Fencing contractor?

[kalianna]

But now you have a yard full of chemicals.

[terracore]

The way the fencing contractors "get you" is regardless of what you want they boil the "estimate" down to a "per foot" quote and don't give a cost breakdown. If memory serves, when I got quotes from multiple sources 7-8 years ago the "going rate" for INSTALLED livestock fencing was about $8/foot. The better class 3 fencing was going for $150 for a 330 foot roll at the time at the feed stores and the galvanized fence posts were about $8 each (Price includes 3 fence clips per post). Sale prices are about the same today. So figure the fence is roughly 50 cents per foot after tax and gasoline to fetch, let's say galvanized posts are put every 10 feet that comes out to .85ish cents per foot so a fencing project costs about $1.35/foot- add concrete, gates, fixtures etc lets just call it $2.00 per linear foot in materials. Plus $6.00 more per foot if you want somebody to do it for you. Depending on your situation and budget you might want more fence posts, for example one every 8 feet instead of 10. In lean times I've gone every 12 feet- it will keep sheep in but not so good at keeping pigs out.

Since estimates are free, I recommend you get them. Get 4 estimates per contractor: 1) Full job. 2) Posts only (installed). 3) Post holes only. 4) Materials only.

You can price the materials at Dels and Mirandas. Don't get any painted fence posts (galvanized only)*. They frequently have sales and sometimes the savings are very significant on a larger project. It's worth getting a rain check if they sell out. (I know for sure Dels does rain checks). Only get quotes for class 3 galvanized fencing*. Home Depot only sells class 1 fencing and their prices suck even at that. I've used the galvanized fence posts from HD and so far they are comparable with everybody else, but the oldest ones I have are only about 2 years old (about when they started selling them here). The only fencing supplies I would get at HD are galvanized T-posts, post driver, and things like gate latches. Everything else is garbage. Their big painted driveway / livestock gates might be okay for 10-15 years (I've looked at them) but somebody who has actually tried them would have to comment on that.

* Although our vog is currently minimal that hasn't always been the case. Vog makes rain acidic and if you mix galvanized fencing with non galvanized posts the acidic rain acts as an electrolyte and the non galvanized post and galvanized fencing as anode and cathode (or vice versa I forget) creating a weak electrolysis that will cause your fence posts to corrode much much faster than what just rust can do to them. But add the rust of the tropics into the mix and the paint will just fall off and the posts literally appear to melt away over a few years, especially if they are up against heavy vegetation where they can't often dry out.

Lastly, I'm not aware of galvanized T posts having a class rating like fence. Fence is class 1-3 but T posts are just galvanized or not. Your T-post options are USA or Chinese at Mirandas. I don't remember about Dels. HD is Chinese only. As far as I know HD does not include the fence clips with T post purchase. But regardless they are cheap.

ETA: "INSTALLED"

[Aki]

Thanks again for all the further insightful comments and suggestions...

[MarkP]

I made concrete corner posts by stacking up 12" x 12" CMU column blocks. Figure out where the column needs to be, drill oversize holes for the rebar vertically into the bedrock so you have 3 or 4 sticks of rebar sticking up almost the height of the required post. The instructions for anchoring cement said a hole 1/2" larger on all sides than the item to be anchored so I used 1 1 1/2" bit and 1/2" rebar. I located the rebar so there was 1/2" to 1" clearance from the inside of the concrete bocks. I used only 3 bars at the 3 outermost corners figuring the pull after tensioning the fence would always be to the inside so no rebar on the inside corner. Prop the first block up at ground level with stones to hold it level and pour it half full of concrete and let it set up. After that lay the rest in mortar like a regular wall and grout solid with concrete as you go. Incredibly strong concrete post achieved with simple tools. Hammer drill required but jackhammer not required. Maybe you could get satisfactory results with a single rebar in the center.

Had some problems. Drill into a big void and all the anchoring cement drains away before it can set up. If you have a mix of bluerock and rubble you wind up digging down to something more solid and maybe in those cases a jackhammer would be just as good and faster. Anyway I did the column block thing.

[allensylves]

The guy that just put in a fence for us said he did not like a 1 1/2 inch bit because it is too loose. He used a 1 1/4 inch bit so the T-post is tight. A Dewalt electric hammer drill with a 1 1/4 inch bit worked fine in regular lava. It is a lot easier to run a heavy 100' extension cord than air hose. I don't know how it would do in blue rock.
Del's had a very poor selection of parts for the gate and was sold out of gates on Dec. 16. We got the T-posts and round 2 3/8 inch pipe end/gate posts at HD and the gate and hardware at Mirandas.

Allen
Finally in HPP

[MarkP]

I rented a 1 3/8" bit that seemed to work better than the 1 1/2" bit because it was tight where some of the posts were loose in the 1 1/2" holes. I own a 1 1/2" bit so that's what I use cause I'm cheap. Good to know 1 1/4" will work.

[KiminPL]

quote:

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Originally posted by kalianna

But now you have a yard full of chemicals.

---

Not for long. We have this thing called rain and being that everything is lava, it gets diluted and washed out really fast. But the pigs remember the chemicals.

[terracore]

Where can I get a a 1 1/4" bit?

"you need something to pull against when stretching the fence."

I've used trees, even smallish ones. Using a tow strap plus the 12' on the hand winch I can use a tree pretty far off in the distance. Haven't had the strap snap on me yet, though when I'm around it I always act like it might. I've even used two tow straps including a really cheap looking one that came with an "emergency kit" I found with the spare in a used car I bought here. I even used the cheapo to move a 20' shipping container sitting on blocks with pipes.

Almost forgot- NEVER install fencing unless you know exactly where the property line is. Getting that marked is probably it's own thread....

ETA: tow strap / property line

[allensylves]

Sorry, but I can't suggest a source for a 1 1/4 bit since mine came with the drill and bits that I bought on Ebay. I would try ordering it from Home Depot.

Allen
Finally in HPP

[HereOnThePrimalEdge]

But now you have a yard full of chemicals.
...
Not for long. the pigs remember the chemicals.

Before anyone spends money on bags of N-P-K as pig repellent, a Google search might save you some money.

Use the search terms "feral hog crop damage" or some variation. You'll find that the destruction of fields, golf courses, and parks which can be attributed to feral hogs totals around $2 billion per year in the US. Some of the most heavily damaged land is also the most extensively fertilized and chemically treated, having been regularly and repeatedly doused in commercial sprays and pellets for half a century or more. You have to ask yourself, if chemical lawn fertilizer repelled feral pigs, wouldn't cropland and golf courses be immune from their damage?

Your money may be better spent from the get-go on fencing and the 1 1/4" bits you'll most likely need for effective protection of your gardens and trees.