Perhaps the prime factor that affects cost is the material. Luckily, this is a factor you can control. The most budget-friendly material is chain link, though a simple wire fence can come in at a lower cost. Conversely, some of the most expensive fences are aluminum or vinyl. Interestingly, wood and wrought iron are high-end materials, but they come in at a middling cost.

One factor to keep in mind is maintenance costs associated with your new fence. The above estimates are based on upfront costs. However, different materials have higher maintenance costs. Wood may require future staining and some repairs. Vinyl, aluminum, and chain link fences can last years with little upkeep.

Obviously, the length of your fence will affect the cost because of the materials involved. What's more, a longer fence requires more posts to keep it sturdy. You add both material - in the posts - and labor with that factor. You might have some control by deciding how much of your property really needs to be fenced in.

Another factor affords you less control: the grading. If you have a sloped yard, the contractors will need to use special techniques to solve the grading issue. For example, they may not be able to use fencing panels. They'll have to hand make the panels out of pickets or boards as they work on the slope. You can level the slope, but that labor adds to the cost.

Finally, the installation of a fence gets tricky if you have a lot of obstructions the contractors must work around. Every time the contractors have to build the fence around an obstruction, they must use more posts and panels. Again, you add to the labor and materials costs. You might have some control over these factors in how you designate the fence line.

Labor is another big factor concerning cost. Your fencing contractors put a lot of work into building your fence. For instance, with the posts, they must dig the hole, add cement, and sink the post. Those tasks are difficult and time-consuming. You can ease some of this cost by trying to keep your fence line as simple and unobstructed as possible.

Likewise, the contractors must know where the utility lines are before they can sink posts into the ground. They must also have certain permits. You can call the utility company to mark the lines and get the permits yourself rather than pay the contractors to do so.

Finally, if you have an existing fence, the contractors will naturally charge you to remove it. The removal of a fence is a labor-intensive job. However, if you can manage the job yourself, you can save some money.

A factor that's related to labor is the style of the fence. The simpler your fence, the fewer labor costs you'll have because your fencing contractors don't have to work as long. For example, a simple chain link fence is much more budget-friendly than one with wooden framing in the posts and rails because the contractors have to build those frames around the chain link.

Likewise, a wooden privacy fence takes longer to build than a picket style. The contractors have to use more wood both for the opacity and the height of the panels. You even see a difference between six-foot and eight-foot privacy fence in cost.

Your budget is an important determinant in the fence you choose, but it's not the only one. You might be happier in the long run if you save a little longer for the fence of your dreams. Whatever choice you make, the fencing experts at Pioneer Fence of Greenville can help you. Call us today.