A fence around your property can provide you with protection against intruders and with a measure of privacy, but it should be attractive and work well with your property's overall appearance. You also need to consider the materials used for fencing—for example, some are more durable than others and some are not recommended for when you have a pool. Note a few important factors to discuss with a fencing contractor before you have a new home fence installed.

1. Choosing material

Most fencing materials have their own pros and cons, and you simply need to choose which will work for you while being aware of its drawbacks. For example, wood fences are very versatile since you can paint them a different color very easily, so you can keep a crisp white one year and then opt for a russet red to match your home's brickwork another year. They also offer maximum privacy. However, wood can easily rot when exposed to the water and chemicals used in pools.

Iron bar fences are very traditional and offer your home maximum security since they're difficult to climb, but you need to check if there are legal requirements as to the width of the gap between bars. These also don't offer much privacy. On the other hand, tall glass fences are good for use around pools as they hold up well against the chemicals and water exposure, and they're very hard to scale so they keep your pool secure.

2. Choosing or creating a design

The design of your fence is important as it serves as a backdrop for your property. For instance, a solid fence can easily overwhelm a small space. In some cases you may want to work with a contractor to actually create a design. For instance, consider adding thick wooden beams between sections of plain wire fence, to make it look more stately. You might also add glass sections to a wood fence so that it doesn't seem so claustrophobic in your small yard.

Be sure you choose a design in keeping with your home. If you have a country house, choose wood beams rather than a wrought iron fence, as wrought iron looks more stately, but wood is associated with the countryside and ranches. If you have a traditional home in the suburbs, a white picket fence is always a classic choice, whereas a glass fence may look too modern. Remember that your fence needs to last for years, so you want to take your time and work with your contractor to create a design that you'll love.

For more information, contact a company like DBS Fencing.