You’ve decided you want to fence your backyard.
Now what?
Before calling four or five fence companies and asking, “How much would it cost to fence my backyard?”, spend a little time figuring out what you actually want the fence to accomplish.
You don’t need to know everything about fencing.
That’s the fence contractor’s job.
But the better you understand your own property and what you want from the fence, the easier it becomes to compare your options—and the estimates you receive.
1. Start With Why You Want the Backyard Fenced
This sounds simple, but it matters.
Why do you want a fence?
Privacy?
A place for the children to play?
Keeping the dog in?
Keeping other animals out?
Security?
A swimming pool?
Making the backyard feel finished?
Separating your property from the neighbors?
Maybe it’s several of those things.
Don’t start with:
“I want a wood fence.”
Start with:
“Here’s what I need my fence to do.”
Then determine which fence can do it.
2. Walk Your Backyard Before Calling a Fence Company
Actually walk it.
Start at one side of your house and walk where you think the fence should go.
Look at what’s there.
Where are the property corners?
Are neighboring fences already present?
Are there trees along the proposed fence line?
Is the ground level or sloped?
Are there retaining walls?
Drainage areas?
Utility equipment?
A shed?
A swimming pool?
A deck?
Where do you take your garbage cans?
Where does your lawn mower enter the backyard?
You may notice things while walking the property that you never noticed looking through the kitchen window.
3. Decide How Much of the Backyard You Actually Want to Fence
You don’t necessarily have to fence everything.
Some homeowners want the largest enclosed backyard possible.
Others would rather fence a smaller area and leave part of the property open.
You might want the fence close to the property line.
You might prefer bringing it inward.
You might want the fence to begin at the rear corners of the house.
Or you may want it farther forward or farther back.
There isn’t one layout that works for every house.
Think about how you actually intend to use the backyard.
4. Look at Your Neighbors’ Fences—but Don’t Assume They’re Yours
You may already have fencing on one, two or even three sides of your backyard.
That’s useful.
But first determine what you’re looking at.
Does the fence belong to you?
Does it belong to the neighbor?
Do you know?
If you’re considering connecting your new fence to an existing neighboring fence, discuss that with your fence contractor.
And don’t automatically assume an existing fence establishes the property line.
A fence is a fence. A survey is a survey. They aren’t the same thing.
5. Think About What You Want to See
This is where privacy becomes important.
Do you want to sit on your patio without looking directly into the neighbor’s yard?
Do you want some privacy while still allowing air and light through?
Do you have a beautiful wooded area behind the house that you don’t want to block?
Would you rather see through the fence?
Your answer can help narrow your choices.
A privacy fence and an open ornamental or chain-link fence solve very different problems.
Don’t pay to block a view you actually enjoy.
And don’t install an open fence and then discover that what you really wanted was privacy.
6. If You Have a Dog, Think About the Dog Now
Don’t wait until after you’ve chosen the fence.
How large is the dog?
Can it jump?
Does it dig?
Does it chase things?
Does it become excited when it sees another dog?
Could it squeeze underneath a gap?
Do you expect to get another dog in the future?
A beautiful fence that doesn’t contain the animal isn’t doing the job you bought it to do.
The dog should be part of the fence-design conversation from the beginning.
7. Think Carefully About Your Gates
This is one of the easiest decisions to underestimate.
Where do you naturally enter the backyard?
Do you need access from both sides of the house?
How wide should the gate be?
What needs to pass through it?
Garbage cans?
A push mower?
A riding mower?
A wheelbarrow?
A trailer?
Landscaping equipment?
Something you haven’t bought yet?
A gate that works for you today should not unnecessarily limit how you use your backyard tomorrow.
8. Now Start Looking at Fence Materials
Once you know what you’re trying to accomplish, material choices become easier.
Wood may make sense when privacy and a traditional appearance are important.
Chain link may make sense when containment, visibility, practicality or enclosing a larger area matters.
Vinyl may appeal to someone looking for privacy with different maintenance characteristics than wood.
Aluminum or ornamental fencing may work where visibility and appearance are important.
Don’t choose solely because somebody else has that fence.
Their priorities may be completely different from yours.
9. Think About Maintenance Before You Buy
Every fence lives outside.
Sun.
Rain.
Wind.
Trees.
Vegetation.
Soil.
Animals.
Lawn equipment.
People.
Ask what you should expect from the fence several years after installation—not just how it will look the afternoon the contractor finishes it.
If you’re considering wood, understand that wood is a natural product.
If you’re considering another fence system, understand its maintenance requirements and limitations too.
There is no reason to discover those things after you’ve already bought it.
10. Don’t Forget About the Future
Try to imagine the backyard five years from now.
Could you add a pool?
A shed?
A larger lawn mower?
A garden?
A deck?
A patio?
A dog?
Could you need equipment access?
You can’t predict everything.
But a few minutes thinking about the future can affect where the fence and gates should go today.
11. Get Estimates After You Understand What You’re Asking For
Now you’re in a much better position to talk with fence contractors.
Instead of saying:
“I need a price on a backyard fence.”
You can say:
“I want privacy across the back, I need to contain my dog, I need mower access on the left side, and I’m still deciding between these two materials.”
That’s a much better conversation.
And when you receive several estimates, you’ll have a better chance of determining whether everybody is actually pricing the same thing.
12. You Don’t Have to Decide Today
Take your time.
Collect information.
Ask questions.
Look at fences.
Talk to different contractors.
Compare what they recommend.
If one contractor tells you something you don’t understand, ask about it.
You may start this process thinking you want one type of fence and eventually decide another fence makes more sense.
That’s not wasted time.
That’s shopping.
Start With the Backyard, Not the Fence
A good backyard fence starts with understanding the backyard.
What are you trying to accomplish?
What needs to stay in?
What needs to stay out?
What do you want to see?
What don’t you want to see?
Where do you need access?
What might change later?
Answer those questions first.
Then start shopping for the fence.
Exterior Fence Builders, Inc. has been installing and repairing fences since 1988. We’ve learned that the right fence isn’t simply the one that fits the property. It needs to fit the people who live there and the way they intend to use their backyard.
Not ready to buy yet? That’s okay. Learn first. Compare your options. Ask questions. When you’re ready to talk about your fence, we’ll be here.
Exterior Fence Builders, Inc.
Since 1988
It’s About Fences.