How Much Does a Fence Cost? Budgeting for Your Fence to Avoid Your Own Personal Fiscal Cliff.

There's been a lot of talk about fiscal cliffs and budgeting lately; at least on a national level.  So to get into the spirit, we thought we would provide a few helpful numbers to help you budget for your fence project. 

So What Does a Fence Cost Anyway?

The estimates below are based on an average 200 linear foot residential fence - 6' tall with 2  pedestrian gates. 

	Treated Pine (Privacy)	Vinyl (Privacy)	Aluminum (Ornamental)
Fence Materials	$2500	$3500	$4000
Concrete	$150	$150	$150

As you can see from the table, the type of fence you choose makes a big difference in the overall cost, with aluminum coming in at roughly 60% more than wood (long term maintenance costs not withstanding) and vinyl in the middle. 

The second cost factor to consider is whether to build the fence yourself or hire a fence contractor.  If you have the time and are moderately handy, you can save a significant amount of money by going the DIY route, particularly if you already have the tools.  At a minimum you'll need either an augur (which can be rented) or a post hole digger, circular saw, hammer, drill, level, measuring tape, string, and wheelbarrow.

On the other hand, if you decide to hire a fence contractor or handyman keep in mind that labor rates vary greatly from depending on which part of the country you live, the terrain and soil type, and the skill level of the installation crew.  So, the estimate below may not reflect what you would actually pay for your fence installation. 

DIY Costs vs. Hiring a Contractor
DIY Equipment	$100-$500
Labor	$1000-$2000

Also note that, just like any other home improvement project, there can be additional costs if/when the unexpected happens.  For example, if you thought that your soil was smooth and sandy, and then you hit a large boulder when you go to dig your post holes.  Or, as happened to one customer, your utilities provider mis-marks your line and you end up hitting it with the augur, cutting out phone service for half the neighborhood.  The point is, you never know what could happen, so budget a little more (10-20%) than you think necessary.  If you don't end up using it, then you can always put it toward a nice vacation.

Oz Post Instant Post Holes: Easy DIY Installation for Fences, Decks, Signs, and More.

  

Oz Post - Drivable Post Anchors

If the thought of digging post holes, hauling dirt, and pouring concrete makes your back hurt or has you thinking twice about the DIY part of your DIY fence or deck project, Oz-Post post support anchors are what you need.
Oz Post support anchors are driven into the ground with a sledgehammer (for smaller jobs) or an electric jackhammer (which can be rented at most large hardware supply stores) eliminating a lot of the pre-installation prep work and allowing you to focus more on laying out your DIY project. [more] They are also more forgiving. Posts screw into the Oz-Post anchor, so if you make a mistake, or if your installing a temporary item like a sign, you can unscrew the posts, pull the Oz-Post out of the ground, and use it again.
Sometimes digging post holes is the better option, like if your installing posts more than 8" in diameter or if you want to punish your children for stealing the car. For the most part though, Oz-Post drivable post anchors will get the job done with less work, time, and possibly even less money.

Oz-Posts for Every Application

We sell Oz-Post anchors online for most types of fencing. Check out some of our most popular models below.

Aluminum Fences & Railing - Why an Architectural Grade Powder Coat is So Important

If you browse our online fence supply store , you'll probably notice that the Regis Ornamental Aluminum Fences and Westbury Aluminum Railing that we sell feature an AAMA Verified Architectural Grade Powder Coat and a lifetime warranty to protect against fading, rusting, chipping, and cracking.  We think that this is such an important feature, yet some people might assume that this is the norm in the aluminum fence industry, it isn't, and we're going to tell you why you should care.

So what if my aluminum powder coat isn't AAMA Verified?

Would you buy a diamond if it didn't come with 3rd party certificate verifying its authenticity and quality?  How about a used car without a vehicle history report?  Then why would you buy an aluminum fence without a VERIFIED powder coat and a lifetime warranty to back it up?

Industry standards and independent testing are an important way to establish a benchmark upon which to build trust in a product. They provide the definition of what's good, better and best according to an entire industry, not just a single company. And while they're not always perfect, 3rd party verified products that follow industry standards can provide an enhanced sense of trust and reasonable expectation of performance.

The two aluminum coating samples below underwent an accelerated weathering test equivalent to 5 years exposure in South Florida.  The sample on the left is a typical polyester powder coat commonly used by aluminum fence manufacturers.  You can see that nearly all of the original gloss is gone and a significant amount of fading has occurred.  The sample on the right is the Verified AAMA 2604 powder coat used on Regis Aluminum Fences and Westbury Aluminum Railing.  While some fading is visible, the sample still retains most of its original color and a much higher percentage of gloss . 

About the AAMA and Their Coating Standards

The AAMA (American Architectural Manufacturer's Association) is composed of companies that manufacture products used in certain residential and commercial building products like windows and doors. They establish a set of performance tests that all manufactured products must undergo if they wish to display the AAMA certification label. They also offer accreditation for 3rd party laboratories that want to perform AAMA verification services.
There are 3 levels of AAMA coating testing: AAMA 2603-02, AAMA 2604-05, and AAMA 2605-05 listed in order from least rigorous to most.   The testing requirements, which can be found here and on the AAMA website, are too detailed to list in this blog, but suffice it to say that they were designed to test that a coating performs (ie. maintains its color and gloss) to a measurable level when exposed to UV, weathering, and chemicals.

Make sure that your fence doesn't turn into this.

In summary, a high quality powder coat is the best way to ensure that your aluminum fence maintains it's color and shine for years to come; and, in our opinion, the best way to ensure a quality powder coat is to have it independently verified against the AAMA standards.
For more information on aluminum fencing products, check out our Understanding Ornamental Aluminum Guide