| 1. How many different types of fencing are there? |
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A fence can be any structure serving as an enclosure, barrier, or boundary. This is usually made of posts or stakes joined together with some type of mesh or privacy board. |
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The most common materials used in fencing are wood, pvc, iron or chainlink. |
| 2. How do I know which fence is right for me? |
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Protection, beauty, privacy, defining boundaries or accenting surroundings are all very popular reasons for purchasing a fence. |
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Keeping children in, dogs out, or enclosing a swimming pool/hot tub area are also very popular motives for fencing. |
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In the end most homeowners purchase a fence for a combination of reasons and choosing the right fence is the key to success. |
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While most fences will help you attain many of the goals, some will work better than others. |
| 3. What are the most important things to consider when purchasing a fence? |
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When evaluating the costs of fencing, consider how long you want it to last and how much upkeep and maintenance it will require. |
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Also consider local by-laws and neighbours before making your final decision. |
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Ask yourself whether you'll be in your house for twenty years or you want to invest in re-sale value. |
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A quality product will avoid future maintenance costs and can add value to your home while unpopular choices may actually hurt your re-sale value. |
| 4. What are my choices for privacy? |
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Many people enjoy entertaining in their backyard without the distraction of neighbours-- particularly homes that back onto busy streets or pathways. |
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PVC or Wood fences are the most popular choices for those looking for privacy; the particular choice of fence style governs the level of privacy that is offered. |
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Many homeowners choose a Tongue & Grooved fence that will provide total privacy, with no space at all between fence boards, while others prefer a good neighbor fence with a 60% level of privacy. |
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Whether you prefer no-maintenance PVC (guaranteed for life) or the more natural look of wood there are as many different privacy fence styles as there are levels of privacy. |
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Carefully consider the amount of privacy that you require and choose a style that is right for you, your home and your lifestyle. |
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5. What are the choices for blocking an unattractive view? |
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If you don't want a total privacy fence, many semi-privacy fences are very effective at tricking the eye to not see what lies beyond. |
| 6. What works best for protecting children? |
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Fences that are considered pool legal are fences that are aimed at protecting children. These fence styles should be your first consideration. |
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Beyond being pool legal you should also consider your preferred level of privacy. Some parents believe total privacy offers good protection from strangers, others think that a see through fence offers the advantage of a neighbour keeping an extra eye on the children. |
| 7. What are the popular choices for swimming pools or hot tubs? ? |
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The choice of fence for swimming pools is greatly governed by what lays beyond. |
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Inside the yard, between the house and the pool, almost anyone would choose a see-through iron, chainlink or picket fence. |
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The choice of fence behind or beside the pool however is generally governed by what lays beyond. |
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Homeowners that back on a river, field or wood lands will often also put a see-through fence behind the pool, while suburban homes, with neighbours close-by mostly want total privacy. |
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8. What if I'm just looking to mark a line between my neighbour and myself? |
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While almost any fence is effective at separating your property from your neighbours, many small and light fence choices only serve this one purpose. |
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Homeowners often regret their choice when two or three years later they decide on another home improvement, like the purchase of a hot tub, and are discouraged when they realize that their new fence needs to be replaced. |
| 9. What makes the best entrance to my backyard? |
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Controlling traffic flow should be a careful consideration in any good landscape design. |
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Fences that are designed to control traffic clearly direct visitors to specific areas, usually entrances and patios, and keeps them away from other areas. |
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The right choice of fence and gate styles, incorporated with carefully thought out plant beds, will harmonize purpose with aesthetics. |
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10. How can I know what will work best aesthetically to complement my home? |
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A properly designed, finely crafted fence takes on an individual quality all its own, independent of its surroundings. |
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Matched to the style of your home and landscaping, a fence will enhance your home's appearance and add to its value. |
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Experienced designers understand the importance of finding proportions that will best create balance. |
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11. What should I pay most attention to if I plan to sell my home in a few years? |
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Re-sale value should always be an important consideration but for some homeowners it's more top of mind than it is for others. |
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Choosing always popular fence styles is as important as choosing a fence material that will look as good at time of re-sale as it does when it's first installed. |
| 12. What if I plan to live in this house for many years? |
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Although re-sale value should always be somewhere in the back of any homeowner's mind, if you are unlikely to be moving in the forseeable future, then you can probably risk a little bit and choose a style that is possibly a little less popular but works better for your tastes and lifestyle. |
| 13. What is best for a garden backdrop? |
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Fencing that's used to show off landscaping should be chosen so that all materials, including paint colors, complement what will be planted in front of it. |
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Also, consider how the fence will look as the garden in front of it changes throughout the seasons. |
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Dark color fences will generally take a back seat to your garden display while bright white fences will compliment your greenery. |
| 14. What are the main choices as far as fencing materials? |
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PVC, Iron, Wood and Chainlink continue to be the most popular choices of fence materials. |
| 15. Which of these materials is the better choice? |
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While most fences will help you attain many of your goals, some will work better than others in each particular situation. |
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Chainlink fences will define boundaries, as well as control the flow of people and animals at an exceptional price. |
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Iron fences offer strength, ornamentation and great visibility of what lays beyond. |
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Maintenance-Free Iron fences can be used as attractive border or an elegant see through swimming pool fence. |
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For many homeowners the warmth and beauty of a natural wood fence is worth the price of maintenance. |
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The unique characteristics of wood are easily adapted to many kinds of construction and to a wide variety of fence styles. |
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PVC fences offer all of the styles and advantages of a wood fence but without any of the maintenance or |
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With deterioration wood fences will change in look over time, PVC fences will always look like they were just installed. |
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