Cost Savings Tips for Fencing Projects

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Building a new fence is a great way to sharpen your home's outdoor space. However, without a clear sense of how your project will proceed, you may end up spending more than you anticipate. Luckily, there are a few key strategies you can use to keep the cost of your fence under control.

Choose the right style

The style of fence plays a major role in determining your final cost. For example, ranch fencing (cedar split rail, lodgepole, or ranch vinyl) is great for covering large areas or keeping costs low. Because you're using a very limited amount of lumber, this type of fence may be good for delineating property lines or keeping in large animals like horses or cattle, but won't be successful in containing smaller house pets.

Consider evenly spaced gothic pickets, instead of fencing boards that butt up against one another. Though fences like this provide a bit less privacy, this style can reduce the amount of lumber required by about 30-40%.

Another option is to use wider boards. You won't have to invest in as many planks to cover the same length, so installation proceeds faster.

Finally, waist-high fences look great while significantly cutting down on the amount of board fencing you'll need (and therefore price).

Use metal or pressure-treated lumber posts

Containing costs on your fence is about more than your immediate purchase price. It means making calculated decisions that will save you money in the long term for maintenance and repairs. Fence posts are one area where investing now will pay off later. Posts are in constant contact with the ground and provide structural support for the whole fence. Replacing damaged posts can be time-intensive and requires more investment.

Galvanized metal posts are impervious to moisture and pests, so they'll stay sturdy for the long haul. The initial investment for metal may be a bit more but will last significantly longer than wood. Freshening up your fence will simply require replacing some fencing boards eventually, not a deep spend on sinking new posts.

The same goes for pressure-treated lumber. This wood is specially treated with chemicals that resist rot and pests and is an excellent choice for a long-lasting fence post.

Share the cost with your neighbor

If your yard directly borders a neighbor, you'll both enjoy the benefit of an attractive new fence. Check to see if your neighbor would be willing to split the cost, which would reduce the price of a new fence for you both by half. Approach your neighbor early on with some initial ideas for designs (bring reference images along to discuss), then keep them in the loop as you obtain materials costs and labor bids.

Avoid big box stores

Big chain stores tend to work with fewer suppliers and offer a limited selection when it comes to fencing. However, local lumber stores often work with multiple suppliers, offering several fencing options in stock at multiple price points. Their long-standing relationships with mills can provide cost-saving options you may not find anywhere else in town.

Competition for floor space also means that big box stores must conserve the amount of wood they carry in stock. Local suppliers like J&W Lumber usually have many more options on hand, reducing the need for expensive special orders.

Go the DIY route

As with all home improvement projects, you can achieve cost savings if you perform the labor yourself. Work with the team at your local lumber store to calculate the amount of board fencing, cement, posts, hardware, and sealant you'll need. The team will provide suggestions on lumber types and answer your questions.

Constructing or repairing a new fence isn't complicated, but if you're a true novice, we recommend working with a licensed contractor.

Repair and refresh

The most cost-effective way to achieve a whole new fence is to not replace it but to repair it instead. Bring photos and a wood sample down to the lumber store and ask for assistance. At J&W Lumber, our wood specialists will help provide replacement material where you have determined a simple board or fence post replacement will be needed. We can also help you evaluate stain colors to freshen up the entire look of your fence without requiring an expensive tear-down.

Consult with lumber professionals

At J&W Lumber, we specialize in outdoor wood and materials. Our team members take the time to listen closely to your project specs and provide advice on materials, protection, colors, and more. We'll gladly recommend the pros and cons of different material options. Our mission is to help you achieve your fence vision in the most efficient, cost-effective way possible. 

Thinking of updating your fence? J&W Lumber stores are all over Southern California, and our specialists are here to help.

You will get efficient and thoughtful service from Dishun.

As a homeowner, when you are installing something new like a fence or conducting renovations you want to save as much money as possible, right? You'll want to use the best products you can while saving as much money and still having a shiny new fence. There are a lot of things you can take into consideration when you are installing a fence so you can save money. The first thing most homeowners will say is the most expensive is the materials, and there is no way around that. However, you can save money on materials and still use high-quality ones. 

Table of Contents

• Materials
• Labor
• Additions

Materials

When you are shopping for materials you want to keep in mind the location of where you're shopping and who you are shopping for. For instance, some areas may be more expensive than others and this is just how building materials suppliers work. Look in different areas even if you have to drive a little way out of town because you might save yourself some big bucks. Another thing that is important is whether or not your supplier is a third-party seller and a mill direct. If they are a third-party seller this means they bought their materials from a middleman who marked up the price, which means they markup the price to you too. If you buy from a supplier like us who gets their products directly from the mill, materials will be listed at a cheaper price. 

Lower Grade ' A lower grade material will be more likely to have knots and holes and probably a higher waste factor meaning some of the pickets might not be usable. 

Higher Grade ' A higher grade material will be much better quality with little waste and fewer knots and no holes. 

The grade of your material is very important. You want to think about whether or not you would rather spend the money upfront and get a higher-grade material or if you would rather spend less and possibly need to buy more material because of your waste factor. 

Labor

The next thing you can consider is the labor costs to install your fence. Most styles of fencing like privacy split rail, and post and dowel can be installed yourself with little to no help. If you are comfortable installing the fence yourself, you may be able to save hundreds to thousands in labor costs. Of course, don't do this unless you are 100% confident that you can install your fence correctly and that you have all the right tools. Installing it incorrectly could cause your fence to be damaged not as long-lasting. If you do use a contractor make sure they are able to give you a set amount of time that it would take to install your fence. This way you can plan for the extra costs. If you aren't comfortable installing your fence yourself, but you can paint and stain yourself ' go for it. Just by doing part of the work you can save hours of labor costs when going through a company. 

Additions

There are many ways you can enhance the look of your fence through lighting, post caps, planter boxes, landscaping, and so on. There are alternative ways to add these things without the high costs. You can do the landscaping yourself, build your planters boxes out of waste or left-over material, and add posts caps and lighting down the roads once you have money saved. An important thing to remember is that if you need to install your fence in parts rather than all at once, you can! Take the time to do your fence the way you want and the way your money allows. 

For more information on products or building a fence on a budget give us a call today and we can walk you through the steps and give you honest and transparent pricing!

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