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Here there are no front fences at all, but we have very little crime, mostly mail theft. Some neighborhoods are subject to frequent property crime so fences are a security measure. When one owner puts up a fence, many others follow, because they don't want to be the easy pickings house. My grandparents lived in an area with high crime in another state and finally moved in the 1980s, since then I noticed that nearly every house has put in iron fences. For me, secure, gated front yard fencing is a sign that I don't want to live there.
This is my grandparents' old neighborhood:
Unless it is a $20 million dollar home in an exclusive area of course, right?
Here there are no front fences at all, but we have very little crime, mostly mail theft. Some neighborhoods are subject to frequent property crime so fences are a security measure. When one owner puts up a fence, many others follow, because they don't want to be the easy pickings house. My grandparents lived in an area with high crime in another state and finally moved in the 1980s, since then I noticed that nearly every house has put in iron fences. For me, secure, gated front yard fencing is a sign that I don't want to live there.
This is my grandparents' old neighborhood:
Maybe just me, but I find that look repellent. Plain chainlink just looks a little bit sloppy; an expensive fence on a small property like that gives a stronger impression that the residents are fearful and barricading themselves.
Location: East of Seattle since 1992, 615' Elevation, Zone 8b - originally from SF Bay Area
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Quote:
Originally Posted by saibot
Maybe just me, but I find that look repellent. Plain chainlink just looks a little bit sloppy; an expensive fence on a small property like that gives a stronger impression that the residents are fearful and barricading themselves.
I agree, and in that neighborhood it's not just the 2-3 houses in the picture, it's almost all of them for several blocks in all directions. The iron is a bit more decorative than cyclone, but also seems more like prison bars.
I live in a working class neighborhood that's gentrifying. I bought my house for mega-cheap. The older people here tend to have chain link, and I inherited mine with the house. It'll be replaced when I get around to it. There's been and still are more pressing projects, such as an expensive sewer mainline repair I recently had to take care of. My electricity is 10 amp, etc., etc.
The fence looks unbearably fugly. A contractor I used back into one of the gates with his trailer, so it's damaged in addition to being crude chain link.
Back in NY, where I came from, this would not be acceptable. I'm amazed at how my snobbishness has been compromised by exhaustion and necessity.
Chain link fencing is present in areas where crime is high.
That's an untrue, broad brush statement. It's just more typical for older, non-HOA neighborhoods to have chain link fences. As I said previously, some of the homes in my neighborhood have them, and most of those homes are from the 50's or even the 40's. One belongs to a 90 year old widow. it's useful when her daughter and SIL visit with their large dogs. A young couple two houses up the street has one as well, and they have a Boston terrier. All of the homes and yards on my street and surrounding streets are extremely well-kept; it was one of the deciding factors toward my purchase of my own home. There is no crime in the neighborhood, to the extent that I never lock my back door even when I go out shopping or run other errands. I also forget to lock my car most of the time and have never had a problem in three years.
1) chain link fencing - good or bad?
2) chain link fencing in front yard.
Actually, chain link fencing, just as fencing, is probably the finest fencing material there is. I don't know how old my chain link fence (back yard only) is, but it was old when we bought this house in 1973. I'd guess it's at least 60 years old and it's still tight and good - it's only now beginning to show the first signs of rust as the galvanizing is finally getting thin.
On the other hand, for ordinary houses lined up down a street, front yard chain link fencing DOES give a poor appearance in most cases.
Cement is not pennies,. A bag of cement, one full bag required per post, is a couple of dollars. A quick google shows a 60 pound bag of cement is closer to $4.00. The fence installers do not work cheap. They want to be paid for their hard work.
What are you using for posts on a chainlink fence that requires a full 60lb bag, 4x4’s? A 90lb bag is $4 and you should easily 2+ posts per bag for a metal post. Assuming you space each post 8’ that’s less than .50c a foot, and that number goes down the more you do. Ok, maybe saying cement is pennies was a bit of an exaggeration, but it’s really not far off? I did about 250ft of fencing and my cement bill was under $100.
Putting up a fence is pretty straight forward, and I really wouldn’t consider it hard work unless you’re doing it in lousy weather. $20 a linear foot on top of materials is just insane. I’ll put up a 50’ all day long for $1,000.
Chain link fencing is present in areas where crime is high.
The irony is unless there’s barbed/razor wire on top even the most out shape person can climb over them solo. A wood fence you’ll need assistance from someone (or something), and/or some decent upper body strength to get over them.
I think the reason you see them in high crime areas isn’t so much to prevent crime, but more so because of the cost factor to keep the kids and dog fenced in? And maybe to deter some criminals from easily swiping something from your yard.
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