Frequently Asked Questions
Question #1: Can I put the fence on my property line?
In most situations you can, but we don’t recommend that you do. We recommend that you set your fence approximately six inches inside your property line to ensure that the fence is entirely on your property. This guarantees that the fence is yours and is not shared property with your neighbor. There are exceptions. In cases where the fence is purchased with the neighbor, you will probably want to put the fence right on the property line. Another exception would be if there were any community, county or city setbacks. Then you will need to set the fence inside the setback line.

Question #2: What happens if I can’t find my property markers?
Usually your property markers are there, they are just buried under an inch or two of dirt and debris that has piled up over the years. If some of the property markers are there but some are missing, we can usually find your property lines if you have a copy of your plot plan. If no property markers are available, you will need to have a surveyor relocate the property. This is not very expensive if you use the same surveyor that is listed on the plot plan, because they already have all the information that’s needed to mark your property.

Question #3: Do I need a building permit?
Yes. If you live within a city limit, you will be required to obtain both city and a county permit. If you live outside of an incorporated town or city, then only a county permit will be required. In most cases, this holds true even if you are replacing an existing fence with the exact same style fence. Another consideration is, does your community have a home owner’s association that requires approval for fence construction. If you do, then you will be required to obtain approval from this organization. As an added service Budget Fence Company will obtain any and all permits.

Question #4: What kind of fence is best for me?
Our experienced estimators can lead you in the right direction regarding this question. However, some questions you may want to ask yourself before meeting with an estimator are: why do I want or need a fence? Is it to keep a child or dog in? Is it for privacy? Is it to accent my property or landscaping? Once you decide the reason for your fence, our estimators will be able to recommend several types and styles that will both meet your needs and pocketbook.

Question #5: How high of a fence can I or should I get?
Again, it depends on your needs. If you’re trying to keep in a child or a dog, usually a four-foot chain link, split rail with wire, or a western red cedar or pvc vinyl picket fence will be high enough. A privacy fence is usually six feet in height, but you can go to seven or eight feet high, however, if you choose anything over six feet in height, you may run into problems with restrictions from either your home owner’s association or from your county or city government

Question #6: How long will my fence last?
It depends on the fence. However, all of our fences are built with high quality materials. A chain link fence, especially with vinyl coated chain link fabric, will last 20 to 25 years without any serious rust. A spruce, stockade wood fence will last 12 to 15 years, and a custom built, western red cedar fence will last 20 to 25 years. A pvc vinyl fence by Bufftech comes with a non-prorated 20 year, transferable warranty but, from our perspective, will last indefinitely. After all, the fence is essentially plastic, and should last forever. The bottom line on a pvc fence is; it should be the last fence you will ever have to buy.

Question #7: When should my fence be installed if I am building a new house?
The best time to install a fence during new construction is when the final grade is complete but before the seeding or soding is done. However, please allow us four weeks notice before the installation of the fence. This means the contract must be signed and the deposit received four weeks before you anticipate the installation of the fence.

Question #8: Who is responsible for notifying miss utility?
Budget Fence company, as the contractor, is responsible for notifying miss utility prior to the installation of the fence. However, the customer is responsible for locating any privately installed electric or phone lines (such as to an outbuilding), or the location of a sprinkler system.

Question #9: How should I protect my new wood fence?
There are many products available on the market to protect wood. You can choose from clear or tinted wood preservatives, colored stains, or paints. The choice is yours. The only suggestion we would make is to wait approximately three months to be sure the wood is dry before coating the wood. Also, it is perfectly fine to allow the wood to gray naturally, although adding a protective coating will certainly add years to the life of your new fence. Question #10: will Budget Fence company stain or paint my fence? No. As much as we would like to provide this service, we do not. Primarily it is a scheduling problem. It is very difficult to schedule the installation of the fence, and then reschedule to return three to six months later to apply a protective coating. If you use a wood preservative or a stain, coating the fence is easily accomplished with a standard garden variety pump sprayer.