The Aspiring Fencing Contractor

When building a new fence or wall, the landscape contractor should use a professional land surveyor to determine the precise property line, thus preventing any property disputes. It will be the contractor, not the homeowner, who has to pay for a fence to be removed and relocated.

Aluminum fencing is quite strong and typically has welded gate construction and stainless steel fasteners for durability. The lightness of aluminum, versus iron or steel, makes the installation easier. The postholes need only be 6-inch dia. (36-42-inches deep), which means pouring less concrete. Gateposts should be 9-12 inches deep. Panels come preassembled and the posts prepunched for the rails. – Courtesy of Jerith Manufacturing Co.

Aluminum fencing that's powder coated can mimic the look of wrought iron, without the maintenance concern of rust. Surprisingly, the material cost of aluminum and wrought iron fencing per linear foot is comparable, from $24 to $32 per linear foot, depending of the quality. – Courtesy of Jerith Manufacturing Co.

The chart shows the costs of fence installation calculated from average material costs and national average hourly labor rates. The red bar indicates the higher estimate; the blue indicates the low-range estimate. The contractor can visit www.homewyse.com/services/cost_to_install_fence.html to help calculate the cost of installing a fence..

If you're a landscape contractor looking for ways to expand your business and make more money, the fencing industry is one of the most lucrative markets in the landscape business. Depending on the type of fencing materials, the going prices contractors charge for installation for most fences range from $6 to $30 per linear foot.

Most fencing installation and repair service work is quoted at a fixed price, for specific service or deliverables. The underlying hourly rate for a fencing contractor ranges from $27 to $41.

Get Certified
To help you get started, the American Fence Association www.americanfenceassociation.com offers once a year (in early March) a state-of-the-art training on how to install fences through its Field Training School.

State Licensing Requirements
Many states require potential contractors to obtain their license before they can become a fencing contractor. Before obtaining a license, a future contractor must pass a business and law exam. Sometimes states may require a trade exam be taken as well. Most states have reciprocity programs whereby they grant license privileges to fence contractors who have licenses in nearby states. Most states, excluding California, North Carolina and Oregon, require fencing contractors pass the Occupational Safety and Health Administration exam.

Let's Get This Straight
One of the most challenging aspects when building a fence is to make sure it is straight when you lay it out before construction. This is important not only to insure the fence looks good, but will make it easier to build and more sturdy. Taking the correct first steps in building a fence can save time, money and energy.

The traditional way to ensure a fence was straight was to lay the four corner posts and tie string. This works, but can be tedious. The string must be pull taut, which can be difficult if you are building a fence in a large area. The string may be affected by the wind, which could cause your measurements to be inaccurate.

There are two different options available for layout tools: laser and optical. An optical instrument such as a level is set up on a tripod and should be pointed along the length of the fence. The user can then look through the eye piece to discover the correct positioning for the fence posts and then make necessary adjustments.

Another alternative is to use a construction rotary laser to lay the fence posts. Construction lasers emit a straight beam that can be used to align the fence, but will need to be used with a detector when doing exterior work. By running this detector along the length of the fence you will be able to identify straight and plumb.

Make sure the rotary laser you are using has a vertical feature so you can lay the instrument on its side for a vertical plane. A horizontal and vertical rotary laser has a self leveling feature that insures that the reference line is level and plumb. A laser line generator is generally a less expensive alternative, but can only be used on smaller job sites.

Of course you need a strong back and the trusty pole-hole diggers, or if you're lucky, a tractor with an PTO-driven auger attachment.

Advanced Training
The American Fence Association www.americanfenceassociation.com offers a professional certification to fence installers with more than five years of experience.