Completing an extensive yard renovation project? Retaining walls, patios, fencing, decks, gardens, trees and shrubs, maybe even a swimming pool? It can be daunting to try and coordinate the logistics of when and how every step should be completed, but there are resources that can help you organize and execute your vision in the best way possible.
Of course, we look at this yard renovation timeline from a fence company’s perspective. Installing a fence too soon in the process can greatly limit access to your yard, making it much more difficult, time consuming, and costly to complete other projects. Installing a fence too late in the process may create disruption or disorder in some already completed projects. It is important to complete the fence installation at the proper time to avoid extra cost and effort.
We suggest following this order when scheduling each step of your complete yard renovation project. . .
Excavation, Brush and Tree Removal- Demolition! First you must create room for the area you wish to upgrade! Remove any trees, brush, or stumps that will inhibit your renovation. Renovating requires a clean slate to begin with!
Grading– Grading means adjusting the overall slope of your yard to control water runoff. It is also used to level certain areas or change them to accommodate for hardscaped areas like patios. Grading creates the foundation on which to build your vision.
Retaining Walls– Retaining walls could be considered a hardscape feature, but also have a lot to do with grading. It is appropriately the step in between both of those things. Retaining walls are great for creating interest, depth, and divisions in a large space. They are also perfect for making an otherwise hilly and unusable space into a very usable area. Such walls should be completed before any other hardscaping is done.
Hardscaping and Structures– Patios, decks, sheds, walkways. . . anything that will be inanimate in your renovation project (aside from fencing) needs to come next in the process. This step also includes the construction of your swimming pool. Everything except for filling the pool with water should be completed at this stage.
Note: The pool MUST NOT be filled with water until there is a proper pool code compliant fence installed around it. Your pool company should steer you in the right direction concerning the timeline of all the pool details.
Learn more about pool code compliant fences here!
Garden beds– It is a good idea to at least begin the construction of your garden beds before the fence goes in, but do not complete them until the fence is installed! Simply map out where they will go and complete the excavation of the areas, but leave the planting and mulching unfinished until after the fence is installed.
Fencing– We recommend waiting until this stage to install fencing for a few reasons. . .
- Construction crews need easy and wide access to the yard to do grading and construction work on hardscape features. Fencing will inhibit this access.
- Some layouts require the fence to be installed in patio pavers, concrete, asphalt, or even retaining walls. Those features need to be completed before we can install the fence.
- The nature of fence installation puts small plants at risk of being trampled. Make your installers’ jobs a little easier and prevent the risk of losing your new plants by scheduling the fence installation first before completing the final landscape details.
- The fence needs to be completed BEFORE the swimming pool is filled for safety reasons
Swimming pool (water)– Now that you have a pool code compliant fence, your pool can be filled with water. This will also be the time when your pool area and fence are inspected by the County to ensure they meet safety code standards.
Final details – All cleanup, planting, and mulching should happen at this stage. The finishing touches are what will make the entire project come together at the end of the process!
Enjoy– We hope you have gleaned some wisdom from this post that will help you plan the details of your yard remodeling project. Our goal is to set you up for a successful and stress-free process! We are convinced that careful planning will give you even more enjoyment out of your new space when the work is done!
Have questions about fencing? Please call us at 301-663-4000 or shoot us an email to sales@frederickfence.com. We would love to discuss your project with you!
