Is It Cheaper to Buy Fence Panels?

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When you’re planning a fence project, cost is always going to be one of the criteria you’re considering.

Whether you’re installing your own fence or hiring someone to install it for you, you might be wondering if it is cheaper to buy fence panels ready-made. The answer is it might be. Here’s what you need to know.

Ready Made Fence Panels Versus Built on Site Fence Panels

Nearly every kind of panel fence system out there can be bought as ready-made panels or as components that need to be assembled on-site.

In the case of wood fences, which might mean a trip to the lumber yard, but vinyl fence suppliers, palisade fence suppliers, and even some ornamental fence suppliers sell panel fence components that can be assembled on-site.

Often, the fence panels that are for sale off the shelf at big box stores are lighter and lower quality than you might find supplied by a fence specialist. However, that doesn’t mean they can’t get the job done. It’s just something to bear in mind when you’re shopping for panel fences.

Things That Might Make Ready-Made Fence Panels Cheaper

The truth is, there’s no hard and fast rule that says that ready-made fence panels will be cheaper than constructed on-site panels, and there are several factors that might affect this. As far as things that might make ready-made fence panels cheaper, you should consider:

• If ready-made panels are of a lower specification or quality than built on-site options, that might make them cheaper, but that’s not necessarily a good thing.
• You will save a little on labor because your ready-made fence panels don’t need to be assembled on-site.
• Ready-made fence panels are easier to transport to the site and to move around your site since you don’t have to load, load, and move individual components.

Things That Might Make Ready-Made Fence Panels More Expensive

In some cases, ready-made fence panels might also be more expensive than built-on-site options. That’s often because:

• Panels are heavier than individual components, which might make installing them more difficult and take longer, which could increase the cost of labor for your fence installation
• Ready-made panels might be harder to modify for shorter panels or sloped areas of your site, which could increase the cost of the project
• Larger panels might not be able to ship on regular flatbeds or trucks, so you might pay more for shipping and freight
• If you are buying a ready-made panel from a big box store, you might need to buy additional panels for repairs or replacement - there's no guarantee they will have that type of panel available if and when you need to replace or repair one!

Get Both Options If Possible

When you’re deciding on any kind of fencing for your fence project, it’s always best to consider all your options and to get pricing on all the options so that you have all the information to work with.

Don’t rely on one fence company for quotes, either. Ask several different fence companies in your area for a price on your panel fence project, and don’t be afraid to consider smaller, newer companies that might charge less for labor.

Some projects might be better suited to ready-made panel fencing systems, while others might not, and the only way to be sure is to find out about both.