Designing Good Fences « MasterPLAN Outdoor Living

Robert Frost famously said, “Good fences make good neighbors.” But what makes a good fence?

A well-built fence can provide privacy to your backyard by stopping neighbors’ prying eyes (or blocking the unwanted view of your neighbor’s hot tub). It can increase security to your property by making it harder for unwanted people or animals to stroll over, while keeping your kids or pets from straying out of sight. If you have a backyard pool, some jurisdictions and insurers require a fence around it to prevent the pool from attracting curious neighborhood children, who could fall in and get hurt.

Fences can also be a creative way to add a decorative element and atmosphere to your backyard or garden. Plant climbing vines to cover your fence for a natural, earthy look or hang tiny outdoor lights to bring summer time romance. Flowers and plants can be striking if their colors pop against the plainer background of the fence.

Done right, a fence can increase the value of your home. But a poorly done fence — one that is falling down, sagging or missing so many boards that it looks like a veteran hockey player’s smile – can decrease your property value.

There’s a fence for every taste: designs range from the classic white picket fence to a rustic wooden post-and-rail to a black wrought iron fence. A vinyl fence can make a nice, maintenance free alternative. You might also consider a living “fence” created by planting a row of trees or shrubs at your boundary line.

When installing a fence, keep in mind you may need to get permits from the local authorities. You should also double check property boundaries so you don’t accidently build the fence in your neighbor’s property and have to remove it later. If you are on good terms with your neighbor, you might want to invite them to share the cost of the fence.

Hiring a qualified landscape designer is key to any fence project because they will help you pick out the best material for your budget and install the fence correctly. Fences that are made of shoddy material, or improperly installed, are in danger of failing after just a few short years, while a well-made fence can look great for a long time. A landscape designer will also ensure the fence adds to the beauty of your own background paradise.

Call MasterPLAN Landscape Design & Installation today and let us design and build the backyard of your dreams.

Designing Good Fences

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