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Privacy Fence Discovery Village

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Frankie 1
Apple Pie 6
Megan LeeAnne 3
details 1
Samba 5

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Apple Pie --- 11 years ago -

Hi all,

Admit I haven't been on here in a really really really long time. I haven't even lurked but hope I'll get some feedback to my question.

Husband and I are moving to Discovery Village by the end of the month and know the homes have the option of renting a chain link fence. We'd prefer a privacy fence and I've read that it's about "2k" to have a company do it for us. Obviously, we'd prefer not to spend that much so I'm curious to know if anyone on here has installed their own privacy fence.

I feel that we can cut that cost in half if we buy all the supplies ourselves and just pay someone local to do it (maybe one of your husbands and my husband can help).

Would love some feedback on this :)

Thanks for your time! 

Frankie --- 11 years ago -

Have you checked to see if it's allowed? Some posts will not allow you to do it bc you have to be a licensed contractor. It's a legal thing in case something goes wrong with it. 

Megan LeeAnne --- 11 years ago -

I'm not sure if you can but this is what the resident handbook states.

With your Neighborhood Manager?s prior approval, you may install fencing for your pet or to enclose your backyard. Fort Lewis Residents are responsible for obtaining proper clearance for digging from Public Works, Building 2012, so as not to damage any utility lines or pipes. A fence request form is available at the housing office for your convenience.

All requests must be made in writing and must include the following:
o A drawing that shows the location of the fence and the location of the gate. o Type of materials.
o Method of Construction
o Exact Measurements of each side of fencing

Privacy Fences
􏰀 Maximum height of fence permitted shall be 6 feet
􏰀 Only decay resistant materials are to be used.
􏰀 Only wood tone in color
􏰀 Only decay resistant 4 X 4 fence post, 6 feet 6 inches in length 􏰀 You must have at least one gate to access the back yard
􏰀 Only clear sealants may be used
􏰀 Only finished side exposed

A final inspection is required once fence is completed to ensure compliance to guidelines. For additional
questions please contact your Neighborhood Manager. 

Samba --- 11 years ago -

I priced a prvacy fence back in 2010 when we moved to this house and it was 629 for all supplies for us to buy the premade panels from Lowes as well as all harware and post digger. (our back yard is almost all solid rock under it, so we opted not to do the privacy fence after we as well as a guy we hired had one heck of a time trying to dig). You can measure the area you want to fence in and that will give you the amount of panels you will need. There are many options. You cannot use cement to secure the fence, which i think is stupid, but whatever, another stupid rule...lol. You can only use packed dirt and/gravel to secure the ground posts to the fence. (however, i know so many people that have used cement) 

Apple Pie --- 11 years ago -

Hey Frankie, I was told I could as long as I followed some ground rules.

Megan LeeAnne, thanks for that info!


Samba, thanks for the suggestions. Mind sharing a link to what panels you guys were going to get? I'm still a city girl who is essentially clueless about all of this and my husband is even more "city" than I am so you can use your imagination when it comes to us figuring this out. Do you have the contact into for he digger you were going to use?

Thanks all! 

details --- 11 years ago -

You are 100% right on them being expensive to have installed. We had someone from Lowe's come out and give us an estimate and it was $2800. I almost died lol.

We priced out the panels and for our yard it would've been about $1000 for us to install one ourself. In the end we decided that was still too much money for something we probably wouldn't want to go through the trouble of moving later on. Housing did tell us that if you put up a privacy fence you are allowed to leave it when you move. Our neighbor put up a privacy fence using 4x4 posts and 1x4 lumber and said it only cost him about $300. He literally had it done in one day. Basically he just dug the posts in the ground, connected them at the top and bottom, and then just used a nail gun to put up the 1x4's all around. He sealed it the following weekend and it looked really nice! 

Samba --- 11 years ago -

Samba, thanks for the suggestions. Mind sharing a link to what panels you guys were going to get? I'm still a city girl who is essentially clueless about all of this and my husband is even more "city" than I am so you can use your imagination when it comes to us figuring this out. Do you have the contact into for he digger you were going to use?

No problem. We actually just went online to rice them online first at Lowes.com and HomDepot.com. Then we went in in person to take a look at durability, and to see if they were weather treated or not. So the measurements are right there online. Most are 6 ft panels for the wood privacy sections. Unfortunately we do not have the name of the company that we called out here. We tried on our own first with a post hole digger, than had to call for back up and he had such a hard time that we ended up going with Shawn Mooney's company for our fence called "Rental Fence Co." we rent our chainlink, for 38$ er mth. We totally could have bought one and did it, bu it was way hard! lmao. My husband was gone and i did not want to go through the hassle of digging on my own. ;) 

Apple Pie --- 11 years ago -

Thanks for the info, guys! I think we are just going to bite the bullet and pay a company to install it for us. Guess we know where the tax return is heading for this family LOL. 

Samba --- 11 years ago -

To me, I think its convenient. Maybe others wont think the mthly bill is, but I like that they do all the work and the removal. That saves us hassle when we are prepping to move. 

Apple Pie --- 11 years ago -

I agree. We are just going to pay for the privacy fence though. I don't feel secure laying out in the summer, gardening, or having my dogs out if we have just a chain link fence.

This is going to suck but since we will be here a few more years it's worth it. 

Samba --- 11 years ago -

poop sorry, no idea why that double posted! lol 

Apple Pie --- 11 years ago -

Well I completely flipped the script on this. I forgot my husband was up for reenlistment later this year. If by some miracle he gets choice duty station then we'd have to move in which case it makes no sense paying 2k for a fence that we won't get to use.

In theory, it would be 5 years would of renting a chain link fence before we needed to pay that much. I guess we are going to do a chain link fence, which sucks. I wish they allowed the option of doing 4ft wooden fencing :/ 

Megan LeeAnne --- 11 years ago -

They do allow 4ft wooden fencing. I just didn't copy and paste that part because it was listed under another section and not called privacy fencing. I'm on my phone so I can't load the handbook to copy and paste that part. 

Samba --- 11 years ago -

yes, there are several homes here in Discovery Village that have them. i look the look of those much better than the chainlink. 

Megan LeeAnne --- 11 years ago -

Wood Bound Fences
􏰀 Maximum height shall not exceed 4 feet.
􏰀 Posts shall be no larger than 4 inches in cross section or taller than fence.
􏰀 Pickets are approximately 2 inches wide, and should be placed no more than 1 1⁄2 inches
apart.
􏰀 Steel fence posts are approximately 5 feet 6 inches in length and need to be driven at
least 2 feet into the ground or until the top are flush with the pickets. It is recommended
that posts be spaced 6 feet on center.
􏰀 Fencing must remain wood-tone in color.
􏰀 Only decay resistant materials should be used. 

Apple Pie --- 11 years ago -

Thanks :) 

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