A fence can add a sense of security and privacy to your yard. If you want to add one, why not save money and do the work yourself?

The primary reasons to add a fence include:

·          safety -- a fenced in yard helps to ensure that small children and pets stay within a designated area

·          definition -- a fence clearly defines the shape of the yard; it also tends to make a yard look bigger. Yes, even a small yard can look bigger than it really is!

·          privacy -- depending on the height of the fence and what it is made of, a fence can add a certain degree of privacy to your yard.

What You Will Need

·          Post hold digger (or auger)

·          4 x 4 fence post materials (each post 18-24 inches taller than your fence)

·          Fence materials -- home improvement stores sell 6-8 feet sections of pre-made fences; or add a custom look and build each section yourself!

·          Wood screws

·          Drill

·          Level

Digging the holes

The sturdiness of the fence is determined, in part, by the depth of the holes for the posts. Dig down at least 18-24 inches. Die hards often dig 3-4 feet so they are past the frost line.

Then set the posts in a cement product. Add a few inches of either sand or the cement mix to the bottom of the hole to reinforce it.

Making sure the fence posts are level -- from every vantage point -- is important. As a modification of the old adage, "measure twice, cut once," with a fence it's  -- "level twice, set in cement once!"

The Cost?

For 100 feet of pre-made fencing, cement, screws -- $250-$350

The Savings

Depending on the size of your yard -- $750 to several thousand dollars in labor.

For More….

Click here for our detailed booklet on building a fence.