Fence Company Keller TX
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
What is the most maintenance free fence?
Among the various fencing options available, a vinyl or metal fence will require the least maintenance.
What kind of fence is best for property value?
The value of a fence is in it's aesthetics, its utility, and its condition. An old broken down fence due for replacement soon may have a negative effect on a property's value while a beautiful new fence may add value to a property. Ultimately the value of a property is determined by a buyer and a seller.
Does a backyard fence increase property value?
Appraisers will consider the fact that a house has a fenced backyard. They will also consider the condition of the fence. If you just built a $10,000 fence you probably will not get an additional $10,000 added to the value of your house. But if you have the nicest backyard fence in the neighborhood you may be able to ask more for your house than comparable properties when selling.
What type of fence lasts the longest?
One of the most important aspects of the life of a fence is insuring a proper fence installation. All things being equal, a wood fence may last five to forty years depending on materials and conditions. A chain link fence should last twenty-five to thirty years. A hollow steel fence can last thirty to fifty years with proper maintenance. An aluminum fence because of its resistance to corrosion may last fifty years with proper care. A solid iron fence with proper maintenance can last a hundred years.
Who gets the good side of the fence?
In general, whoever is paying for the fence will determine the direction of the fence. Many homeowners associations will have covenants, conditions, and restrictions with fence regulations. Cities will also have regulations that determine the direction of fencing.
Who pays for fence between neighbors in Texas?
Neighbors are welcome to work out any agreement they choose when constructing a fence.
Is my neighbor allowed to paint my fence?
Neighbors generally take care of their own side of the fence.
Do both neighbors have to agree on a fence?
In general, the neighbor who is paying for the fence will determine its construction.
Wood fence questions
When buying or installing a wood fence you first need to look at your budget. You’ll want to figure out how many linear feet of fence you will need and number of gates. You’ll need to look at your local ordinances including your HOA to see if there are requirements for the type of wood you can use. You can often go online and get a ballpark estimate of how much any type of fence will cost you whether you are just estimating materials or materials and labor. Most wood fences will be built using either cedar wood or treated pine wood. Cedar will be more expensive. When constructing a wood fence you will have options such as what material of posts to use. You can use either treated wood posts or steel posts. The steel posts will be more expensive and they come on various options as well such as round which will be visible on one side of the fence or the popular Master Halco post which can be made not to be seen. Steel posts will last longer than wood and they do not warp. The number one complaint for new fences and probably old as well is the gate not functioning properly. You might want to consider the extra cost of a steel framed gate. Do you want to pay the extra cost for a base board around the bottom of the perimeter of the fence in case you have dogs on the inside or you might be doing some gardening or landscaping on the outside. Do you want to do any painting or staining. These are some of the basics when considering a wood fence.
Fence estimate questions
Most people aren’t aware of the cost of a new fence. You can go online to get a ballpark figure of what just about any fence will cost whether it be just materials or materials and labor. If you are paying a contractor to build your fence you can count on paying approximately as much in labor as you are for materials. Contractors have various ways of doing their estimates and depending on who you are talking to the estimates can vary more than a little. As an example contractors have to take overhead into consideration. Someone who does not carry general liability and workers comp insurance and does fencing on the side can charge less. When getting a fence estimate from a contractor you will want to ask if they use a contract. You should always use a contract. Does the contractor require an initial down payment on the job. Most will want 50% upfront to cover the cost of the materials. Most contractors can get materials cheaper than you can and the contract should spell out the entire process including a pay schedule.
Questions to ask fence installers
The first thing you want to ask a fence installer is when can they install your fence. Many fence installers are weeks or months out before they can install your fence. In the current market the next question you want to ask is are the materials you are interested in available. You will want to ask fence installers what if any damage may be done to your yard and will it be replaced. Your installer will need to ask you what side of the fence the poles should go. You will want to ask once started how long it will take to complete the project and to what standard will they clean up when complete. And before any work is started you want to discuss local ordinances, a survey, marking all the utilities, sprinkler systems, and any animal situations there might be.
Is there a required deposit for fence installation
Most fence contractors will require a 50% deposit to cover materials. This shows the homeowner or builders intent to move the job forward. Some contractors will allow you to handle the materials if that’s what you want to do but contractors have access to materials discounts and you will need to provide materials as requested. Under these circumstances there is usually not a deposit required.
What should be included in a fence contract
By no means is this legal advise you should always consult an attorney if you have any questions that concern you. There is basic language that every contract should have in order to be valid. Building a fence should not be taken lightly as it can be a big ticket item depending on the size of the job. Some items fence builders may have in their contract are, work to be done, total cost, payment schedule, start date, and the estimated date of completion. If there is an old fence needing to be fully or partially removed this should be included as well as a standard for the final clean-up.
Hiring a fencing contractor
When hiring a fence contractor you want to make sure they have a general liability insurance policy. Your contractor should have no problem sending you a copy of their policy to have on hand. Not having insurance is a red flag for any contractor doing work the size of some fence jobs. You can check the reputation of a contractor by searching online for yelp or google reviews. If there are a lot of reviews this should be of some assistance in determining how they treat their customers. If you are dealing with a new company it’s hard to determine online your odds of being treated fairly. Every experienced company is new at some point. The Better Business Bureau has proven over time not to be the most accurate score for a good contractor. You don’t need a big fancy office with a staff of employees and a mountain of overhead to be a highly skilled and professional contractor. If the person giving you your quote is the owner of the company you can get a good feel for who this person is and if they will do what they say they will do. If you are dealing with an employee you will have to go with your gut and whatever you can find online.
What is the best time of year to install a fence
Many people think the best time to install a fence is in the summer. Because of this, the summer months will be the time when you have the longest wait to start your fence project. It’s all about timing so you may find a contractor in between jobs in the summer months but most fence contractors are very busy this time of year. Here in Texas the winters are mild so fencing is an all year business cycle. You will have an easier time finding someone to complete your project in the winter months and you may even get a discount because the contractors are not backed up with business they can’t handle. Contractors will generally be cherry picking jobs if they are so busy that they can’t keep up at the moment. If you need fence repair Keller TX you may want to wait until the winter months if it’s not an emergency.