Why investing in a good fence ups your property value

A fence plays a key role in a homestead. Most homeowners erect fences of their choice for privacy and security reasons.

Think of having a swimming pool in front of your building and a good fence obstructing the unwarranted view of passers-by comes to mind.

This is if the neighbouring houses aren’t towering storey edifices. There are various fencing materials that a homeowner can go for depending on the cost.

Take the example of the wooden, live (hedges), galvanised iron sheets, metal railings, chain-links, wire mesh and concrete fences, and the value they may add to your property in case of resale.

Joseph Mburu, who installs razor and electric fences as well as architectural wiring such as CCTV installations, underscores the usefulness of fences.

“You cannot underestimate the value of a fence. Think of one in terms of providing you with security, keeping intruders at bay and the privacy it accords your place,” he says.

He says a fence would be critical for pets and kids living close to a road, as it keeps them enclosed in. “It would be unfortunate if a kid or pet would have wandered out of an unfenced place and be run over by a vehicle or get stolen,” he adds.

 Land grabbers

What should one consider in choosing the fencing materials? “Go for what is durable. What can withstand the vagaries of weather or what is affordable to you,” says Mburu.

A good fence can keep away land grabbers.

Some fences, he notes, require little maintenance. For live fences, keep them well-trimmed. Uncontrolled growth gives them a poor impression.

Fencing materials such as wood are susceptible to the vagaries of weather, termites attack and rot.

This would require treatment of poles to avoid constant replacement. The same holds for iron sheets fence, which wear off through rusting. Painting can help prolong them.

Solomon Ng’ang’a, an architect, roots for maintenance-free fences. This, he notes, will cut costs as a fence needing regular maintenance can be an unnecessary drain to a homeowner and is less appealing.

A home buyer, he says, would consider the type of fence surrounding the property for privacy and security purposes.

See-through fences such as chain-links, picket and metal railing ones do not offer much privacy or security even for a property in an upmarket address.

“If such a property, no matter how appealing it is, is in a place prone to crime, no buyer would be interested in it,” observed Ng’ang’a.

Also, a fence can enhance the decorative appeal to a property. This can increase its resale value. “Think of the artistic masonry. A fence is like an investment which must bring one good returns,” he says.