The Pros and Cons of Premade Wood Fence Panels
If you’re considering having a wood fence installed, you have two basic options: have it built from scratch or purchase premade wood fence panels for DIY or professional installation.
Like every fence type, there are pros and cons to premade wood fence panels that should be taken into consideration before you decide. Here’s what you need to know.
Pro: Faster Install
One big pro of premade wood fence panels is that they are usually faster to install, which means you can get your fence done faster and with less labor costs. This is a great option if you need to have a fence installed very quickly.
Con: Dependent on Supply Chains
We’ve all seen how global supply chains have been a roller coaster over the past few years, and premade wood fence panels are no exception. If you choose to go this route, you will need to order from a supplier who has the panels you need in stock or wait for delivery.
Pro: View the Panels Before You Buy
When you choose to have a wood fence built on your property, you can ask your contractor for a drawing of the fence and for photos of similar jobs they’ve done. But you won’t really know what the finished fence will look like until it is installed. If you buy premade wood fence panels, you can usually view them in a store or showroom, so you know what you’re getting.
Con: Fewer Design Options
Unfortunately, premade wood fence panels are produced at scale in large factories. Like any production line, they’re not set up for custom products – especially not for small projects. That means that you will have limited design options for your fence.
When wood fences are built on site, however, you can choose any height, design, or even a horizontal or chevron pattern fence, if that’s what you like.
Pro: Possible Labor Cost Savings
When you buy premade wood fence panels, you can choose to install them yourself if you are reasonably handy. Or you can hire a smaller contractor or individual fence installer, who is likely to charge less than a company that constructs fences on site. You still have to be careful who you choose to do the installation, though so you can get a quality result.
Con: Lighter Specification
Premade wood fence panels are often built to a lighter specification than you would see if it was built from scratch on-site. This doesn’t mean that they are less durable or well-made, but you do need to pay close attention to the quality of the product you’re buying. This also makes most premade wood fence panels more suited to residential applications.
Con: Pricier Products
Usually, if you are buying premade wood fence panels for your own property, you will be purchasing them from a retailer or hardware supplier. That usually means you will be paying retail prices too. So, while you will save on labor, you might lose those savings on the cost of materials.
A Reasonable Choice
As you can see from this list of pros and cons, premade wood fence panels do offer some benefits and some drawbacks. It really depends on what kind of results you want and what your priorities are.
Whatever you choose, be sure to investigate your options carefully, consider all the possibilities, and never choose a fence based on price alone.
