There’s no such thing as a common fence, and so commercial fences come in all shapes and sizes. Let’s learn more about commercial fencing and what to consider when getting commercial fencing for your business.
Commercial Fencing Options
Your basic fence is chain-link. Basic metal chain link is standard. Galvanized is the cheapest option.
Chain link with slots is another option. Slotted chain link can be any color. It can be blue, brown, or green.
You can’t add slats to a chain link fence. It has to come with slats because it’s a little wider to fit them.
Commercial Fencing Services in DE
Vinyl-coated chain link is a step up from your normal galvanized chain link. It looks better that way.
Exclusion fencing helps reduce wild dog numbers and prevent predators from entering. Focusing on completing sections quickly helps protect the area during construction.
Erecting fences creates employment and many man-hours. Fencing projects bring optimism and job creation to local communities, boosting business confidence.
Ornamental Iron Panels and Security
You can kick it up with ornamental iron. This would be an upgrade.
If you’re trying to keep bad guys out, you go to an ornamental iron fence with really sharp tips. That’s going to keep people from climbing over that fence. Most of the time, we’re trying to keep people out with fencing.
Oftentimes the panels come already pre-made. All we have to do is take them out and install them in the field.
Thick gauge wire and vinyl-coated fence is more expensive than a chain-link fence. It is less expensive than a traditional ornamental iron fence. It looks good, is decorative, effective, and keeps people out. Really hard to climb this fence.
Gate Considerations
Another thing to keep in mind when it comes to fencing is the gates. Most of the stuff is assembled in the field, but gates have to be built in the fab shop and taken out to the job.
Wide automated gates are really heavy. You’ve got to have a good motor to make this thing open and close.
You’ve got things like your loops that open the gate when you want to come out. It’s automated, so you’ve got clickers to get you in. Gates can really drive up the price of your fence.
Proper Construction and Workmanship
The biggest mistake people make is that they don’t put a top rail on the fence. If you don’t put a top rail on the fence, the fence isn’t going to hold up. Without the top rail, it’s not going to hold together.
Poor workmanship happens when installers are lazy and don’t get it right. Slats should be going vertical, not diagonal.
The well constructed fence has a slatted fence so people can’t see in, with a top rail well done.
Project Specifications and Requirements
One of the benefits of commercial fences is that everyone is exactly clear on what they want. Meaning you’ll get specs and you’ll get diagrams.
You’ll have to submit shop drawings to show your product meets the specifications so it can be approved. You get the layout of exactly where this fence is going, what you’re installing, and how you’re installing it.
Commercial fencing is cut and dry. Here’s what needs to be installed, when it needs to be installed by, and how it will be paid. It’s a business transaction. If you need residential, commercial, industrial, or agricultural fencing, contact us.
Cash Flow Considerations
Starting a commercial is a little bit tougher from a cash flow perspective. Commercials have longer turn times on your money. Typically, commercials do not give deposits.
Commercial projects have drawn on larger projects. Milestone payments happen on purchase order is issued, materials show up, halfway through the project, and at completion of the project. Each of those milestones has its own payment terms, like net 15, net 30, or net 60.
Commercial projects can be straight up 30 days or 60 days after project completion to get paid. Corporate policy can be net 120, waiting four months to get paid for your work.
You’ve got to get your cash flow figured out. Make sure you have a line of credit you can draw against to float through your first several big projects.
Budgeting and Profit Margins
Prices for materials and prices for labor are unstable. Maintaining profit margin gives you a little bit of cushion and wiggle room.
There are way too many options for you to figure this out on your own. Everything starts with a budget. You want to get together with somebody who knows fencing and knows the options, and can go over those options with you and build your fence into your budget.
