Professional vs DIY Vinyl Fence Installation: What’s Right For You?

We’ve all been there, haven’t we? You’re planning a DIY home improvement project — may be the construction of a new outhouse or a replastering of a wall — and you think, “Yeah, I reckon I can do this myself.”

And while it’s undeniably more fun to get your hands dirty digging holes and sweating it out, DIY vinyl fence installation isn’t always the best idea.

If we’re talking vinyl fencing, a DIY fence installation might seem like an attractive option. But you’ll be missing out on the finesse and expertise of professional fence installation. 

Is it worth it to build a fence yourself? Let’s find out.

Professional vs. DIY vinyl fence installation: Cost

In terms of dollars spent, DIY is undoubtedly cheaper than professional fence installation. 

You may find that a professional can get materials slightly cheaper than you could, but by doing all the labor yourself, you save some cash — despite paying more in sweat and stress.

The winner? DIY

Professional vs. DIY vinyl fence installation: Time

Depending on your yard’s size, you could end up having to dedicate a week to digging out the perimeter and installing your new vinyl fence.

But a professional fence contractor? They can have it done in half the time or less — leaving you to enjoy your yard again sooner and saving you a week of hard work.

It’s not just the build time that is important, though. 

If anything unexpected comes up during the project — you find your soil is not as soft as you thought or that half the holes you dug are not quite straight — could add days to an already lengthy DIY build.

Professional vinyl fence installers have seen it all before, and they know how to avoid or fix these issues. The professionals take this round for both a shorter build timeframe and a much lower chance of delays.

The winner? Professionals

Professional vs. DIY vinyl fence installation: Design

While neither you nor a professional contractor will ‘design’ the fence, you may well have different ideas about what’s possible and attractive.

If you plan a DIY vinyl fence installation, you might take some time to research various products from a couple of places and find a design that looks “pretty good.”

If you were to consult a pro, they would likely know hundreds of different products and be able to find one that is much closer to what you imagined.

Experience shines through here, and the professionals make it 2-1.

The winner? Professionals

Professional vs. DIY vinyl fence installation: Compliance

There are several rules and regulations associated with fencing. Fail to follow these, and you could land a bigger bill than you expected.

Sure, it’s not rocket science. But the guidelines aren’t that easy to understand — especially if you’re not familiar with building regulations in general. You could waste many hours getting your head around them, or barrel on and risk getting it wrong.

Of course, this headache goes away entirely if you leave the building work to the professionals, so they will win this round.

The winner? Professionals

Professional vs. DIY vinyl fence installation: Quality

Vinyl fencing is a quality product, so things like longevity, durability, and kid/pet-friendliness are guaranteed whether you go DIY or professional.

You could argue that the quality of the installation work would vary. But not wanting to knock anyone’s DIY skills, we are going to say that the quality of the end product is the same either way.

The winner? It’s a tie.

The final verdict

It was close at the start, but the professionals soon ran away with the game. 

A DIY vinyl fence installation is always an option, but do you really want to save a bit of cash for all the troubles you could be taking on?

Hey, at least you win, either way, thanks to your sensible decision to install beautiful vinyl fencing! If you do decide to hire a fence contractor, check out our tips for hiring a fence professional.