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I'd like to replace my sister's very old wooden fence surrounding her smaller yard/garden/above-ground pool. It's thinner wood which has pretty much rotted away... honestly, one good bump and it shall all tumble down. Her dogs have broken through a portion of the fence, so cannot be let into the yard 'til it's replaced, so I'd like to do that asap.
My estimate is the fencing needed will be less than 30-ft in length and it's currently about 5-1/2 ft high.
1. She's thinking of replacing wood with vinyl, I think mainly as it won't require upkeep. Anyone aware of pros/cons with vinyl vs wood in regard to longevity?
2. How would I check on zoning (if that's what it's called) to see if she can make the fence a bit higher (perhaps by 1/2-ft)? Her dogs are huskies and jumping the fence, which they've done once before, is a concern. She'd also like to have a bit more privacy since her yard faces a well-trafficed street, but we're unsure if fence height is regulated and if so, if it's via town or county?
3. Her house is very modest, so I don't want to replace the fence with something that outshines it... I just need a modest, sturdy fence she won't need to maintain.
That being said, who would I look for to do such work? She seems to think it's about $400... I believe that's for the cost of vinyl fencing she saw at a local Lowe's or Home Depot. Does that sound like it could be correct?
Can anyone give a ballpark as to what it would cost to install the fence and which sort of worker I'd need for such a job? Carpenter? Handyman?
4. Lastly, are any sort of permits needed for replacing a fence?
You'll have to check with your township as far as rules and regulations with the fence. Most towns have a maximum heighth allowable for a fence in residential neighborhoods, usually 6ft. If you are doing an exact replacement of the existing fence, I don't think you have to worry about anything.
Me personally, I don't like vinyl. It's not as maintenance free as you would be lead to believe. The larger panels are very prone to coming down under high winds, which was totally proven for me during a recent severe wind storm we had.
Just my oppinion.
Your best bet for installation would obviously be a fence contractor.
Thank you Karl, for your response. Regarding checking with local township, would you please elaborate as I'm not from the states? Which organization controls each township & how do I find the township in which she resides? This is a new word to me. Is this City Hall or a local licensing board... Zoning Board, if there's such a thing? As I mentioned, she'd like to go 1/2-ft higher, so I should ask someone before installing it.
Point taken on the vinyl. She's in a valley, not prone to winds and I think is basing her decision for vinyl on a neighbor who's had one for many years bordering a much larger yard. It's still sturdily in place and has to be at least 10-yrs old. However, the neighbor's yard is well cared for... my sister will not do the same, so I don't know if the white vinyl remains pristine due to maintenance or it's just a feature of vinyl?
I think her white wooden-slat privacy fence matches the white house, yet she will not touchup paint it... that's reserved for family visits every 1/2-dozen years where relatives pitch in to help. Pressure treated wood, whether left bare and waterproofed or stained won't blend well with the house style/condition. As I mentioned, it's rather modest and that type of fence will outshine the house.
Any ideas on pricing with a fencing contractor? This is beginning to sound expensive. My experience is when one adds the title contractor to their business card, the pricing doubles. I was hoping to have the whole job done for a few hundred dollars for materials and a few hundred dollars more for labor. It's a small area... less than 25-ft in length. Am I being unreasonable in pricing?
I found zoning info online on the largest city in this small area. My sister's town is very small and if they have a website, I don't see it... this is the closest city, just 2-3 miles away.
It indicates that a zoning permit is needed for fence construction, but doesn't reference replacement. It does however, say the height limit is 8-ft, which is great, and also has an application with much useful info.
Perhaps her town is covered under these zoning laws, as well. I'll call to find out. If not, I'm sure they can guide me to the correct local office.
Thank you so much.
I'd still love to hear from anyone who has info/comments on prospective cost estimates or opinions on vinyl fences vs wood. It would be most appreciated.
PantanjaliTwist, Glad to see you found information about replacing your sister's fence. "Replacement" usually is considered the same as "new" when it comes to permits [to build]. That's because fences legally built may be kept even if future regulations would prohibit it's replacement...they're considered "grandfathered".
As for an opinion on vinyl, I don't like vinyl because
1) their production requires the high production of chemical pollutants,
2) they cannot be repaired
3) they do not support nails, hooks, or brackets very well (primarily because they are hard, hollow channels)
4) they generally don't take paint well
5) they won't degrade, thus taking permanent space in landfills
Thank you for your explanation on permits. Grandfathering is an interesting concept. My sister did mention her stand-alone, 1 car garage, which could use a good roster of repairs and is therefore used for storage rather than vehicle housing, is no longer up to code... she discovered this upon inquiring to have it replaced with a pre-built structure.
It can remain (grandfathered) but cannot be built in the same location should she tear it down. Of course, her house was built near 1850, so I do understand how many laws have come, gone and been revised.
Good points on vinyl. I'll wander over to Lowe's this weekend to see what they offer by way of fencing. At least it will give me some ideas so I can search further.
Thank you very much for your response. It's been very helpful.
Thank you for your explanation on permits. Grandfathering is an interesting concept. My sister did mention her stand-alone, 1 car garage, which could use a good roster of repairs and is therefore used for storage rather than vehicle housing, is no longer up to code... she discovered this upon inquiring to have it replaced with a pre-built structure.
It can remain (grandfathered) but cannot be built in the same location should she tear it down. Of course, her house was built near 1850, so I do understand how many laws have come, gone and been revised.
Good points on vinyl. I'll wander over to Lowe's this weekend to see what they offer by way of fencing. At least it will give me some ideas so I can search further.
Thank you very much for your response. It's been very helpful.
PatanjaliTwist, you're very welcome. And thank you for your kind acknowledgment.
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