Choosing, buying and installing a garden fence is a job that tends to take anywhere from a few weeks to as long as a few months. And just like any job on this sort of scale, that means mistakes can be very costly and time-consuming to fix. Thankfully, there’s lots you can do to make life easier on yourself, minimising the chances of these sorts of mistakes occurring. With over 50 years of experience here at Welch Fencing, we know every common pitfall in the book when it comes to garden fence panels, so here’s what we’d suggest to make the job as easy and efficient as possible!
Check whether your fence needs planning permission
Since your garden fence can affect people outside your property, including neighbours and passers-by, it’s a good idea to check what’s expected of you with regards to planning permission. This essentially makes all the difference as to whether or not you can actually install your fence, as you might be restricted by certain features of your home or neighbourhood. (For example, if you live in a listed building, or if your fence has the potential to interfere with another listed building nearby.)
Not every fence needs planning permission, and there’s a decent chance that yours won’t either. However, if you start building without first having checked, you run the risk of not only having new project work stopped, but you may even be ordered to tear it all down, all on your own time and money. All that to say that even if you don’t think you’ll need planning permission, it’s still a good idea to check – it’s not worth the risk otherwise!
Mark out your boundaries well in advance
For broadly similar reasons, it’s wise to double-check the planned boundaries for your fence before you start building. Now, if you’re replacing an existing fence, you’ve probably got all the boundaries down pat already, but if you’re building a completely new one, then this is a step that might require some extra caution. Feel free to check with your neighbours if you’re at all unsure, because if it ends up infringing on their property, then it can be a huge hassle to remove. Not to mention possibly a little awkward with your neighbour for a while afterwards…
Measure your fence and materials thoroughly
Though we offer your garden fencing materials at great prices here at Welch Fencing, we know that it’s still annoying to get reasonably far into your project only to find that you’ve got too few materials – or worse, too many. To avoid the potential for waste, or the hassle of ordering new materials, measure your fence and size up your materials as early as you can.
Don’t forget to use galvanised nails
Let’s be honest – we don’t get a lot of fantastic weather here in the UK, so galvanised nails should always be a top choice for your fence. We won’t go into a full-on science lesson, but the key takeaway is that basically they’re more weather resistant. Without galvanised nails, it’s not unusual for premature rusting and stains to form on garden fencing, which is never a nice thing to have to look at.
Take your time
This is perhaps one of the simplest and most-overlooked rules to bear in mind when choosing garden fence panels. It’s also one of the most important! As we touched on above, buying garden fence panels is actually quite an in-depth decision; not just in terms of their aesthetics, but also in terms of the security and privacy they afford your garden. Their overall style, maintenance and durability are all big deciding factors too, and with so many fence options on the market, you can afford to be choosy about which ones you go for. Weigh all your options up carefully and consult with friends or family if you feel it’s necessary, so that you can be fully confident on your final decision.
That’s one reason why we take care to stock such a wide range of garden fence panels here at Welch Fencing – and if you need any help or advice on making your final decision, our friendly staff will be only too happy to lend a word or two of advice. What’s more, we also provide a fantastic range of concrete fence posts to complete your project. As a UK manufacturer of concrete fence posts, we have our very own fleet of delivery vehicles at our disposal, allowing us to get your products right to your door.
Feel free to start browsing them right here on our website, or for any guidance or friendly advice drop us a line on 01772 336 476. We’re here to help!
