Getting a fence professionally installed is a move that a lot of homeowners end up making. While the task can be done by an individual, it makes more sense to hire someone who can do it correctly (and not take weeks or months to complete it).

Cost is always going to be a factor, and there is no way around spending at least a little bit of money to make sure that it is done at a high quality. With that being said, there are some ways to keep fence installation cost down. Here are a few things to consider when budgeting for a fence company to install.

Fence material

A lot of fencing is going to be needed in order to properly in close part of a property. The type of fencing used can make a pretty big difference from a cost perspective.

The cheapest option for most people to consider is a chain link fence. These usually fall in the $10-$15 range per foot. A wood fence is about in the same price range, although it tends to be a few dollars more per foot.

For more premium options, vinyl and aluminum are going to be a little bit more costly. Vinyl usually runs for about $30 per foot, while aluminum is closer to $40 per foot. One of these four materials is likely to be used by just about any person putting up a fence. The material that makes the most sense is going to depend on how the rest of the property looks.

Fence installation cost

A normal fence company usually charges by the hour, and people should expect about $30-$50 per hour in most cases. Materials used are going to be roughly the same from company to company, but workers who know what they are doing and can be very efficient with time are going to be the best to go with.

One thing to keep in mind is that the more fence posts that actually need to be installed, the more expensive the overall installation will be. Every post needs to be set up with concrete, and that takes time and money.

Other special cases

It’s important to ask if there are potentially any special cases when a new fence goes up. For example, a hilly property might need special care in order to make the fence sit properly. Maybe special permits need to be polled to make sure that the fence can go up in the first place. Ask questions when discussing things with any fence company so that there are no huge surprises later on.

A crawl space is an important part of a building. This is where the plumbing, gas lines, electrical cables and duct work often run. When a home has been raised a few feet off the ground, a crawl space is automatically created. Unfortunately, many homeowners often fail to inspect the crawl spaces underneath their homes. When inspecting your home, you should never forget to inspect the crawl space. After all, it does not make sense to inspect the roof, gutters, basement and other parts of the house, but fail to check what is underneath the floor.

It is important to note that leaving off the crawl space inspection can lead to serious problems in your home. For instance, the floor of your home may be weakened due to excessive humidity underneath the floor. Mold and mildew may also start growing on your property. Below are some of the things to watch out for during a crawl space inspection:

1. Rodents

During winter, the crawl space in your home will be much warmer than the surroundings. As a result, rats, squirrels, raccoons and mice can make the crawl space their home. Since these rodents are known to reproduce fast, they will quickly form an army that can eat and damage your insulation, electrical wiring and PVC pipes. That is why you need to inspect and maintain the crawl space regularly.

2. High Humidity

Excess moisture in the crawl space will allow mold to grow in the crawl space. If you notice excessive humidity or mold in the crawl space during inspection, be sure to check your plumbing for any leaks. Please note that the high humidity in the crawl space can lead to water damage, which can compromise the wooden supports of the building and the insulation material.

3. Pests

If you notice a lot of roaches, termites or other types of pests in the crawl space, you should act fast to ensure the termites do not destroy the wooden supports and floor. Performing a thorough crawl space inspection prevents your home from becoming infested.

Depending on what you discover during your crawl space inspection, you should hire a pest exterminator and fix any water leaks that may have caused the water damage. Be sure to also replace damaged insulation and fix damaged PVC pipes and electrical wires. It would be best to hire an expert to inspect your home if you do not know how to do it.

Did you know that you can save a ridiculous amount of money by replacing the incandescent light bulbs in your home with the energy-saving LED light bulbs? If you are still sitting on the fence between incandescent and LED lights, you ought to know that LED technology, apart from being environmentally friendly, can cut down your electricity bill by over 50 percent. Here’s everything you need to know about LED lights and why it’s time to make the switch from traditional light bulbs to LED.

What is LED lighting?

Light emitting diodes, abbreviated as LED, refers to a technology where light is produced by passing a voltage to negatively charged semiconductors, which in turn causes electrons to combine and emit light. Nowadays, manufacturers combine multiple LEDs into a single light bulb for a superior lighting experience. Generally, LED technology tends to produce light bulbs that are long-lasting and more efficient compared to incandescent and compact fluorescent lamps (CFLs).

Why choose LED lights?

Environmentally-friendly

Apart from the arguments of lifespan, efficiency and lower lighting costs, LEDs are the most environmentally- friendly lighting solution available on the market today. Indeed, apart from being recyclable, LEDs don’t contain mercury and other toxic substances found in conventional light bulbs.

Longer useful life

When you factor in the standard lifespan of a light bulb, regular CFLs and incandescent light bulbs pale in comparison to the LEDs. To put it into perspective, the average lifespan of a CFL life bulb is roughly 8000 hours, while incandescent bulbs barely go over 1200 hours. LEDs, on the other hand, can manage an impressive 50,000 hours before calling it quits. With such a long lifespan, LEDs make for an excellent investment in both commercial and residential premises.

Energy efficiency

Currently, LED technology is taking over the lighting industry by storm and with good reasons. When it comes to energy efficiency, LED has a significant lead over other lighting technologies. The demand for electricity is at an all-time high, especially for city dwellers, and with this high demand comes the rising cost of power. However, by opting for the ultra- energy efficient LED light bulbs, you stand to save up to 70% of energy costs.

A house is never just the four walls that you see on the outside. It is the love that lives on the inside. It is backyard BBQs and first steps walked. It is good morning kisses and bedtime stories… and so many things in between. Because your house is never just a house, but a home, it makes sense that you want a home that caters to your family, your lifestyle and your everyday life. Here are 3 reasons to not buy straight off the market, but instead cater your home to YOU with a custom home builder:

You Choose Counter Height.

If you are an at-home chef, and you are either short or tall, you may have trouble getting around the island and counters to really enjoy the cooking that you are doing. It is a little hard to chop a pepper or core an apple when the counter is either way too high or too low for you to comfortably prepare your meal. With a custom home, you can be picky. You can choose the height of your counters to perfectly coincide with what height that you need to make cooking a fun experience.

You Can Create an Adventure.

Do you have kids? Let the custom experts make your home an adventure for your children. From nooks and crannies to secret doors, a custom home has no rules. Should their closet lead into the library? A playroom? Should there be a slide that takes them straight down to dinner time? Whatever you can dream up, an expert team is able to make your dreams come to life. Talk it over with your kids and get them in on it too. Remember, this is where their memories are being made.

You Get All You Want and Nothing You Do Not.

We have all lived in a house where we had a room or area we didn’t know what to do with. In a custom home, you never have any unused spaces because you choose the spaces yourself. Win/win.

When you get ready to build a home sweet home… make sure it is just that – SWEET and yours.

A home built according to your needs will serve you much better than anything you could find on the market. However, planning and construction can be tricky. It will take more effort to ensure that everything turns out just the way that you want it to. Hiring an excellent custom home builder in Boise, Idaho will make the process a whole lot easier. Do the following while searching for the right one:

Get Trusted Referrals

You want a custom home builder that can deliver on their promises. The best ones to ask about this are people who have already built their own homes. They can tell you about their experiences with the companies that helped them. Ask them whether they would hire these again if they could do it all over. Get as many referrals as possible from trusted individuals such as your friends, relatives, and co-workers.

Perform Background Checks

Once you have compiled a list of builders, you can start performing a background check on each of them. Every business worth its salt has a website these days. They contain information on the company’s history, service offerings, past projects, and key people. Go ahead and visit them to learn more about what you are dealing with. See if their projects are similar to what you have in mind.

Set Up a Meeting

Trim down the list based on the result of your background check. Set up a meeting with each of the builders still up for consideration. Use this opportunity to step into their offices and get a feel for the way they do business. Tell them the detail of your plan and see if they can offer valuable comments and suggestions. You should be able to sense their eagerness to work with you.

Study the Bids

Based on your conversation, they should be able to have a good picture of the house that you want to build. Be candid about your budget for the project so that they can adjust accordingly. Ask them to submit a bid with a complete breakdown of the costs. There could be great variation in the type of materials, cost of labor, and length of construction. Study each of the bids carefully to find the best value for money.