We’re trying to decide if we should put in a chain link fence this year. It’d pretty much take all of the money we’d set aside for a shed (we have no garage or outdoor storage) and dip into our savings quite a bit, so it’s a big decision. Here’s my list of pros and cons for the decision:
Pros
- Putting up a fence this year will establish one of the major “bones” of the property. This would allow me to go forward with any permanent plantings I wished to put in this year (i.e. trees or shrubs) without fear of them needing to be moved in the future if we decided to put in a fence at a later date.
- All of the fences in our neighborhood are chain link fences, so we would be staying within the aesthetic of the area.
- A chain link fence will provide a trellis for me to grow both vegetables and screening plants to help block/distract from our neighbor’s weed patch.
- May increase our property value because a fence would prevent children or pets from reaching the scary road we live on. Will also make it easier for family members visiting with pets.
- Will define our property lines and limit trespassing (the neighbor’s dog likes to use our yard for his utilities, even though he has a nice big fenced in yard of his own *sigh*). May help prevent theft of items stored on the property.
Cons
- Putting up a fence this year will mean no shed for another year, which we really do need as my laundry room is half full of gardening and auto supplies/equipment. We simply can’t afford two different projects of this size in a single year.
- Some of the neighborhood fences are ugly and run down, decreasing the aesthetic of the area and of owning a chain link fence in general.
- Will not protect vegetables growing on fence or provide a barrier to prevent neighbor’s weeds from encroaching onto our property.
- May decrease our property value due to cheap appearance and con #2; we may not recoup the cost of the fence when we sell the property. Would cost extra money to “disguise” the chain link at the front of the house with split bamboo fencing (example)or plantings to create a better curb appeal.
- Side fences are shared with neighbors. Should they decide to remove or sell their fences, we will have to pay over twice the cost we paid to fence just the front and back of the property.
I’m stuck. Opinions welcome. 🙁
