The price of fences

[Gary H NC]

I have been getting estimates on fencing in the back yard.We want to go with a 3 rail wood fence with the wire stretched behind it so the dogs will stay in the yard.I need one 10 or 12 ft. gate for the boat and camper and one small gate on the other side of the house.
So far the estimates are working out to about 10 bucks per foot.
Does this sound reasonable or do i need to keep looking for other contractors?
I'm looking at about 500 feet of fence to do what i want.
I got one estimate of 3500 bucks if i do the section along the woods myself,so thats 120 foot less fence that they will do.
Just wondered if anyone has had this type of fence put up in the past and what kind of price they got.

 

[JB]

Re: The price of fences

I got pretty good (no, not even pretty good, but tolerable) at fencing after paying $800 for about 800' of four strand barbed wire and "T" post fence where a neighbor's Jack kept getting into The Hideout and harassing my fillys.

It isn't easy or cheap to do it yourself, even if you do a poor job and your fence is ugly. Depends on whether function or cosmetics are a higher priority.

Around my house I used 2X4 "horseproof" roll fencing and "T" posts with cemented in steel posts and braces at the corners. One helper, 250' of fence, posts, quick mix, clips, etc. cost me about $500.

Rail fence is probably easier to do well but it is also probably a lot slower and a lot more expensive. . .particularly the labor.

 

[tashasdaddy]

Re: The price of fences

are you talking about what looks like the old split rail fence, where the end are tapered and fit into a slot in the post. PITA

 

[Gary H NC]

Re: The price of fences

Here is a pic of one of the fences they have built.

 

[Gary H NC]

Re: The price of fences

This is the other type they build,same price either one,

 

[tashasdaddy]

Re: The price of fences

the bottom one is much easier to build, figure out how many post, and 1x6's you need, plus wire. then price it. 2 day rental of a gas hole digger. if you don't have a real 18v drill/screw gun, good excuse. 2 screws to each end of the board, Galvanized. set all your post then strech the wire, then the wood.

now figure how much your and a helpers labor is worth. you or the contractor, you just had back surgery, remember.

 

[Hoss the Hermit]

Re: The price of fences

If ya got a turret and a 50 cal. ya don't need a fence. Plus ya get free grub. DEstruction is always cheaper than CONstruction

 

[Gary H NC]

Re: The price of fences

Now the 50 cal. would be fun Hoss...LOL!

TD,The girlfriend has offered to pay most of it so i think i will leave it to the pros...

They can put it up in 2 days,it would take me much longer.Our ground is hard as a brick right now because of the drought.It sounds so much better to have them do it. Saves my back too...

 

[tashasdaddy]

Re: The price of fences

thats was my point exactly. i'm now paying for things i use to do myself. my right shoulder is so bad now, i have to pour a gallon of milk with my left hand. has slowed the boat repairs, also.

 

[Gary H NC]

Re: The price of fences

Yea TD it sucks getting old...:redface:

It will be nice to set back and watch someone else do the work
She likes the split rail style and i like the flat board,but she is paying so let her pick what she wants.
The place where the big gate needs to be is on a slant so i wonder how the gate will work out.I may have to rent a bobcat and level it out.Another good reason to let the pros do it.

 

[SgtMaj]

Re: The price of fences

Gary, those fences look great, especially the first one. I $10/foot might be worth it for that. As for myself, there's no way I'd pay that much, but then, my fence is CHEAP (and it has no wire behind it except in one small corner and that wire only goes up about 3" to disuade the rabbits from eating my veggie garden).

 

[Gary H NC]

Re: The price of fences

Thanks Sgt, The more i look at them i like the split rail better too.I know i could not make it look that good.The builder has been doing them in this area since 1974.They have a great reputation and warranty the fence for 10 years.The flat board fence they warranty for lifetime.I still think we decided on the split rail.
I figure if i spray it with some Thompsons sealer every couple years it should last a long time.
Hopefully i will have my lake house built by then before i get too old to enjoy it.One small step at a time i guess...