Understanding the Costs Associated with a Professional Fence Installation
When deciding to hire a company for your fence installation, it is important to know the costs that go into that installation so that you understand the overall quoted price. Granted, every company will have a different estimate, and that can vary based on labor and whether the business sub-contracts. However, there are a few elements that are likely similar in pricing across the board.
Scope of the Work
Unfortunately, you cannot shrink your yard space. While it is an option to move the fence inward on the property, most people want a fence to go to their property line or as close to it as possible. For this reason, every company will require the same amount of materials, and most likely the job will take a similar amount of time to complete. If one company offers to do it quicker than others, keep in mind that they are probably charging more in labor or skirting a few crucial steps in the installation process.
Footing Material
Another contributing factor to the price of a fence installation is the footing material chosen. This material is the substrate used to secure the fence posts in place. You do have options other than 100 percent concrete. Straight up concrete can get expensive, but using a mixture of gravel, sand and cement can be just as effective and costs less.
Fence Material
One of the biggest contributing factors to your fence cost is the material chosen. Fences can be made of wood, aluminum, steel, vinyl and chain-link. All of these materials vary widely in price. For instance, an aluminum fence cost approximately $40 per foot while a wooden fence is about $3 to $9 per foot depending on species.
Fence installation is a significant expense. However, while you may not be able to control labor costs, you can make smart decisions regarding materials and fencing design that can have a positive effect on the installation budget. Talk to a professional about how to get the fence you want at a price you can afford; they may have suggestions you haven’t thought of yet.