If you think you need a fence for your home, you may have children or pets or just want some privacy and security. Some are even legally obligated to install a fence such as when you have a pool in the yard. Or perhaps you have neighbors, children in the neighborhood, or pets from neighbors that need to be kept out! Whatever your reasons for this decision, a professional should always be called in for an aluminum or steel fence.
The first things you need to do in order to install such a fence include:
- Getting referrals from other home contractors in the area.
- Getting an idea in mind of the type of fence you would like installed before you make any calls.
- Research the price for your preferred types of fences so you have a ballpark idea of what you should be paying.
- Getting a rough estimate of the size of your yard.
- Understanding your own budget for this project.
Next, you should:
- Call those referred contractors for an estimate and a consultation for your particular project. If they want to charge you for an estimate, cancel that and move on to another contractor.
- Get those estimates to you can have many from which you can compare.
And next, you need to:
- Choose the two from your list that have the most competitive quotes.
- Ask them some follow-up questions to narrow down your selection.
- Get some references from them as well as an estimate of how long the job should take.
- Make your final selection!
When it's time to ask some follow-up questions of your contractors, be sure to include:
- Questions about their licenses; are they licensed to work in Virginia?
- Questions about their training and their experience in doing this type of job.
- Questions about their insurance for their workers or themselves when it comes to potential injuries and also against potential damage to your home.
There may be some additional things you need to check in order to make your final decision. These may include:
- The zoning laws for Virginia especially for if there are restrictions when it comes to the type of fence you can get.
- The property line of your home; this may need to include a survey done of your home and yard.
- Whether you would need to delay the installation of your fence if there was a dispute about the property line. You can of course pay for materials at the moment if this would lock in the price and have the installation scheduled for later.
There are many advantages to having a steel or aluminum fence and the safety and security they offer can be worth the price.
