Install a Fence

How Long does it Take to Install a Fence? – Remodel On Point

Last Updated: 2022-02-16By

For many centuries, the fence around the house served as a protective function. In the modern world, it is installed only to protect the territory of your home. In addition, a beautiful fence can make your home unique and complement the design.

How long does it take to install a fence is influenced by many factors. Depending on the material chosen, the number of workers, and the complexity of the fence, it may take from two to seven days. This is enough time to set up a fence around a medium-sized house.

Fence MaterialTime for Installation
Wood2 – 3 days
Metal3 – 5 days
Glass Panel3 – 4 days
Concrete5 – 7 days
Aluminum1 – 2 days
PVC3 – 5 days
Vinyl3 – 5 days
The time is indicated for the fence of a standard house when the work is done by professionals.

It is worth noting that the time indicated in the table above will be required to install the fence by a professional company.

The installation of a fence includes many processes, from marking the territory to the installation of doors and decorative elements. If you want to learn more about the process of installing fences, then the article “Fence installation process” will be useful to you.

[instagram-feed]

How Long does it Take to Install a Fence from Different Materials?

In addition to all the processes, what material you use also affects the installation time of the fence. For example, a wooden fence is very easy to install and the job can be done in a couple of days. At the same time, when the fence is made of concrete or glass, it can take much longer.

The difficulty factor in material installation is worth considering when wondering how long does it take to install a fence. Here is a quick summary of how long it will take to install a fence made of different types of material.

Wood fence

A wooden fence is considered the easiest to install. Since the tree is very easy to work with, it does not take much time to complete such a fence. In addition, if you are planning to install a fence yourself, then such a fence will be the perfect solution. To install it, you do not need special skills, and by spending more time you can do the work yourself.

Metal fence

When choosing a metal fence, the homeowner reaps many benefits due to the qualities of the material used. At the same time, if you think about the complexity of the installation, then choosing a metal fence, it is worthwhile to allocate several weeks for this process.

It is very difficult to make a high-quality metal fence, therefore, such work should undoubtedly be entrusted to a professional team of builders. Also, remember that usually the material for metal fences is made to order and you should calculate the time for its production.

Glass Panel Fence

As with metal fences, the main thing that affects the duration of the installation of glass fences is the manufacture of the material. Since each project is different, it can take 2 – 3 weeks to manufacture the required dimensions of the glass fence parts. There are still standard sizes of glass fences, but they may not match in size and appearance.

Concrete Fence

A concrete fence can be compared to a real wall. It is a very solid structure, for the construction of which there are many stages. Since the material is very heavy, strong supports are designed to hold it. Also, when installing a concrete fence, you cannot do without the use of construction equipment. The time required to install such a fence on average takes 5-7 days, but if the complexity of the task is very high, then the work time can take up to two weeks.

Aluminum Fence

Aluminum fences can often be called formal fences. They are made from standard aluminum profiles of low height and strength. Such a fence does not have protective properties, but it is very easy to install.

Aluminum fence sheets can be easily fastened together on posts. Installation is very quick and effortless and will take no more than two days. This is a great choice of fence material if you plan on installing it yourself.

PVC Fence

Another easy material to install is PVC. These fences are made in sections and are available in a variety of styles and colors. You can easily install such a fence by watching a couple of video tutorials. Nevertheless, the installation of such a fence will take a little longer than an aluminum one. It will take 3-5 days to surround a medium-sized plot with a PVC fence.

Vinyl Fence

When it comes to vinyl fences, the huge variety is worth mentioning. They can be of different heights, styles, and shapes. Although such fences are easy to install, they still require a sufficient amount of time. Depending on the selected fence, the installation can take from three to five days. You can buy such a fence at most specialty stores and install it yourself.

What Can Increase the Installation Time of the Fence

Fortunately for homeowners, there are not many factors that can affect the time it takes to set up a fence. In addition, in most cases, with proper planning, they can be avoided.

If how long does it take to install a fence is important to you, then it is worth taking care of the building materials in advance. The biggest delays occur when the material is out of stock and you have to wait for it to arrive at the warehouse.

To avoid such problems, it is worth buying it before starting construction. Most large stores can store the purchased material in their warehouses for a while, free of charge, and deliver it to you on the appointed day. By completing your purchase in advance, you will avoid this type of problem.

There are also reasons that you cannot influence, these reasons are the weather. Since the installation of the fence is done outside the house, no one will install the fence in the pouring rain. If you are not lucky with the weather, you just have to measure yourself and wait for the precipitation to stop.

How Speed up the Fence Installation Process?

As with any construction process, the owner wants to quickly enjoy the result, be it a fence or an entire house. Therefore, when they ask how long does it take to install a fence, they often want to know how this process can be completed faster.

As in any construction site, there are several ways to speed up the process:

  1. Professional installation team
  2. Increase the number of workers
  3. Detailed preparation before starting work

We all understand perfectly well that a person who is a specialist in installing fences will do this work much faster than someone who does it for the first time. Knowledge of all aspects of the upcoming tasks will significantly speed up the work process.

The second way to get your fence set up faster is to work as a team. If you involve several professionals in the construction of the fence, they will complete it much faster. Unfortunately, this will likely cost you an additional amount.

There is also a way to speed up the process, which depends entirely on you. Its essence is to think over in advance all the details of the upcoming installation of the fence. You need to know exactly where the fence will be installed, how much material will be required, and what material will be used.

Each contractor will tell you that when the client knows exactly what he wants and does not change his choice during construction, the installation process proceeds much faster. Remember that every change in the work plan can significantly slow down the installation of the fence.

How Much Slower is DIY Fence Installation

As you may have noticed, some of the fence materials are very difficult to install. Installation of such fences may require special construction equipment or special skills possessed by professional fence installation contractors.

Because of this, you only need to install simple options for fences yourself. So how long does it take to install a fence on its own? To answer this question, it is worth understanding your diligence and skill in physical work.

Self-installation of the fence will be at least twice as long as it would be done by a professional. In addition, such moments may arise that can only be performed with someone’s help. Because of this, it would be logical to have someone to help you when planning your fence installation.

editor's pick

latest video

news via inbox

Nulla turp dis cursus. Integer liberos  euismod pretium faucibua

Each building has some sort of driveway or at least should have. The main reason is for vehicles to come closer without need to walk all the way. Some homes are residential with small driveway for their car to come in and park before garage or front entrance, and others can be large commercial buildings with loading docks, delivery entrances and casual parking entrances. On Point Remodeling was asked for suggestions on residential driveway for new home construction, and we decided to write detailed article for all our readers. Using this guide you can select the material for your driveway and see what works for your budget. Here are the materials for driveway we will be discussing in our guide:
  • Asphalt
  • Concrete
  • Paver Stone
  • Crushed stone
  • Brick
  • Seashell
  • Gravel
To find good contractor for your driveway, you can either ask our team by email or try to find someone local that worked with neighbors or nearby buildings.

Installation process of any material surface on your driveway

a) Demolition and Excavation – Before anything is done, your contractor will get heavy machinery and scratch off old layer of driveway. They need to go down at least 5-6 inches to insure proper layering before your final layer of material is installed. b) Material Purchase and Delivery – At this point your contract is signed and you already know how the surface will look. Contracting company purchases necessary materials and delivers them to site. Double check if material is correct and not damaged. c) Preparation of Sublevel – Whatever you place as final material, it cannot just be installed directly on top soil. Gravel is the first choice of material that goes down at this stage. Other preferred material is screen sand that can go on top of gravel and works better with stone and bricks. d) Compaction of Ground – To prevent your driveway from moving and changing shapes, all the layers from bottom up have to be properly compacted. Do not leave any spot untouched while doing this or you can get small holes and cracks in driveway after installation. E) Final Installation – This is when all the magic happens. After all preparations and dirty work the final installation is made literally within hours and you can enjoy new driveway. Stone and brick is set up by hand, while other materials require some sort of machinery with manual labor to even out surface.

1. Asphalt

Probably the most used material for road top surfaces as well as driveways is asphalt. This is a mix of gravel and sand that is mixed in and combined by asphalt cement with crude oil. Pros of Asphalt Driveway
  • Very popular and easy to find materials/contractor
  • Completed in 1 day and you can drive on it after
  • Patches and small holes can be fixed fast
Cons of Asphalt Driveway
  • Easy to damage and cracks appear in few years
  • Almost everyone else has same surface
  • Oily surface and chemicals used in mix
Prepared for asphalt driveway will cost you around $5 per square foot to finish. The contractors that take care of entire process from taking out old driveway surface, install subsurface and compact the ground with new asphalt on top, will charge on average $5500 per regular size driveway at single home property.

2. Concrete

What we call concrete is a mixture of Portland cement, aggregate as well as sand with gravel. Suggested thickness of concrete for driveway is 6 inches. The mixture needs to cure without being touched or driven on top for several days. Pros of Concrete Driveway
  • Durable material for large weights
  • Long lifespan if installed properly
  • Winter and summer friendly
Cons of Concrete Driveway
  • Has marks and stains over time
  • Hard to repair without replacement
  • Super hard to DIY
To hire contractors for concrete driveway it will cost around $7-$9 per square foot. This will include site preparation with gravel spread and new concrete installation. They will order full truck of concrete (or several for larger driveways) to pour inside forming. Smoothening and curing is required after installation.

3. Paver Stone

The most luxurious material that you can use to create driveway path with is paver stone. It is made out of natural stone with uneven rough shapes that have different line patterns. Paver stones are very heavy and are perfect for weights on top of them. Almost every city in Europe has roads and walks made out of stone that were installed centuries ago. Pros of Paver Stone Driveway
  • Creative designs can be done
  • Personal looks, can match the house
  • Can replace single stone in minutes
Cons of Paver Stone Driveway
  • Weeds growing through
  • Stone can move over time
  • Most expensive material
There is wide selection of stone that can be purchased for your driveway. On average we recommend settling with $17-$20 per square foot for stone with installation included. Working with this material is very intense labor and we recommend hiring professionals that do this type of work every day.

4. Crushed Stone

Our readers sometimes mistake crushed stone with gravel, but this is not the same material. Crushed stone material is achieved when machine is mechanically crushing larger pieces of unused stone for this specific purpose. It is larger than gravel and can have smooth finish. Crushed stone can also have a mix of colors, which is much pleasant to eyes than gravel. Pros of Crushed Stone Driveway
  • Low maintenance required
  • Fits rural area style
  • Can be reused for other purposes
Cons of Crushed Stone Driveway
  • Gets very hot during summer
  • Can be messy after many drives
  • Hard to remove snow and ice
Buying crushed stone and installing it on your driveway is as easy as it gets. Similar to other rough materials discussed in this post, only small tools like shovels, dolly and buckets are required to spread it on the road. The cost of crushed stone driveway is between $4 and $6 per square foot from professional local contractors that can finish the job in several days.

5. Brick

The same brick we see being used in wall construction can be installed as top driveway surface. Brick is manufactured by compressing clay with plastic mass. It is heated to extreme temperature and dried up to become as solid as you know it. Pros of Brick Driveway
  • Variety of selections in shapes and shades
  • Bricks are recyclable
  • Slip resistant with rough top part
Cons of Brick Driveway
  • Needs regular maintenance
  • Change color over time
  • Old fashion looking
Installing brick on driveway costs $10 per square foot, which is not too far from masonry brick laying as part of the wall. To save money you can use or purchase old brick, that was part of a wall before. Do not mix these two jobs and contact landscaping professionals instead of masonry contractors that work with bricks.

6. Seashell

This material is popular on the coast line where shells can be found near the water. Construction companies use seashells to add in other materials as well as spread them on driveway in rough condition, without adding anything else. It usually comes in white or pearl color and darkens within year because of mixing with sand and dirt. Pros of Seashell Driveway
  • Environmentally friendly
  • Has natural drainage
  • Creates worm vibe of beach house
Cons of Seashell Driveway
  • Break and crack under light weight
  • Sharp and very hard to walk on
  • Gets stuck in shoes and tires
To deliver and spread seashells on driveways costs below $4, which is only slightly more expensive than rough gravel. As you go further from coast line, cost of material increases due to delivery. This material is elegant and very soft. We recommend adding edge lines with darker color landscape material to create visual path.

7. Gravel

This material is used in other construction mixes and underlayment systems. It’s literally fragments and small crushed stones that are put on top of soil. It is easily spread out by hands and anyone can do it. Pros of Gravel Driveway
  • Cheapest of them all
  • Easy DIY Job
  • Can install another material on top
Cons of Gravel Driveway
  • Needs to be graded very often
  • Will mix with dirt and leaves
  • Washes up with heavy rains
It is rough material and can be purchased in bulk (by metric tons or cubic meters). The cost of driveway with gravel should not exceed $3 per square foot, but you can save tons of money by purchasing materials and doings installation by yourself. You do not require specific tools or heavy equipment for the job and delivery of gravel can be arranged directly to your project.

Conclusion

To properly finish any and all of these driveways requires skills and experience. There is no way you can complete any of these projects without heavy equipment and tools that regular home owner’s just store in their garages. Most of those who will read this post will prefer to install asphalt driveway, because of its popularity and low costs. We want to encourage home owners to go for personal preference and what matches your house, rather than getting the most affordable and popular items. Driveway jobs have to be completed fast; otherwise you will need to park elsewhere while the project is running. To not overpay, ask us for quotation sample on material you prefer in specific region where the work need to be done and our team can provide some numbers.

Leave A Comment