Fencing For Zoo: A Guide To Getting The Most Out Of Your Time And Monetary InvestmentFinding the right fencing material for your property can be a very daunting task. The reason is that there is a lot of variety in the market today that makes it a tall order to get the right material. In this search, there is a lot of temptation to choose the first fencing material that you come across just to get the selection process over and done with as quickly as possible. Who really wants to spend long hours and expend pain staking effort for something as deceptively simple as fence selection? Wouldn’t you rather catch the game or catch up with family and friends with that time? Well, tempted as you might be to overlook everything and just choose a fence out of the blue, you could be risking a lot. In fact, you could wind up getting a fence that is totally not the right fit for you. It could be deficient in so many areas and therefore wind up as a total waste of time installing and money spent buying it. So what should you do? How can you get the most out of your investment? After all, no one truly buys a fence just so that they could get the business of buying out of the way? There was a reason why you decided you needed a fence in the first place, right? If you own a zoo, for example, not any kind of fencing will do. Zoos have special demands that only a carefully selected fence can meet. This article explores what you need to do in order to get the right kind of fence that will address any and mostly all the demands you might have regarding zoos. How To Choose A Good Zoo FenceSince you have decided it is time to have fencing for zoo installed in your property, you need to take a step back. This is essential because the overall temptation for most buyers as was highlighted above is to rush through the selection process. Selecting a good fencing for zoo requires of us tremendous patience and effort. This section breaks down what you need to select a good zoo fence.Know The Size Of Your Property FirstSeem like a no-brainer, doesn’t it? Well, this first step is usually overlooked or relegated to other stages in the fence installation process. If you are to get a fence that will do its job well, you first need to know how large the perimeter it will occupy first.While there are many ways of ascertaining the distance around your property, the most efficient way is to use survey maps. These maps are, for the most part, very accurate. You can secure them at your local housing authority if you don’t have them. Most people usually buy the fencing material first and then measure the length of the property. The problem with this is that you run the risk of either getting too much material or too little material. Whichever the result is, it is a terrible investment that could burn a hole in your pocket regardless. You should always keep the size of the perimeter in mind because you will use it later in the fencing for zoo installation. |
Research On The Types Of Fencing For Zoo Materials In The MarketWhen you are looking to install a fencing for zoo on your property that you tamp down any hastiness about choosing the material so that you can choose the best material overall. If you are looking for materials for the fence, you will be best served to look for material that meets a certain criteria first.You need criteria, or a list of demands, because it will help you run through the ginormous quantity of information on your search engine result pages quickly. A cursory glance through the results from the search engines should be enough to give you a substantial list to work with. Plus, it will save you tremendous time and effort looking through the various websites presented in the search engines. So what make a good zoo fence? This will be covered in a later section of this article.It is always a good idea to keep in mind that the right fence is always there. All you have to do is just put in the time and effort to do it. Simplifying the job by having a key list of requirements will be tremendously helpful in the search for fencing for zoo material.Once you have found fences that meet your criteria, compile a price list for budgeting purposes. The latter will be highlighted in detail. Know what the rules and regulations say about fencingBefore you can commence on any fencing works on your zoo property, you will have to read up on the various rules and regulations that govern such an activity. Apart from knowing the size of the property, most people overlook the legal aspect as well. When this happens, they wind up paying a very hefty price for it.Like it is often quite remarked, ‘ignorance of the law is never a defense’, pleading unawareness about laws and regulations governing fencing will not save you. Then why not just learn about the law and use it to guide you when you install the fence. Because zoo fencing is vital part of safety for both the animals and the public. Going for the bare minimum might get you passed by the inspector from the local authority but it might not be enough to keep the people safe. Therefore, you must go for designs that provide optimal safety for the public and the animals. You are probably wondering where to start learning about the law governing fence installation. Luckily for you there are numerous resources at your disposal. Visiting your local housing authority website, for example, could give you a breakdown of what you need to do. If they don’t have a website, which is quite unlikely, then visiting their offices and talking to them should provide you a lot of insight into what you need to do so that you can ensure that fencing for zoo project you are undertaking is above board and compliant to the rules and regulations. Alternatively, you could ask advice from a contractor. If they are great at their job, they could provide you with this and a lot more information you can use to make a better choice for the fencing material.
Create A BudgetSince you have compiled a list of fencing materials and already know the length of the property you want covered, it is time to come up with a good budget. Normally, those two bits of information would be enough to come up with a good budget that you will stick to the entire process. However, there are other aspects that you should consider when you want to undertake fencing for zoo on your property.One critical aspect is labor cost. The scale of this project doesn’t allow for DIY to save cost. You will have to spend money so that you can get the project up and running as quickly as possible. To this end, hiring a qualified contractor should be on the cards. The selection criteria for the company is at your discretion and there will be a lot of pointers along the way. Aside from the labor cost, you will also have to consider an allowance for emergencies on the site. Usually, this figure will be like 20 percent of the overall cost of materials and labor. The essence of having this extra cash on hand is that you can be better poised to deal with various emergencies should they rear their head at the most inappropriate times. As much it is an optional thing, having it just in case is very prudent. Once you have those four aspects nailed down well, you are better placed to start out on your fencing for zoo project. It has to be reiterated that proper planning and research should be at the top of your mind when you want to install a fence on your property. Failure to plan could resort in catastrophic losses as well. Choosing A Good Contractor For The Fence Installation JobJust a having the right materials is essential to fence installation job, having the right crew work on the fence is crucial as well. The value of the work a contractor does cannot be overstated. You might harbor ambitions to do the project yourself and might as well have the right acumen for the job. However, jobs very large scale could result in you getting way in over your head.By having a contractor undertake the job for you, this act saves you time and effort overall. So how can you find a good contractor for your fencing for zoo installation job and what truly makes a good contractor? Because zoos house wild animals, you need to ensure that the fence put up is strong and sturdy. It should handle anything and still come out on top. However, it has to be installed first. This section explores the most important steps you ought to take so that you can find the right contractor for the fencing installation job. Get ReferralsThis method is probably the most effective one when it comes to choosing a fencing for zoo contractor. It is effective because it eliminates all the grunt work of having to sift through countless resumes and you clear testimonies of people that have used a certain contractor before.When you are using this method, it is always a good idea for you to do some recon work first. Visit various zoos and observe the fencing materials they use and the design they employed. Is the design efficient, elegant and functional? Is the fencing material they use of the right quality? The onus is on you to decide whether or not the fencing for zoo material and design of the fence would be a good fit for you overall. Thereafter, you can consult the guy in charge of the fencing aspect of the zoo to get a referral.
Use Local Business Directories To Get Contractors For Your JobIf you can’t find people to give you referrals or you weren’t satisfied by the fences you encountered in your recon work, you can use the internet to find a contractor to work with.Since the internet is filled with very many options to choose, it would be a good idea for you to have a system similar to the one mentioned earlier for choosing fencing material. This will ensure that you get through the list quickly and in an efficient manner. If you use a local business directory, you will probably get reliable contractors faster than you would in search engines. This can be attributed to the fact that search engines aren’t as thorough about background checks as directories. Using local directories first in coming up with a list of alternatives to choose from will make the selection easier. If you were to use the search engines to locate a fencing contractor in your immediate vicinity, then you will benefit a lot from being very specific in your search. Include your location in your search for the fencing for zoo query you type into the search box. The essence of having so many quality options to choose from is to ensure that whichever individual you finally settle on, you get maximum value for the time and money you spent. Ask The Right QuestionsHaving quality options is just a small step in getting the right fencing for zoo contractor to work on fencing your property. After you have put together a list of options to choose from, it is time to vet them. The best way to go about this is to ask them relevant questions so as to tease out answers that relate to your project. Think of the answers they give you as a kind of portrait of the end result of the job.The Basic Questions Include The Following:a) Do they have the necessary experience- You should always ask the contractors the number of years they have been in the business and the number of projects they have handled. Going for a seasoned pro will give you peace of mind because you know that they can do the job well and meet all the requirements for installation that are required by you and the law.b) Do they have the right licenses and certifications- Going for a qualified fencing contractor who does everything by the book saves you from liability and loss. It is always very risky going for individuals that don’t have proven track record, let alone the right certifications for the job. At worst, they probably don’t know what they are doing and this could compromise the integrity of the fence you have put up. You should be very direct when asking this question. Don’t dilly dally! Go straight to the point. c) Are they insured- Every legitimate business with customers at the heart of their considerations has insurance. Contractors dealing in fencing for zoo must have insurance because it not only protects them but you and your property as well. The last thing you want is to have a mess on your hands that you might have to pay for because your contractors didn’t have insurance and you didn’t bother to check if they did.
d) Do they have contracts for jobs they do- When you want to hire a contractor to install your zoo fencing material, you must ask them what the terms of engagement are. Don’t overlook this critical step because it is designed to hold people to account for the jobs they do. Contracts that are clearly spelt out and iron clad do just that_ keep the parties honest. Any company that doesn’t have contracts for their clients should be avoided at all costs. If you settle for a company then you should ensure that you go over the contract. Underline what you have to and highlight what you must in order to get a clear handle of what it is you are getting yourself into. If there are parts that are unclear, clarify them as quickly as possible so that nothing gets lost in translation. e) How do they take care of waste materials-Construction sites produce a lot of waste products therefore, it is imperative that their disposal gets handled effectively and efficiently. The contractors should inform you of the strategies that they will employ so that you can get a clear picture of what to expect. Bringing this aspect up will help you determine whether or not they even get rid of waste materials that they generate. It is often recommended that you should hire a company that takes care of them because clean-up and disposal of these materials by yourself is a time consuming and very tedious experience. Let it fall on the shoulders of those who worked on the site.
f) Do they have a portfolio- It is not enough to simply choose a company because you trust they have worked on fencing for zoo before, you must have proof that they actually worked on fences before. It is important that when you are looking to hire a company that will install the fencing for zoo on your property, you ask for a portfolio of past works done. This way, you can know what to expect when you eventually hire them. Choosing a good contractor is an investment. You must put in time and considerable effort to get a good person that will install the fence well, bringing out its outstanding qualities to the fore.
Types Of Zoo Fencing MaterialsLow-gauge wire meshWire mesh is very popular fencing material that is not only efficient in containing animals but also very sturdy. When subjected to immense pressure, then fence holds up quite nicely and doesn’t break. The most common type of wire mesh fence for fencing for zoo is low-gauge galvanized wire mesh. This type of wire mesh is strong and resistant to corrosion.In order to get the most out of it, you need to ensure that you check it from time to time. If worn out, replace it promptly. If there is a danger of animals burrowing under the fence, using a concrete slab should ensure that doesn’t happen. Electrified FencingElectrified fencing is ideal fencing for zoos because the pulses shock animals that get near it trying force their way outside. It is good for training animals not cross zones that are out of bounds because they will associate crossing the area with shock.Concrete FencingThis material is ideal because it is long lasting, secure and very strong. Very high walls are a deterrent to any animal that wants to get out, hence keeping the public safe.The Benefits Of Using Zoo FencingThere are a lot of benefits that you stand to gain with a good fence. Below are the main ones:1. You keep the animals and public safe- There needs to be clear separation between the people and animals in the pens and overall fence in the property. To this end a good fence should do just the trick. In addition, a fence contains the animals in a secluded place so that they can avoid getting infections or infestations or quarantine them should they suffer the same. Caring for zoo animals requires one to be very vigilant and contain any infections to prevent them spreading and getting out of control. Fence ensure this is done. 2. You avoid liability- By investing in a high quality fence in conjunction with manpower to keep an eye out for the animals, you can avoid getting sued or being penalized because of being perceived as negligent. If you are looking for fence with the right qualities, you will need to explore other things as well so that you can get the best out of the fence. By sticking to the aforementioned suggestions, you will be better positioned to get the benefits that come with a good fence. |