People sometimes ask, “I have materials, will you install a fence with them?” Generally, the answer is no. There are several reasons for this:
It’s harder to manage quality. Take for instance a high volume fence, the Black Vinyl Coated Chain Link. The materials sold at big box stores are lower quality and lighter gauge. We build fences to a certain high-quality standard. It’s part of our DNA. To tell our team members “Well, do a lesser job on this one” is contrary to who we are.
It takes longer to install unfamiliar materials, which is a downer for morale. Do you like it when your tasks at home take longer than usual? Notice how good NFL quarterbacks struggle when they have unfamiliar wide receivers. Even wood pickets install differently. Depending on the saw cut at the mill, we’ve seen bundles of pickets that are 1/8” narrower at one end…..which means on an 8’ section with 16 tight pickets, your fence would be 2” out of plumb! We can level those pickets, but then there are gaps. We want happy team members and happy customers……this scenario ticks ‘em off.
What if the parts you got off Facebook, Craigslist, or your brother-in-law don’t fit, have defects or need a repair? Our quality materials may not fit dimensionally. In the chain link example, the diamond weave of the fabric strands varies from manufacturer. Similarly, the width of horizontal rails on ornamental steel fencing varies, and the brackets are sized to fit a specific type of fencing. We get calls to replace sections of fencing when a customer’s lawn service smokes it with a riding mower or a tree falls on it. In those cases we can easily fix the fence if our standard high-quality materials were used in the first place.
We won’t warranty the fence if we didn’t supply the materials. If something goes wrong, was it an issue with the materials or the installation? Who’s at fault? It’s better for us to handle warranty claims with our suppliers (with whom we have relationships) to handle replacement of any materials if needed.
Alternative Solution: Return the materials or re-sell them. Then Thrive Fencing can provide a turn-key fence……at high quality and with a warranty.
Side-bar: Fencing for us is fun. Occasionally for certain custom projects we can use homeowner materials to achieve a certain aesthetic. Or sometimes people want to expand their fenced-in area. If we did the original installation or the material brand is a match, we can often re-use most of the materials (other than the posts) and supplement with our matching stock materials on hand.