Building a new fence is the sort of home improvement project that often takes time to get around to. Many homeowners realize they need a new fence, but don’t act right away. Instead, they bide their time, trying to decide what sort of fence to get, how much to spend, and when to get started. It’s not uncommon for homeowners to decide it’s time to build a new fence when the weather warms up and spring is in the air. After all, spring is a time for new endeavors and new projects. It would seem like the ideal time to build a fence. But if that’s what you think, you may be wrong. Here are five good reasons to build a fence in the winter. It seems counterintuitive, but we’ll lay out exactly why winter is an excellent time for fence building.
1. Avoid the Rush
Spring and summer are peak construction times for most fence installers. During these warmer months, jobs are often scheduled out months in advance. So when you contact a fence installation company, don’t be surprised if they tell you their next availability is weeks or even months away. Fence installation teams are busy from spring to early fall. Everyone is outdoors, and people begin to look around at their yards and discover the need for a new fence.
Building a fence in spring or summer means waiting in line with everyone else. But if you build a fence in the winter, you can skip ahead and get your project rolling relatively quickly. And construction team availability is not the only issue to consider. If your fence requires a permit, a variance, or any other input from a local government, winter is ideal. Late fall and winter are the slow months for almost every type of construction. That means faster turnaround on government permits and inspections. Everyone, from the business owners to the installation teams to the government employees, is less busy in the winter. They can dedicate more time to your project and have a much more manageable workload. If you do have to wait, you can be pretty sure the backlog is much more manageable than it would be during the busy season.
2. You Aren’t Outside as Much
Fence construction should be a relatively quick process. But it can still disrupt your backyard or any other area where you are installing the fence. During the summer, that can mean sacrificing valuable outdoor time. It’s no fun to hang out in a construction zone, and the noise alone can make your yard unlivable. So why not build a fence when you aren’t going outside?
Even in Atlanta, low winter temperatures make most backyards vacant in the winter months. That also makes it a great idea to build a fence in the winter. Instead of wasting precious summer days, you can get the job done while most people are spending their time indoors.
3. Building a Fence in the Winter is Better for Your Fence
Wooden fences are the most common privacy fences we install. But wood is a natural material and takes time to season properly. Any wood is susceptible to damage from shifting temperatures, UV rays, and rough weather. If you install a fence in the summer, summer storms and heat can warp wooden pickets. The best way to avoid warping is to install your fence when the weather is still reliably cool.
In most cases, wooden fences are built from pressure-treated wood. That means that chemicals have been forced into the timber under very high pressure. The chemicals help preserve the wood and protect it from damage caused by weather and pests. But that leaves the wood slightly moist. It can take weeks or months for the wood to dry completely and reach its maximum durability. Building a fence in the winter gives the wood a chance to season and become hardy before it is exposed to the summer heat. That can help prevent warping and splitting due to expansion and contraction with changing temperatures.
4. Save Your Landscaping
At Bravo Fence Company, we do everything we can to reduce our impact on your yard and all of your property. But no matter how careful we are, any construction on your property is bound to leave a bit of a mark. We need to dig up the area around your fence. And as materials and workers’ feet move around your yard, there may be some damage to your grass or landscaping. That’s why it makes so much sense to build a fence in the winter.
During winter, your grass and other landscaping are mostly dormant. While too much damage can be hard to recover from in the spring, it is less damaging when the plants are dormant. As long as the weather remains cold, most of the action is going on beneath the surface. Your plants’ roots are just waiting to spring to life when the weather warms. So you are less likely to damage your plants during construction.
5. Save Time and Money
Everyone loves to save time and money. When you build a fence during the winter, you can save both!
Building your fence during the winter is a great way to save time. When you try to book your fence installation during peak season—spring and summer—you may find yourself on a long waiting list. But winter tends to be slower. It is quite possible that you can get your fence installation started within just a few days or weeks. And the job can sometimes go even faster because there are more team members available to work on your fence. When a fencing company is stretched thin, building multiple jobs, you may get fewer workers to build your fence. But if you choose to build a fence in the winter, your installation company may dedicate more workers to your job, getting it done more quickly.
The winter is also a great time to save money. Some fencing companies may offer discounts when work is slower. Another significant factor in the price of your fence is the cost of materials. But did you know that prices for materials can fluctuate from season to season? It’s a matter of supply and demand. In the summer, when everyone is trying to purchase materials for their fences, prices go up. In the winter, many suppliers offer discounts, which can translate into savings for homeowners.
Contact Bravo Fence Company to Build Your Fence Before the Rush
Now that you know the benefits of building a fence in the winter, you may be jumping to get your job started as soon as possible. Luckily, Bravo Fence Company is ready and waiting for your call. Our staff is trained to be hyper-responsive. In many cases, we are the company to provide an estimate for a job, beating out the competition. And we stay with you throughout the building process. We are in touch the whole time, and our goal isn’t just to build a great fence but also to provide top-notch customer service. So if you want to find out how you can get a new fence before the rush, contact Bravo Fence Company today!
