Good Fences Start With The Right Contractor
When choosing a fence for your suburban property, between looks and security, what do you consider to be most important? At Jay Fencing, we believe you don’t have to sacrifice curb appeal for security, or vice versa. The right fence will offer the exact level of security, aesthetic appeal, privacy, or whatever attribute matters to you. In this regard, the right fence for a given property is a function of many factors. As you will see later, merely selecting a type of fence over another does not mean you will get the right quality fence. The fencing contractor you choose from the many that call Waterloo home is the foundation a good fence is built on. Prioritize the fence qualities that matter to you Your property is not quite complete without a fence. You may have a feeling of being too exposed. The property itself may look plain, devoid of a wow factor. Or, you may be concerned with the lack of privacy. So, considering the above concerns, a fence will look like the perfect solution. And it will be. But you can easily get a fence that, though secure, is as plain as the house and offers little privacy. Chain-link fences fit that description. If privacy and aesthetics aren’t that important to you, perhaps because yours is a commercial property, a chain-link fence will work just fine. As security will likely be important, these fences deliver on that, too. Some fences look as good and last as long as they are well-maintained As a property owner, you may be more concerned with security, looks, and privacy, but as an experienced fence installer, we have learned to appreciate that the durability and maintenance of the fence are just as important. On the projects where we have been contracted to replace broken, corroded, and collapsed fences, a common thread we have picked is the frustration that property owners have with fences that flattered to deceive. We have learned that a fence may not return the expected long use-life, not because of poor quality materials, but because of a lack of maintenance. This is true for wood fences that have to be resealed and vanished regularly. Of course, there are fencing materials, like vinyl that require very little if any maintenance. The right fence does not have to cost a fortune Despite all we know about secure, good-looking fences that offer enough privacy, why do homeowners end up with fences that barely deliver on these qualities? The answer supposedly has to do with the budget. But the budget isn’t entirely the challenge. A chain-link fence can offer acceptable privacy and score just as high on the aesthetic scale. All it takes is some imagination and creativity. For example, you can easily dress up your plain-looking, see-through chain-link fence by planting some flowering vines through it. With keen maintenance, the vines can transform the fence into a head-turner that offers complete privacy. The appearance of wood can work as well as the real thing Wood fences are popular for a reason. They have a natural charm and warmth that is hard to beat. Sustainable and natural, wood is an opaque fencing material that guarantees privacy and security. While wood fences are good-looking, they come with a huge maintenance burden. Without regular maintenance, they will not look as good for long and will rot and fall apart in no time. Hardwoods produce stronger fences, but they come with a suitably prohibitive price tag. If you like the look and privacy quality of wood, perhaps you don’t necessarily have to install a wooden fence. A vinyl fence can give you the look you are after, without the burden of heavy maintenance. It will last many times longer, too. Vinyl manufacturing technology has advanced so much that you can get realistic-looking wood-like vinyl fences in any shade you like. It is indestructible by wood’s archnemeses, termites and rot. Remarkably fire-resistant, vinyl is an install-and-forget fencing material every busy homeowner will love. Admittedly, vinyl costs more than wood. But that’s when you only consider the cost of materials without lifetime care and maintenance costs. When you factor in all the costs and its remarkable durability, vinyl is likely much cheaper than wood and other fencing materials. Why choosing the right fence installer matters in Waterloo A fence is as secure and durable as the quality of its installation. All the hard work of choosing the right fence type and material for your type of property and security needs can be undone by choosing an inexperienced fence installer. Beyond qualifications and professional memberships, choosing a local contractor is acutely important. An experienced local contractor will know Waterloo’s codes and fencing regulations and isn’t going to install a fence that is taller than what is allowed for your area. The City of Waterloo regulates fence installation based on the yard or property type. The fence bylaw places restrictions on fence height depending on whether it is a corner or interior lot. It also lays out specific guidelines for Driveway Visibility Triangle (DVT) and Daylight Visibility Triangle (DLVT). Failure to meet fence bylaw regulations may attract a fine on top of being asked to take the fence down. So choosing an experienced local fencing contractor who is well-versed with local bylaws will help you avoid unnecessary headaches and costs. Choose Jay Fencing for the best fence installation services in Waterloo, ON. It is not enough to look up a fencing contractor online and reading reviews left on their website. To be sure they are as good as they claim to be, it is best to check out, in person, the projects they have done. Looking at a prospective contractor’s work up close helps you decide if the quality of their work fits well with your expectations. Do their fences hold up? What do their former clients have to say about them? At Jay Fencing, our work speaks for itself. We have completed dozens of
Fencing Tips Only An Experienced Fencing Contractor Would Share
You will never quite feel safe nor truly ‘at home’ if your residential property is not securely fenced. To improve both your security and boost your home’s curb appeal, you are probably now considering installing a new fence. You likely have an idea of what shape and form that fence will take. Your choices will depend on your budget, tastes, and level of security and durability you are after, among other considerations. While making the right choices on the type of fence is central to the success of your project, the fencing contractor you choose can also play a pivotal role. There are many fencing contractors in Toronto, so it is easy to make the wrong choice. Choosing the right contractor ensures the project is delivered on time and within your budget. That’s not all it can do for you: Tap into your fencing contractor’s experience for guidance on the most functional fencing solutions When you look at it, your fencing contractor is your best possible guide for choosing a fencing solution that meets your needs and budget. If you choose the right contractor, it is likely they will have years of local experience. That experience gives them indispensable knowledge you can utilize by simply asking the right questions. At Jay Fencing, we have been serving Southern Ontario for over 30 years. When it comes to choosing fencing solutions, we can confidently separate the good from the bad. We know, for example, how Toronto’s brutal and wet winters can ravage wooden fences and, importantly, how best you can protect yours so you can get the longest service from it. Below we share fencing tips an inexperienced fencing contractor would never speak authoritatively on. Maximizing your fence’s security Whether or not you live in a high crime area, you will sleep better knowing you have a fence so secure that any intruder would not have it all their way if they choose to cross your property line. But a strong fence that isn’t easy to breach can easily be interpreted as one that’s expensive to install. Is it, though? Use an anti-climb fence topper to discourage intrusions Fence toppers are an inexpensive way to prevent burglars from climbing over your fence. Generally, the harder you make it to climb over your fence the less likely vandals and thieves are to try to break in. You have probably seen razor wire fence toppers on chain link fences. But a good fencing contractor can fashion a fence topper for almost any type of fence. For example, for your wood stockade privacy fence, we would suggest fitting angled steel spikes. Of course, there are questions to answer on fence height regulations. Adding a fence topper after the fact can mean your fence may end up taller than local regulations allow. Because we have built many types of fences with toppers over the years, we would know to suggest making one part of the fence’s design. This way you know your fence will be secure and still meet code. Ensure adequate lighting around your fence For intruders and burglars, darkness is often the best cover. In our experience, even the best fences can be breached if the intruder has adequate enough cover. If you have limited street lighting, consider installing security lights along your fence’s perimeter. But make sure the lighting is inaccessible from outside. Some criminals will try to disable the lights so they can climb the fence unnoticed. Fencing tips for privacy Unsurprisingly, privacy is a top concern for homeowners in Toronto. And it should be. Your residential property is one of the few places where you can still live relatively inconspicuously. Step outside your gate and your right to privacy isn’t guaranteed. The challenge is to make sure you get a fence that keeps nosy neighbors out of your business but still not make your property look like a maximum-security prison. You can very easily end up with a fence that barely looks like nothing you had in mind. Privacy fences don’t have to be dull and boring Vinyl and stockade fences are some of our favorite options where fences that deliver on looks, security, and privacy are concerned. That said, we know that each has its place and will suit a specific type of property. In our time we have seen privacy fence failures that we are motivated to ensure you avoid. Most important, we will make sure your fence allows you to enjoy your outdoor living spaces with relative seclusion without hiding or distracting from your property’s best features. Effective fencing solutions that will not break the bank You may want to work with an experienced fencing contractor for the reason that they can point you towards more budget-friendly solutions. Even so, we have been in this business long enough to know that a fence can be cheap to build and yet be expensive to maintain in the long run. While wood is a cheaper fencing material that also has great appeal for its warmth and sustainability as a natural material, it is more expensive to maintain and won’t last as long as vinyl. Are you are struggling to decide between two or more fencing materials? We will happily share our experience with each as well as their general pros and cons so you can make the right choice for your fencing project. Unusual fencing materials that may not quickly come to mind When you have been in an industry as long as we have, you can be tempted to think you have seen it all. But every day we are surprised at the ingenuity and creativity of property owners and fellow fencing contractors. We have, of course, not seen it all. But we have seen a lot, including materials that may not be the most conventional but which can be the best fit for your fencing project. We are talking of: