Enclosing the yard: Now is the perfect time to put in a new fence

Springtime is a popular time for people to replace their fence, or maybe add a new fence to their front or back yard.

Eddie Cortez has helped his father, Fidel Cortez, with Cortez Fencing for about the last five years.

Cortez said their phones don’t stop ringing around this time of year once the weather warms up.

“Since March, we’ve been non-stop already,” Cortez said.

Cortez discussed some of the options people have to choose from when putting in a new fence, and the best fence model for a home. He said the biggest seller right now is vinyl fencing, which requires little to no maintenance once it’s installed.

“It holds up; weather doesn’t seem to do much to it,” Cortez said. “The sun can do some damage to it, but they’re building them a lot better, a lot thicker and they seem to be holding up better now. The first models of vinyl weren’t that great.”

Most customers tend to prefer the white- or tan-colored vinyl fencing as one of the more affordable options. Cortez said some of the “fancier” colors can get a little more expensive. In addition to the painted vinyl fencing, a lot of people are going with a “wood-grain” look.

He said the wood-style is a plus, having the wood look without some of the upkeep a wood fence entails. And, with lumber costs increasing this past year, he said wood fences have gotten more expensive. But, wood fences hold up pretty well and can look great when they’re built right, Cortez said.

Cortez said he typically goes with cedar wood for fencing. As long as a wood fence is built right, it should hold up for a good 40-plus years short of a “freak of mother nature wind storm.”

“The only downside of wood is the maintenance,” Cortez said. “In order for that fence to stay looking good, you have to stain it almost every year, or every other year. That’s one of the reasons why 95% of people are doing vinyl.”

The high winds in this area make it crucial people ensure their fences are structurally sound and secure. And factors such as rocky soil or considerable change in ground elevation can make a new fence project a little more time consuming, Cortez said.

Iron fences tend to be more expensive than a vinyl or wood fence, Cortez said. A lot of customers go with iron fences to not lose their views and scenery around the house.

“I just did one for a big farmer in Warden, and she wanted her front yard to look good, so she went with 300 feet of rod iron in the front and about 300 feet of the black chain link fence in the back,” Cortez said.

Chain link fencing is typically the cheapest choice, and is a popular selection, particularly with customers who live outside of town. The black chain link fence has been the most popular choice.

“Out in the country, most people go with a simple standard chain link,” Cortez said.

Aside from customers who live in the countryside, Cortez said about 80% of his customers with a chain link fence are pet owners, or recently got a new dog.

Casey McCarthy can be reached via email at cmccarthy@columbiabasinherald.com.