Not-SO-DIY Fence and Misadventures

As a followup on my 'Know when to hire, when to DIY' post, I thought I'd at least show off the wonderful fence that now adorns my yard.  Even though someone else was doing the project, it wasn't without at least 1 hiccup.

But before I get to the 'After' picture, I want to share some tidbits that I learned.  I did my homework with selecting a contractor.  There are quite a few fence companies in the area and I wanted to make sure I didn't jump at the first person that came out for a quote.  So, I used the linear footage information from the a single quote I got 2 years ago to get quotes from everyone else.  I had everyone quote the exact same linear footage, layout and fence material so I could compare apples to apples.  What I found was really interesting!  The prices had about a $500-$600 range for an entry type of vinyl fencing.  I don't always recommend going with the lowest price.  Sometimes it's for lower quality materials, sometimes it doesn't include important items and sometimes the company may not be very reputable.  Do your research.  What I learned about the lowest bid was that they sourced their materials from another fence company (their quote was higher by about $200) and they were reputable.

Also, trust your instincts.  One company lost any chance at my business because I didn't like their salesman.  Scoffing at my concerns isn't a great way to get my business.  If their salesman was like that, I can only image what the installers were like.

After I selected the company, got a full, on-site quote, I ended up selecting another fence style that was the next step up in price.  I don't like thin pickets.  Don't install something you hate that's permanent.  Because, guess what?  It's permanent.  Or really expensive to change.

Side Note:  If you live in the Delaware area and are looking for a fence, check out ABC Fencing.  They're the contractor I picked and couldn't be happier!  I didn't get anything to plug them, they just did a great job!

Misadventure #1 HOA, Land Owner, Survey, Building Permits, oh my.



I have the joy of living in a development with an HOA.  HOA's can be notoriously slow and a pain.  So, I made sure to mention in my letter to the HOA Architectural Review committee that this was a Safety Issue due to a loose dog attacking mine on my property.  I politely told them I was requesting a timely review and approval.  I also included a copy of the contract, a picture of the style of fence and a copy of the survey of my property with the fenceline drawn in.  To my great surprise, I received a voicemail 3 days later giving me a verbal approval!

After forward to getting my building permit.  For this contractor, I was required to get the building permit.  No big deal, but the timing was.... bad.  I went on Thursday and was told I'd get a call on Friday to pick it up.  I didn't remember that Monday was a holiday and they were going to install on Tuesday.

It was Tuesday morning and the contractor was here.  I didn't have a permit.  Luckily, I was at the town office 3 minutes after they opened.  Remember, don't be mean to people you're trying to get something from.  You're just shooting yourself in the foot.  I managed to get verbal approval to go ahead with the work.  As I left the office, I got a call from the contractor saying they were waiting to start digging a hole before I got the permit.

As it turns out, Miss Utility (the utility marking service in our area) marked the gas line as directly under a fence post.  My installer had to hand dig a hole he wasn't planning to and the ground was almost too frozen.  It was a fun morning.

However, I now have a completely installed fence that looks awesome!  Bella is loving it and I'm loving everything except the muddy paw prints she's been tracking in all the way through the office and entryway.

The day they delivered the materials was the last sunny day we've had for the past 2 weeks.

Creeper-mode was the only way I could take progress pictures.  I have no regrets.

This picture shows the exact reason I didn't do this myself.  See that pig piece of equipment?  I don't have it. And I'd probably end up putting the hole in the wrong place.

 And it's finally done!

Bella, giving her sniff of approval.  

Let me know what you think!  Leave me a comment or send me an email!