Is it Hard to Install a Vinyl Fence?

Vinyl fencing can beautifully define the space around a property. It is a very hardy building material that will add and maintain aesthetic appeal for years to come. But, what technical aspects does the job incorporate? And, what physical demands might be required of you if considering to complete the vinyl fence installation yourself?

Installing a vinyl fence requires hauling hundreds of pounds of vinyl materials and the backbreaking task of loading, unloading, hauling and mixing thousands of pounds of concrete. It requires digging deep post holes and maneuvering heavy awkward machinery and/or unearthing thousands of pounds of rock and soil. Though the process is difficult and labor intensive, it can be completed in manageable increments. There are technical aspects to become familiarized with. But, anyone who is up for the challenge, will find the process highly rewarding. 

Installing a Vinyl Fence Follows In-sinc with the WORK HARD PLAY HARD Concept

Once the hard work of digging and installing posts has been completed. Installing the rails and pickets is actually fun–akin to an adult version of Legos–sliding and snapping the rails into place, sizing and fitting in the pickets, assembling the gate and capping the posts. Any home improvement DIY prone person can do it. And, the project’s instant gratification upon completion is second only to rolling out new sod or completing the 4,016 piece Lego Death Star–in 2 hrs 34 min.  

GONNA GIVE IT TO YOU STRAIGHT!

If you are considering to DIY a vinyl fence install, I assume key reasons are that you enjoy a hard-labor challenge and that you want to save money on labor costs. The cost savings could be a 30 to 45 percent discount from what a professional would charge.

The focus of this page is designed to give-it-to-you-straight. I want to help you understand what the 30 to 45 percent labor toll will actually cost you in terms of time and physical exertion.

Below I go into more details about the most difficult labor intensive aspects of the job you might face. I’ve also included tips to help mitigate some of these challenges. But first, I highly recommend obtaining 2-3 professional bids before tackling the project all by yourself. Meet the contractors in person, ask lots of questions. You WILL learn so much from having a pro come to your actual project site. You will discover technical specifics regarding your specific project that you never would have considered otherwise. 

Running Layout for a Vinyl Fence, Start With the End in Mind

Layout is often overlooked as a challenge to consider when installing a vinyl fence. If your perimeter has any sort of abnormal elevation gain or loss, or random obstruction, figuring out solutions can be very time-consuming and difficult.

For example, let’s say there is an elevation protrusion down the middle of a homeowner’s property? If a fence is installed without this issue being considered, the homeowner will forever have an eyebrow-shaped fence line to admire every time they are outside hosting a barbeque.

Layout solutions can be one of the most valuable things you’ll learn from having a contractor provide a bid. An AFA (American Fence Association) licensed pro who has installed a couple hundred fences–just this summer, will likely be able to recommend the easiest solutions by intuitively knowing where adjustments need to be made.  

A Stringline Can Help with Visualization

Days in advance, run your stringline as if it were your bottom fence rail. Look for problem areas and try to imagine what the fence will look like if installed without addressing the issue. Knowing whether or not it is something you could live is an important aspect of planning your layout.

Can tweaks be made to the stringline (up, down, forward, backward) to mitigate the issue? Becoming more familiar with your property in advance will help you decide what you’d like to learn most from the contractor’s visit and it will give you a better idea if they will be able to do the job and meet your expectations.

LAYOUT’s BOTTOM LINE

I absolutely hate when property owners realize during their vinyl fence bid that their property was not excavated properly when the home was built. Planning for a vinyl often reveals an oversight or neglect by prior contractors. Unfortunately, it’s occasionally an issue that must be attended to prior to installing a vinyl fence.

However, sometimes ripping out sod and/or bringing in fill can be mitigated via a smartly altered fence layout planned and implemented by an experienced professional.

There is Only One Way to Dig a Post Hole for a Vinyl Fence: STRAIGHT DOWN

The next big challenge will be digging the post holes. Consider renting a tow-behind-post-hole auger. These suckers are big and mean looking. But, don’t be intimidated by them, they are actually pretty safe and, although luggy, they are not hard to manipulate.

Please, whatever you do, don’t be tempted to buy your own little 55cc handheld for this particular project–please, just don’t. The tow behind will fit in the back of your truck, sometimes even into the back of a minivan, and, of course, it can be towed behind your vehicle. The Tow-behind will dig through any kind of soil within just a few seconds. 

THE EASY WAY IS THE HARDEST WAY: Wait, What?

First, because the tow-behind post-hole auger is so easy to use and tears through even the rockiest soil–like a two year-old into chocolate cake, it is tempting to blast your way around your property digging 50 holes in 50 minutes.

Then, since you haven’t even broken a sweat, you might decide to dig a few more holes to plant some trees and maybe some more holes for some shrubbery. And then–feeling like the friendly neighbor that you are–you might call your neighbors to find out if they have any hole digging needs you can easily remedy. . .    

Well, I’ve been there and done that. However, to dig your holes right–to dig and not have to redig your digs by hand-digging, slow and steady is the way to go. 

ROCK ON! ROCK OFF!

When you hit a big rock, you’ll know. Stop the auger, pull out, and manually remove the big rock with a post-hole digging bar. Otherwise, that big rock will send the auger way out of alignment.

The surface opening may look perfect, but that hole could be totally off down-under. Since you typically only rent the auger for a half day or so, by the time you discover the problem, you may no longer be in possession of it and you might have to dig the hole out laboriously by hand. 

It goes without saying, the job becomes more difficult as the holes require more hand-digging. Manually digging out a post hole, believe it or not, is most efficient by loosening of the soil with a post-hole digging-bar. The problem is that the sucker weighs nearly 20 pounds.

So, a poorly dug post hole with the tow-behind will require a manual dig-out with the digging-bar. Your holes will become enlarged, will require more concrete, more time and much more energy to fix and set the post–oh, and not to mention, more unplanned, trips to the hardware store for more concrete. And, wait, did I mention more concrete?

I’ve been on jobs where nearly every single hole was out of alignment down-under. . .and. . .well. . .

Installing Concrete for a Vinyl Fence: Love/Hate, mostly hate

Concrete will beautifully keep your vinyl fence in alignment for years and years. You’ll be grateful that your fence will have a solid foundation to withstand the elements.

But, it’s heavy-as-hell nasty stuff that you don’t want to be breathing in. To read more information about what kind, how much, and ways to save, check out my post here.

Usually, it’s bought in 50 to 80 pound bag increments. Let’s say you have a 50 post project–each requiring 150 lbs of concrete–that’s 7,500 lbs of crete you’ll be loading into your vehicle, unloading from your vehicle, moving it to storage, and then hauling to location. Potentially, it’s a combined 30,000 lbs of HELL (Hefting Enormous and Ludicrous Loads). 

Best Tip for Hauling Large Amounts of Concrete: MAKE A “CONCRETE BUDDY”

First, check with the Pro Desk to see if your total concrete purchase will qualify for free delivery. If it does not, it’s time to make a home-improvement-store “concrete-buddy”.

It is more socially acceptable, but not an absolute requirement, that your concrete buddy be an employee–who may even offer insincere enthusiasm to help you load your vehicle.

Load slowly. Allow your buddy to load two bags of their crete for every one of yours. Make comments on how fast they are working and how easy they make it look to toss an 80 lb bag of crete–like it’s just a fluffy pillow. This strategic technique may actually encourage them to load even faster. You’ll know this strategy has been effectively implemented when your loading reaches a 4:1 ratio. 

Regardless of what the doctor says, AVOIDANCE ISSUES ARE HEALTHY AND REDUCE STRESS

Avoid, at all costs, any unnecessary concrete relocation. Whenever possible, purchase and haul your concrete straight from the vehicle to location on the same day.

Do not be tempted to unload your truck and shape your concrete into a beautifully stacked pyramid in your garage. This is unnecessary. If overnight storage is absolutely required, just leave the concrete in the back of the truck and throw a tarp over it. 

Also, fast setting concrete does not need to be mixed. These bags can be hauled over and emptied right into their own personal hole to wait for you to just add water. Regular mix concrete, on the other hand, needs to be premixed with water.

Some contractors mix directly in the post hole with the post-hole digging bar. However, if you happen to have access to a cement mixer (not worth renting) or wheelbarrow (worth owning), these might be easier for you to mix in. 

Avoid dropping the regular mix bags next to their hole if you are only going to heft them back up and mix them in the wheelbarrow. Just dump the concrete straight from the truck into the wheelbarrow. Haul it out to location. Mix it. Set the post and fill the hole.  

NEIGHBOR FAVORS: START COLLECTING NOW

By far, the one aspect of the fence installation that takes the longest and most advance planning is the collection of neighbor favors. If at all possible, begin this process a year in advance. Take note if you catch your neighbor cheating on their spouse or witness their oldest, underage, son (who also happens to have a full-ride football scholarship) smoking dope. 

Let your neighbor know that you know what no one else knows–in advance. Then, when you call them up and ask for help hauling a quick and easy load of concrete around your fence–they will volunteer their time readily. When your project is finished and you offer them a cold one. They will thank you. 

Rails and Pickets: Smooth Sailing

Well, thanks for indulging with me a little. Main point: when installing a vinyl fence, get as much help as you can through the entire process. And, once you’ve figured out the layout and have completed the labor-intensive aspects of post holes and concrete, the whole rest of the project is enjoyable and rewarding work. That’s not to say there aren’t more technicals and additional installation details you’ll need to know. There are many.

Consulting a Professional AFA Licensed Contractor will Pay Dividends

Doing your own additional installation due-diligence and obtaining several bids can help tremendously. If your contractor proves to be a knowledgeable resource, and, if you do not plan to book with them, please demand to pay at least $100 or so for stopping by and sharing their insights. Their expertise will likely be worth more in the long run in the amount of time and hassle you’ll save from their guidance. I know this gesture would be greatly appreciated by them. Having been a contractor myself for several years, I know how hard they work–day in and day out–on projects like yours. 

Good luck with your fence installation. Cheers.