Don't Be Deceived

There are a number of things that you can do to protect yourself against dishonest contractors (although we wish it weren't so, there are a few of them out there). The first, and most important thing you can do is get educated about the product you are buying - and that is why we offer this web site. Browse this site and you will learn everything you need to have a good experience buying a fence. Most dishonest contractors take advantage of the customers lack of knowledge.

Not all fences that look the same are the same. ChainLink and Ornamental fences come in many different shapes and sizes. For example, the galvanized steel pipe used to construct a fence range from 1 3/8 inches to 6 5/8 inches in diameter. Additionally, The wall thickness of the pipe ranges from 0.055 inches (17 gauge) to 0.28 inches. Consequently, you could have two fences that look identical (with the same diameter pipe) yet be very different in terms of strength (different wall sizes). Because of this, there have been a few instances where a dishonest fence contractor has taken advantage of an unsuspecting customer.

Additionally, watch out for "gauges" on chainlink wire, this word has been, and currently is misused in the fence industry in certain geographical areas, Alberta being one of them.. Click here for the minumum specifications that we would recommend for a chainlink fence.

We recommend three things to avoid being taken advantage of. The first, get educated. This will give you power when dealing with a contractor. The second, insist on knowing the specifications of the materials and having them written into the contract. This will enable you to compare estimates "apples to apples" and allow you to make the most informed decision. The third is to choose a fence contractor that you can trust. It pays to do your homework about fence contractors, especially if they ask for money down before work begins.

Return to the Fence Buyer's University.