How to address problems that may arise during a strata fence install?
When you sign off on having a new fence installed at your strata, you’ll be told by one of our estimators that the completed project will be beautiful at the end, but there will be some short-term pain during the fence installation process. A good fence should only be replaced once every 25 – 30 years. A quality fence will save your strata thousands of dollars in maintenance costs long-term and increase your property value exponentially. With that having been said, a fence installation can be a disruptive procedure that creates some problems in the short term. This blog pertains to addressing those issues as quickly and efficiently as possible.
During your project, proper lines of communication must be maintained at all times. If you have any questions or concerns that cannot be taken care of by our onsite Project Manager, please contact our Client Care team at clientcare@premiumfence.ca.
We conduct a “dial before you dig” before we start any project to ensure that the client will be taken care of if we compromise any of the following:
- A gas line.
- Internet and cable.
- Hydro.
- Sewage.
We will be addressing three of the most common problems that are not on this list throughout the rest of the article.
#1- Damage to Irrigation and drainage tile.
Sometimes we hit a sprinkler or drainage line while working on your fence project. Sprinkler systems may have been installed without any thought about fence replacement. They may even be set right against the fence. When irrigation systems get installed, there is rarely a map provided. If the system was installed correctly, there would be room for us to service the fence. If the strata provide a map before the job starts, we will take responsibility for the broken line.
If a map is not provided, then the strata will need to take responsibility for covering the costs of any sprinkler lines we hit throughout the project. We can offer a small extra to cover irrigation in-house, or the strata can have their own irrigation company do it.
#2 – Damage to Electrical systems
This is very similar to sprinkler systems; we may compromise some electrical work that runs underground for Lighting along the walkways and electrical components of the sprinkler system. When electrical or irrigation systems are installed, a map is rarely provided. If the strata provide a map before the job starts, we will take responsibility for the broken line.
Again, if a map is not provided, then the strata will need to take responsibility for covering the costs of any electrical or sprinkler lines we hit throughout the project.
#3 Damage to your landscaping:
Because our crews cannot walk on air all the time, we will likely do some temporary damage to your landscaping in areas near the fence lines. In most cases, the landscaping will recover on its own, however, if we do wreck your garden or grass, we will repair it. A lot of backyards in strata are different. For instance, if a resident has put pavers in her back yard up against the fence line, we will need to move them aside, and won’t necessarily relocate them back to their original position. If the strata want us to put everything back, we can provide that service at an extra cost.
The crew will need to access the patios and backyards to work. A clear space of 3 feet on one side of the fence is required. Anything that has been attached to the fence must be removed i.e. vines, hose holders, planters, plant hangers, ornaments, etc. Any planters or raised beds built directly against the fence must be removed prior to work commencing. Please have any pet feces in your yard removed prior to the project starting!
Conclusion:
We know that you may have some follow-up questions. Feel free to call or email us with any questions that you may have about our strata fence solutions, a member of our support team will be happy to assist you. We pride ourselves on having the best customer service in the industry. We care about our clients and are genuinely grateful for their business.
