For someone with a modest amount of home improvement experience, a pool fence installation is something that can be handled on a DIY-basis. This is not necessarily an easy construction job, but it isn’t the most difficult task in the world, either. As long as you have basic tools, some solid building skills, and the patience to follow instructions carefully, you may be able to handle this job from start to finish without the help of a pro.

Where to Purchase a Pool Fence

One of the nice advantages to having your pool fence professionally installed is the fact that the installer will have a supplier that they can use to acquire the fence itself. You probably don’t have such connections. However, that doesn’t mean that you are stuck.

There are a variety of places that you can purchase a pool fence as an individual homeowner. Some of the possible options include the following –

• Home improvement store. You may be able to get everything you need for your fence by taking a trip to your local home improvement store, such as Home Depot or Lowe’s. The availability of the materials will depend in large part on your geographical location. These kinds of stores are far more likely to carry pool fencing in regions where backyard pools are a common feature.
• Direct from a manufacturer. If you know exactly what kind of fence you want to purchase, the manufacturer may sell directly to consumers without needing to go through a middleman or installer. A quick web search will be all that is necessary to discover manufacturer websites, and you can gather information from there.
• Used from the internet. One option you may not have considered previously is buying your pool fence used from a variety of web locations, like Craigslist. If you are looking to save money, this is the option for you. Of course, since this is safety equipment, you need to be careful about what you purchase, and always make sure it is in good condition.

Fence Installation Tools

The specific list of tools that you are going to need for your installation will depend on the type of fence you choose. For instance, the tools needed for a mesh pool fence project will vary quite significantly from those used when installing a wrought iron fence.

To start with, you are certainly going to want to have the basic hand tools that are common in most garages. Things like screwdrivers, pliers, wrenches, etc. Most likely, if you are even considering handling this job on a DIY-basis, you probably already have these things around the house.

One of the more specialized pieces of gear that you are likely to need is known as a core drill. If you are going to be drilling holes into concrete in order to set your poles, the regular cordless drill you already have in the garage isn’t going to cut it. You need a tool which has been specifically designed for this kind of work. If you don’t plan on doing this kind of project again anytime soon, it may be a better option to just rent a core drill rather than purchasing one of your own.

As an alternative, you could opt to contract out this small bit of the work to a professional. A pro contractor would already have the equipment needed, and he or she would also have experience drilling into concrete. You could still handle most of the job yourself while paying someone to complete this task.

Pool Fence Planning

You don’t want this project to turn into one of those things that you start – and only finish a year later. If you are going to do this as a DIY job, you need to plan it out carefully before getting started. Make sure you have all of the materials and tools on hand, and make sure you have enough time in your schedule to get things done properly.

In the end, this is a project you need to get right if it is going to serve your property in a positive manner. The fence needs to be installed correctly, it needs to meet all of the relevant codes, and it need to perform for years to come. If you are confident in your ability to get the job done, then proceeding in a DIY manner is an appropriate choice. Otherwise, turn it over to the pros and let them handle the dirty work for you.