Skip to main content
  1. Home
  2. Outdoor living

How to install a fence around your yard without breaking the bank

Rebecca Wolken
By

Fencing is a staple of a good backyard, but unfortunately, it can be expensive. Add in the fact that even avid DIYer’s should avoid putting one up, and it’s hard to get around the high cost of fencing. However, there are a few ways you can reduce the extensive investment of fencing and specific materials to avoid if you’re on a tight budget.

Below, we’ll go through each step you should take to ensure you know exactly what you’re getting, where it’s going, how much it will cost, and if it’s legal to do so. It’s crucial for a big project like fencing to have everything sorted out before you start digging, so let’s dive in.

iron fence with trees

Planning

As with most home projects, it’s best to start with planning. Extensive thought and consideration should go into each aspect of building a fence before you hire, purchase, or dig anything.

Related

First, start with where you’d like the fencing to go. Then, take a walk around your yard and bring along anyone else who might want to participate in the decision-making process. You might even find it helpful to draw up a simple sketch of the area and get a good idea of how the yard will look fenced in. For example, do you want just the backyard fenced, or do you also wish to fence the front in? Are you hoping for a privacy fence, or will a simple chain link do the job?

Which brings us to the second consideration: What purpose will this fence serve? Figuring out what the fence needs to accomplish will help you decide what you need. A privacy fence is a very specific fence; a fence to keep in the dog doesn’t need to be too fancy, but a fence to enhance curb appeal will need to look prettier and doesn’t always need to keep something in.

Legal stuff

Any time you’re building new permanent structures on your property, you’ll need to make sure you can legally do it. Sometimes HOAs have particular guidelines to follow and may not approve any fencing at all. Other times, it could be an issue with property lines. If you aren’t sure where your property line ends, that could lead to some ugly disagreements with neighbors and might end with you having to take the fence back down. To avoid any of these costly disasters, do your research and maybe even enlist the help of an expert.

split rail fence with grass

Materials

Honestly, fencing can be made with almost anything, including metal, wood, plastic, stone, bricks, or recycled materials. Which material is suitable for you will depend on all the research you’ve already done thus far. Where it’s going, what purpose it’s serving, and what you can legally use will narrow down your choices. Additionally, it’ll give you a better idea of what it will look like and present a more precise potential budget.

If you’re trying to stick with a more affordable option, here are some fencing materials you might want to look into:

  • Pallet fencing
  • Split rail
  • Chain link
  • Vinyl fencing
  • Recycled materials

For a more upscale look, you might want to consider looking at some of these options:

  • Wrought iron
  • Split rail and mesh
  • Concrete
  • Picket
  • Dog ear
  • Stone
  • Brick

Labor

Although you might have experience with DIY, fencing is one project even experienced DIYers suggest handing over to the professionals. Building a fence is hard work, time consuming, and requires experience to do it right. You don’t want to spend all that money and time on a fence to have it fall apart after a year. Unfortunately, labor is probably the most expensive part of a fence project. Take the time to do your research, interview contractors, and choose someone you can trust.

Having a fence can be a life-changing project, whether it’s to hold in a dog, keep out deer, or improve the curb appeal of your home. Just be sure to spend the time necessary beforehand to figure every detail out before trying to purchase anything, hire anyone, or dig any holes. Fencing can be a big mess if done wrong, but with these steps, you’ll be on your way to success.

Editors' Recommendations

Topics
5 inexpensive indoor greenhouses your plants will love
Will Blesch
By Will Blesch
October 12, 2021
Woman With Green Plants

Many plants can be fickle and grow only under certain conditions. To thrive during seasons that they don't typically grow, you need a controlled environment. Greenhouses are the perfect way to create year-round growing conditions for flowers, vegetables, fruits, and ornamental plants. Having one in your house isn't always easy, but it can be done.

There are indoor greenhouse kits that can fit practically everyone's homes and lifestyles in today's age of plenty. If you're ready to learn more about five of the best indoor greenhouses you can purchase for less than a hundred dollars, let's begin.

Read more
7 tips for solar landscape lighting design
Cayla Leonard
By Cayla Leonard
October 1, 2021
Close up of a solar pathway light

If you’re looking for a great way to light up your yard or garden, you might be thinking of investing in some solar lighting. Solar lighting, as the name suggests, uses the power of the sun (solar energy) to power lights. Solar lighting isn’t great for every situation, but for outdoor spaces it works like a charm. Since it uses solar power, solar lighting is also an easy, eco-friendly alternative to electric lights. Here are our seven favorite tips to help you get started with solar lights.
Set a budget
Solar lights come in many different sizes, shapes, and prices. Before you decide how many lights you want, what you want them to look like, or even where you’re going to put them, you should decide how much you want to spend. This will help lay the foundation for every other part of your design. There’s nothing worse than meticulously planning outdoor lighting, then realizing that the plan would cost too much and having to scrap it. If you start with your budget, and keep it in mind throughout the planning process, everything will go much smoother.

Choose locations before getting the lights
Choosing your locations first may seem like an obvious tip, but it’s still extremely important. It lets you see exactly how large of an area you need lit, which helps you estimate how many lights will be necessary. Choosing your locations also helps when deciding what type of lights to get. There are small pathway lights, wall-mounted flood lights, and even lights disguised to look like rocks or stepping stones, all of which are suited for different types of outdoor areas.
Consider how many lights you want, and how many you need
When designing a space, it’s easy to get swept up in the process and bite off more than you can chew. When talking about how many lights to get, plan for your ideal number of lights, but take note of what the bare minimum would be, as well. That way, even if the rest of your plan falls through or is delayed, you’ll already know how many lights you absolutely need to get to adequately and safely light the area.

Read more
Can you DIY your own outdoor solar lights? What you need to know
Will Blesch
By Will Blesch
September 28, 2021
Home project tools

The idea of using sustainable power sources has become increasingly popular over the past few years. They’re seen as solutions to environmental issues like the pollution produced by industrial power plants. Plus, who doesn’t want to generate their own power, save money, and in some cases sell excess energy back to the local power plant?

That’s where DIY outdoor solar lights come into the picture. While you probably won’t generate enough power to sell energy back to a local power plant with this specific alternative to traditional electric lighting, you can still save money and help the environment in the long-term. In the article below, we’ll go over some of the benefits of using outdoor solar lights on your property and show you what to do when embarking on a DIY outdoor lamps project.

Read more