The Official Blog of The Fence Authority

When you’re trying to decide whether you should get your fence professionally installed or if you should do it yourself, you might be thinking about the magical personal touch you could bring to your yard with a DIY fence project. However, you might also be considering DIY as an option because you’re thinking about the cold hard cash. Are you really going to save money by installing your fence yourself? The answer to this question depends on the type of fence you install and the process you use.

Building your own fence may save you money, but you’ll pay in blood, sweat, and tears

When you hire a contractor for fence installation, you are not just paying for the materials. You are also paying them for their labor. When you opt for DIY installation, your only cost is materials, but you will be paying with your own labor! If you’re building a fence from scratch, this could be quite a lot of labor. New DIYers frequently underestimate the amount of time a project will take them, so you have to consider the tradeoff. In theory, maybe the project only takes a week, but chances are you’ll encounter some unexpected challenges along the way. Your time is valuable and may be more profitable if spent on your own non-fencing work. The less experienced you are with carpentry, digging, and other tasks involved in building a fence, the harder it will be to build your fence quickly.

For some, the value of that DIY personal touch will cancel out everything else because a challenge is exactly what they want. Those people may choose the most hands-on approach possible for that reason. Whether time and money are the most important factors depends on your resources and what you value personally.

It doesn’t hurt to be a professional fence contractor, but it’s not necessary

Many DIYers find that they don’t know their yards as intimately as they think until they get started with their fencing projects. Indeed, installing your own fence is a great way to get extremely close to your yard. Maybe your soil is rockier than expected and therefore more difficult to dig into. Or maybe you end up mistakenly encountering cable wiring where you thought you were in the clear. (Sure, preparing your yard by having the utilities marked can help prevent this, but unpleasant surprises happen.)

A professional fence contractor knows how to handle any unexpected challenges efficiently, maybe more efficiently than you. Addressing challenges will add time and possibly money, especially if you do need to go out and buy a tool you didn’t plan on needing. However, it’s possible to save money by renting some of these tools. Renting a post hole auger can help you dig holes that are straight and possibly avoid a tipping fence. Even if it takes time, there’s no reason you can’t learn to be a master fence builder. After all, everyone has to start somewhere!

If you’re not ready for hardcore DIY, you can try a pre-made DIY fence kit!

DIY doesn’t have to be a monumental challenge that takes exorbitant time and money. If you want the best of both worlds, there are some intermediary options. DIY isn’t all or nothing! You can choose your level of involvement based on your strengths and weaknesses. Pre-made DIY fence kits like EZ Fence 2 Go provide you with everything you need to build your fence. These kits are designed to make the process as easy as possible, and using one doesn’t mean you’re not doing it yourself. Don’t be ashamed about needing a little help!

Pre-made DIY fence kits are available in a variety of materials, from wood to vinyl to aluminum. They come with panels or sections that snap together easily, and their instructions are written so non-experts can follow them. Without a kit, the material you choose will have a huge impact on ease of installation. Aluminum fences are often considered the easiest to install—you simply have to assemble the sections of rails rather than, say, chopping your own wood and then nailing it together. However, a wood fence kit can give you that natural look while making the process painless.

Building your own fence will give your yard that personal touch, but it’s not the only way

You’re still going to get to know your yard really, really well, even if you use a kit. However, DIY isn’t the option for everyone. You can stay involved with the process and get customized results by working closely with your fence installation contractor. In the end, the choice you make is about you. There’s no wrong way to do it, whether you start from scratch, order a kit, or let someone else handle the installation.

Have you saved money by building your own fence? How long did it take you? Was the thrill of doing it yourself enough to override any other concerns? Go ahead and share your thoughts and experiences in our comments section!