When you were looking for a new house to buy or rent, did you look at the fences? It is likely that the homes with a yard you admired were nice open spaces, perhaps where children or dogs could play while you relaxed nearby. That is a nice daydream, but it is not feasible that any responsible adult would be able to relax while the kids played with the dog in an open yard with no screened porch or residential fence in place. There are simply too many variables that could happen: the dog runs after a toy and into the street; the kids run after a toy and into the street; a mysterious van drives up and lures the kids away with promises of candy; the dog is lured away with promises of bacon.
In all seriousness, the problem with an open yard is that it lacks privacy, and in the worst case scenario, it cannot offer protection. Trouble, of the funny and not-so-funny type, can and will happen. What can you do to avoid these mishaps? A simple solution may be to put up a fence. After all, between 80 and 90% of all fences were built for more privacy, or so says the U.S. zoning committee experts. So whether you desire more privacy or feel the house could use more security, you are in good company.
Once you decide the yard could use a fence (or a screened porch, if the yard is large and the project seems too expensive), it is time to decide. What fence style do you want for your home? There are a variety of fence types and materials, such as:
- -Wood, which is favored for residential homes
-Chainlink, which is straightforward and used in both commercial and residential fencing
-Iron, which works well as an ornamental fence
-Aluminum, which is sturdy and can increase the curb appeal of a home and give a return on investment of around 65%
-Vinyl, which is a great low-maintenance and low-cost choice
Each of these categories has further sub-categories to choose from, varying in design from the purely functional to the ornate. Commercial fences are usually simple, and will likely be made from the chainlink or aluminum variety. For a home, it will help the choosing process if you understand what your needs are; do you have extremely small dogs, for example? If so, the spaces between the rails will need to be smaller to keep them from escaping. Likewise, if you have a very large dog a low fence that they could jump over with ease is inadvisable. Residential fences can also be customized further with privacy gates, as needed. This feature comes in handy if the yard wraps around the home, giving your guests another way to enter or exit as needed.
It may be that an outdoor area appeals to you, but the thought of excessive sunshine and the potential for dirt does not. A screened porch may be the solution. A browse online will show that screened porches have come a long way, and can now be an elegant addition to any home. For example, a homeowner can see about an 87% return on their investment when they add a wooden deck.
The beauty of adding a fence of screened porch to your home is that all the work is done outside. The house is updated without any of the discomfort of living in a state of upheaval. There are many choices for homeowners now, so that whichever fence type you choose it can conform to the needs of you and your family.
