I have a 1940s SFH rental with a pre-1997 wood 6' privacy fence.

This fence has been popping boards for years and I just keep screwing them back in, but it's all looking kinda shabby.

We had a sever storm come through and a partially-rotten post snapped, so now one large segment of the fence is sagging badly. This is a rental with pets, so I need the fence to be in good shape.

Start with an estimate from the handyman

for repair v replace,

What does your insurance policy say about covering fences? What is your deductible?

Does it have to be a 6' tall wood privacy fence?

City planners are now recommending non-opaque fences for both aesthetic and security reasons. Aesthetic because they can give a sense of openness and expansiveness. Security because no one can hide behind them or hide junk or pitbulls behind them.

There are multiple choices that look good in a variety of settings. Aluminum, rail, welded wire/hog wire fencing, black chain link, or a mixture of options, depending upon what you are bordering. Wire mesh can be attached to a rail fence to dog proof it. Hardy evergreen shrubbery at designated places in front of the rail fence can also give the aesthetic effect (beauty, expansiveness) that one poster here wanted to achieve with ivy over a pre-existing chain link fence.

The non-opaque options require less maintenance and last longer than wood privacy fences.

If a tenant still requires privacy, a privacy screen built on a one or two sides of porch or deck, or at a strategic point in a yard, can update a place nicely and inexpensively while looking chic and being marketable.

A 4 foot open fence suffices for most dogs. A 4 foot fence with mature shrubbery in front of it hinders Olympic jumpers.

A big issue with having your handyman do it is getting the posts set right so that they won't rot in the ground or where the weedeater touches it. Different chemicals are used now, so posts don't last as long. A reputable fence company may be able to set the posts so that they last longer than 10 years if they are on top of updated installation methods. You can also google strategies for setting posts and come up with a solution with your handyman. Make certain you know boundaries, good fence laws, good side laws, etc.

Know of flippers who had their handyman install a fence for a quick sale. Cost them multiples of what they thought they were saving.

Laura,

Tough choices.

My prospects love and ask for fencing - pets or kids or privacy.

My fenced homes rents faster than unfenced.

It is a valuable amenity.

We don't have to fence the entire yard -just enough for pets, etc.

Wood is a pain. We use vinyl for smaller installations because they look classy and don't rot or peel.

Larger yards get chain link. Satisfies the request for q fenced yard, fast and easy. No painting!

With my first rental purchased back in 1978, I've been putting up so many fences over a 46 year period. Also besides being an owner/landlord, I'm also a licensed contractor.

There is NO ONE ANSWER to your question, but here is my take on things. If your current fence is salvageable, then fixing it is one way to go. If not, there here is my solution.

1) Buy new fencing boards on sale and bind them together in a strapped pile, stored inside a metal shed to dry out over a 30 day period during a hot weather spell.. Tighten the straps and weigh down the pile of board so they dry out evenly.

2) Then apply a wood dealer on all six sides of the boards. Then using a special paint, cover over the boards again--using an exterior wood paint.

3) Then install Metal galvanized post every 8 feet and then using metal to wood brackets, install the railings. Then attach the fence boards to the rails.

I know why fences are popular but they are a pain for maintenance. Mowing and weed wracking around requires extra care. Some have a false sense of security with them in regards to pets, kids, privacy,etc. Figure your bottom line and decide if it is worth it. IF you decide to replace, remember to add it to your rent on the next increase or vacancy.

Over the years at some of our properties we've installed wooden fences.

Typically, we'll use 8'-10' pressure treated 4x4s for the posts, PT 2x4's as the rails and PT 5/4 decking for the pickets. Because we're in an area where the frost can go down a foot or more, we dig the holes 3' deep add some crushed stone to the bottom of the hole which gets tamped down. Once the 4x4 is set & braced we add more crushed stone tamping it as we go. Once we get within 5" of the top, we put some weed fabric barrier on top of the stone & add soil to finish filling the hole. For fences with pickets less than 3' tall we install 2 horizontal rails & for those over 3' we install 3 rails. These rails get tacked in place with a nail gun & secured using 3 1/2" Deckmate screws from HD. We make the pickets from 5/4 x 6" PT decking & fasten them with 2 1/2" hot dipped galvanized nails using a pneumatic nail gun. Depending upon how fancy we want the fence we sometimes rip the boards in half & make a decorative top for them. Once the fence is installed, to help preserve it we apply 2 coats of CWF to the posts, the rails & the pickets.

I've found that using crushed stone at the bottom of the holes & for back filling around the posts that theses post last 15+ years. By installing the pickets 1-2 inches above the ground & installing them with hot dipped nails they also last 15+ years. Every 10 years or so we might apply some more CFW but that's about the only maintenance we ever need to do. A couple of years ago, we had to replace a section that got damage when a tree landed on it. When I checked my records, I found that it had been installed in 1996.

Simpson strong tie or Simpson E Z mender. Gets ya through until its time for the right replacement. Used one of these on a front porch post for five or six years. Gave me time to build up funds to have whole front porch and sidewalk replaced.

It will depend on the insurance policy you have. Cash value policies depreciate all parts of a building. I am not sure how long they use but they told me a door would last only 15 years. So I would expect a fence to be in that neighborhood too.