Conclusion
As you can see, setting up a fence panel is not as easy as you might think. Most people think that if they do it themselves it would be cheaper. However, the amount of time and preparation involved can mean that the opposite is the case. Sorting out the legal paperwork can be a hassle, and getting the right equipment and material is not always straight forward. If you have a tricky layout or you are not experienced in this type of physical work, then it may be better to consult a professional contractor. After all, you want the fence to last and help protect you in the long run. Order your fence installation by professionals, visit us at https://www.fencing-edinburgh.co.uk.
