The Edinburgh Realty eNewsletter

Issue #77 | August 2019

Archive

Six top tips for putting up fences

Beyonce knows best - if you like it, you should put a fence on it. Here are our six top tips for choosing a new fence for your house and looking after it.

1. Find your purpose. Want to keep pets and children safely in, or out? Tired of living in a goldfish bowl? Looking for some street appeal? Want less burglar appeal? Is it urgent, or could you grow a cheaper hedge? Will you hide it or will it be a feature?

2. Choose your style. Like a new wig, a good fence should look like it’s always been there, complementing your house and garden. Match colour, materials and scale to enhance what you already have.

3. Don’t gloss over the gate! Fences, you look at, gates you get intimate with. Creaky, painful, awkward ones can ruin your day. Get yourself a gate that’s a joy to swing or slide.

4. Check everyone’s on board. Ask the council about height or material restrictions and, if you share the boundary, share your plans with your neighbours over a cheeky chardonnay. Hopefully they’ll offer to split the costs so you won’t need to read them the Fencing Act.

5. Know what you’re in for. Get quotes for putting it in, or shop around for material costs if going DIY. Keep your budget, warranties and longer term maintenance costs in mind while traipsing the aisles and scrolling.

6. Maintain your good looks. Every year or two, depending whether your fence is made of brick, wood, metal, PVC or shrub - be prepared to trim, weed, waterblast, treat, sand, stain or paint, replace boards, and remove moss, mildew and mould. You’ll want to keep your latest asset in good shape.