One sees a lot of different types of wood fence in the Boston area, with Boston cedar fence being most popular.

Plain old cedar privacy fence is seen a lot in the suburbs; however, as you get into the city itself, you start to come across smaller yards and more distinct architecture ? so that a smorgasbord of different fence designs becomes the rule, nit the exception. In Boston proper you don't see quite as many fences as in some other cities; Boston is the third smallest major city in the U.S.in terms of square miles, but the fifth highest in population density. However, the classic, timeless look which only wood fence can give is ideal for a city with so much history that it practically comes out of the faucets!

If you want to put up wood fence on your property, you'll have to decide on a fence design which suits your home and your property. In suburban Boston, you can put up really any kind of fence you want; though the stockade picket fence is the most popular. Also common in suburban areas is 6' cedar privacy fencing. Both of these fences are more commonly seen with newer construction. Older colonial homes, on the other hand, are better suited by more traditional fencing ? as are newer homes which emulate their look.

In the city proper, the homeowner can decide what works best for the particular features of their home. Brownstones which are common in many neighborhoods often have low picket fencing out front which delineates property lines without hampering the sense of close-knit community which is famously a part of Boston neighborhoods. Backyard Boston wood fencing may feature either these same low picket fences or higher basketweave privacy fences which turn a backyard even in the most crowded urban area into your own private oasis.

Based on the information we gather from homeowners who hire Boston wood fence builders, we can give you a pretty close estimate of how much you can expect to pay if you hire someone to build a wood fence for you. Most of the wood fence installations performed in the Boston area by a contractor working with us ran between $1,000 and $4,000 with $2,500 being the average cost including materials and labor. The time involved was an average of two weeks (pretty good), with four weeks being the slowest and eight days the fastest. The longer a job lasted, the more expensive the installation was; just as you'd expect.

So for you as a Greater Boston homeowner, what does all of this mean? For homeowners, it's actually good news. The prices of Boston wood fencing are more or less consistent in the area so as long as you find a good contractor to work with, you can be sure of getting your money's worth out of your wood fence. For a Boston wood fence, Boston cedar fence is what you want. The hot, humid summers and harsh winters; not to mention the Nor'easters and offshore storms seen here call for durable woods. Cedar's natural oils repel moisture, making the best choice for the sometimes harsh weather of New England.

To keep it looking its best and preventing weather damage, you'll have to treat a cedar fence every five to ten years. However, compared to other woods, cedar is still a great choice for wood fencing. If not cedar, the next best is pressure treated lumber ? and if you want to keep that fence for the long run, you should paint it. Also, always check into the track record of any contractor you're considering if you want to make sure they'll build you a fence that will last. While you might have to spend a little time doing the research it's time well spent to get a Boston cedar fence worthy of the City on a Hill.