Three Tips for Choosing Fencing for Your Home
As experienced fencers in Shrewsbury, Shropshire, we are often asked for advice on what type of fencing homeowners should choose for their gardens. The answer is usually that it depends on precisely what you are hoping to get from your fencing! Some of it comes down to personal taste, but there are plenty of other considerations as well. Here, we look at just a few of them.
1. Where Is the Fencing For?
The first aspect to consider is what area of your garden you want fenced in. If you are opting for fences in your front garden, then very often, you will want lower panels than you might in your back garden. You don’t want your home to look like a fortress, after all; and a lower height fence is more inviting to passers-by than a six foot series of panels. Picket or palisade fencing is a good choice for front gardens. It’s generally low in height and the gaps between the vertically running rails allow views of the garden and light to enter, creating a welcoming, open look.
To the rear of your property, though, higher fencing may be more appropriate. You’ll want to give yourself some privacy from neighbours, if you are overlooked. Higher fencing in back gardens is also a better deterrent against opportunist thieves. However, it’s worth noting that planning laws in the UK generally restrict fence heights to 2 metres (around 6ft5”) – anything higher than this requires planning consent. Specifically, if you’re proposing to have a tall fence, or one that’s topped with ornamental features, it’s probably worth checking with your local planning office before spending money that may be wasted if you’re later required to reduce the height.
2. Do You Have Additional Security Concerns?
Fencing in general is a good way to add security to your property, preventing unwanted trespassers from straying accidentally into your garden. But you may have other considerations, like preventing your dog escaping or keeping your children safe while they play out in your garden. In this case, you may be better opting for solid panels that will form a strong, secure perimeter to prevent pets or kids from straying into the road.
3. Taking Light and Weather into Account
Solid panels, though, can restrict light entering your garden. If you have a small outdoor patch, slatted panels or trellis will help let in light and create an illusion of more space. That will also help with plant growth, of course. And if you live in an area where it’s often windy, closeboard, slatted or hit-and-miss panels can provide a degree of resistance to gusts of wind, meaning you’re less likely to have to face repairs after blustery weather.
If you’re bewildered by the huge variety of fencing options available to you, or need a reliable company to install new fencing at your home, why not speak to our team of experienced fencers in Shrewsbury? We have over 30 years’ expertise in fencing throughout Shropshire. We are also trained tree surgeons for tree maintenance and can craft garden structures and garden buildings for your property. Specialists in hedge laying, woodland management, farmland management and countryside stewardship, our services are additionally available to the agricultural industry.