Before you put up a fence

The humble garden fence has offered shelter, privacy and a certain aesthetic benefit for as long as anyone can remember. But before making changes to an existing fence or putting up an altogether new one, considering the following might just save a lot of time, hassle and money.

1. Planning permissions. Local planning laws will specify minimum and maximum fencing heights. You might also find that you live in an area where you fence is required to be of a certain appearance. Before you spend any money on fence panels and installation, make sure that your proposed fence sits within planning restrictions. Spending a little bit of time ensuring this beforehand can potentially save a lot of time pulling the whole thing down.

1. Decide upon the type of panels and make the appropriate measurements. Do your research and compare the prices of fence panels from various retailers to ensure you’re getting the best for your money. You’ll need to know the dimensions of the fence panels you’re buying and know exactly how many of them you will need.

1. Preserving your panels. Seek advice about the fence panels you buy on how to best preserve them. Anything wooden left out to face the elements will eventually bear the brunt of the weather. But there are materials you can buy to coat the panels to maximize their life. Find out what you should use on yours and coat them,

1. Self-installation of paid installation. Do you plan to install the fence yourself or pay someone to do it for you? This is a pretty important decision as a poorly installed fence could end up getting very easily damaged, but nobody wants to spend money on a service they don’t really need. If you’re not particularly DIY-savvy, consider whether it might be worth stumping up the added extra to ensure that the fence is fitted properly. However, if you’re a dab hand around the home and garden, then simply seek advice about the best posts to use, get the materials and get to work.

Spending the time considering the above before going out and purchasing materia ls could potentially save a lot of time in the long term!