Updated:
8.3.2024
Afence transformation is a cornerstone project for any home. It can not only elevate the appeal of your home but also bolsters privacy and security, transforming your outdoor space in a matter of days.
Uprooting your old fence and getting a new one installed can feel overwhelming. From selecting a design and materials to understanding the financial outlay, there’s a lot of decisions to make — but the results are a game-changer.
If you have an older home, a new fence can be an impactful way to breath life into your backyard. And if you have a newer home, it can be seen as that final puzzle piece bringing your space together.
We’ve delved into four homeowner success stories, asking them all the essential questions to equip you with insights for your future fence transformation.
We asked them:
Before: Phil’s fence was unsightly and a safety hazard.
Homeowner: Phil, from Hutt Valley
Q: What was the vision for your project?
A: I decided I wanted to move to Australia this year.
The fence started falling apart a couple of years ago, and I had it on the backburner. So, when I decided to fix up a few things in the house to prepare it for new tenants, this was one of the first things I chose to get done.
Two things stood out; it looked unsightly from the other side, as the timber was rotting; and I wanted to improve its safety for kids.
So, I was looking for something sturdy. I just needed a good solid fence. As you can see, I haven’t even painted it yet.
Q: What did you look for in a tradie?
A: I was looking for a good price and a quality finish.
When communicating with them, I got a bit of a feel for how easy it might be. From there, they came to quote.
I ended up with three quotes in the end. One was too expensive for me, and the other two, I could have gone either way. I ended up just choosing one I had a slightly better feel for: Essential Homes Construction.
After: Essential Homes Construction brought privacy, safety and street appeal to Phil’s backyard.
Q: How do you feel about the results?
A: I was really happy with the fence transformation.
It cost a little bit more than I initially thought. But building expenses have increased astronomically over the last few years, and I haven’t had anything done like that to my home in a while.
The workmanship, the communication, the product — I was happy with it all. So the payoff was good.
I’ve just handed the house over to the tenants. But it’s a good little space, and has been well used over the years.
Q: In hindsight, would you do anything differently?
A: No, I was happy, and I’d be more than happy to use Builderscrack again. I got lots of interest in the other jobs that I posted, and got a good outcome from them too.
Q: Advice for other homeowners?
A: I guess I was a little bit worried that when I got someone to quote, I’d feel like I had to choose them, but that’s the beauty of having multiple to choose from.
“Just give it a go. Put your job on Builderscrack and see what happens.”
Before: With a future sale on the cards, this old fence needed some serious attention.
Homeowner: James, from North Shore
Q: What was the vision for your project?
A: The new fence was for my brother’s home. We were talking about selling it and the fence was a big barrier as it could have fallen over at any moment.
The old fence was run down and the retaining wall was about 30 years old, so it was at the end of its life.
To add to that, there were issues with the spacing of the fence, where the existing holes had deteriorated.
My brother and I started preparations to do the work ourselves, and that’s when I realised there was no way we could do it alone. We needed to take it out and redo it, which was quite a big job.
Q: What did you look for in a tradie?
A: Someone who sounded like they knew what they were doing. Price was important because we were selling the home, so it couldn’t be too expensive. But it needed to be a proper job.
We chose Moa, who had set up his own business, M A S Construction limited.
After: M A S Construction Ltd designed the new part of the fence like-for-like to the original.
Q: How do you feel about the results?
A: Very happy. I’ve used Builderscrack quite a few times over the years and sometimes it’s been quite specialist work, so I haven’t always been successful. But this time, we were lucky.
I was happy with the way he communicated. It was a win-win — he was happy to do the job and I was happy with the results.
Q: In hindsight, would you do anything differently?
“No, M A S Construction were really good. I don’t think it could have worked out better.”
Q: Advice for other homeowners?
A: Find someone you can work with. That’s really the key; someone who is a good person to work with because they might be able to do the job, and be terrible communicators.
For us that wasn’t the case. They also cleaned up after themselves which was a bonus.
Before: Laura’s fence was dilapidated, rotting and lacked any kind of street appeal.
Homeowner: Laura, from Christchurch
Q: What was the vision for your project?
A: I’m prepping it for sale and the real estate agent told me I need to get it done. I wanted to improve the aesthetic appeal as that was a big concern for me.
The old fence was unappealing and inadequate. I wanted it to be more appealing, with a bit of sound proofing and privacy.
Q: What did you look for in a tradie?
A: I go for the highest rating and workmanship.
After: A successful fence transformation done by Habitat design & build limited.
Q: How do you feel about the results?
A: Good. He did a good job.
Q: In hindsight, would you do anything differently?
A: Probably just get it done sooner!
Q: Advice for other homeowners?
A: I guess it’s easier said than done. So, ultimately you need to be able to afford to get it done. Budgeting is a great place to start.
“Get it done if you can. It’s made a huge difference to my property.”
Before: Harsh Christchurch winds left this warped corrugated fence ready for a do-over.
Homeowner: Naomi, from Christchurch
Q: What was the vision for your project?
A: The back fence was rotten and warped from last year’s winds. So, I rang my insurance company and they gave me the go ahead to find someone to get it repaired.
The fence was years and years old and it was a corrugated one. It was sharp and rusted — a safety hazard.
Overall, I wanted it to be safe and give me the added privacy.
Q: What did you look for in a tradie?
A: I look for reviews, and I look for pricing. But I mostly look for someone that’s down to earth.
I always use Builderscrack and always get good results. I can fish through and find people that look at me without judgment, and don’t overprice their quotes. They give me that respect, which I appreciate.
After: This project called for an entirely new look and material, which will be sturdy for years to come.
Q: How do you feel about the results?
A: Oh, absolutely brilliant. There’s no comparison really. The before and after of my fence transformation was basically compost versus perfection.
It was a busy time for fencing back then. Even my insurance company said that, but he did it within the week. He came out and quoted the job and then had the physical work done in two days. I was very impressed.
I do a lot of things myself, so I’m quite picky on how things are done if I’m not able to do it myself. And he definitely surpassed what I wanted.
Q: In hindsight, would you do anything differently?
A: No, I’m very happy with the workmanship. Very happy with how straight up and straightforward he was, and how quickly he came out to my home.
Q: Advice for other homeowners?
A: Builderscrack is so easy to use, and I always recommend it to other people. The selection is just as good, if not better than calling around.
These are guys that know what they’re doing. I’ve made many new contacts who I’m sure I’ll keep in touch with if I ever need them again. I also pass them onto other people.
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Thank You
A huge thank you to our homeowners, Phil, James, Laura and Naomi for sharing your fence transformation stories, and the tradies who made it happen.
