FAQ’s

Generally, the installers arrive sometime between 7:30am and 9:00am, depending on morning traffic, travel distance, weather, etc. Our office will notify you of any change in schedule.

You should receive an email within one week of signing your contract with Ideal Fence. That email confirms that we have received your order and you are now in our system. You will receive a series of informative emails, including estimated installation date, starting about 1 week after this confirmation. This will be our best guess on when we’ll be installing your order until about a week beforehand.
Between (i) changes on site, (ii) weather, (iii) injuries/sick days, (iv) hard digging, (v) mechanical breakdowns, (vi) cancellations or jobs that get postponed/can’t be done right now and (vii) a thousand other possible outside factors; we don’t honestly know installation dates very accurately until about a week before…and even then things can change right up to the morning of installation (rain on Monday may affect schedules Tuesday to Friday).

Depending on scope of fencing work, installation times vary significantly. An average yard will usually take one full day to dig posts and remove dirt, and one full day to complete panels. Expect 1-2 days between digging and posting to allow curing of the concrete.

Almost every customer wants their installation to happen ASAP. We are committed to honouring our lead times, and all of our orders are completed on a “first-in first-done” basis. We do our best to install every order as quickly as we can. In some cases, we must coordinate installations with other contractors in same project. For instance, landscapers, and pool installation companies.

Ideal Fence is responsible for this service. In fact, we are not permitted to start construction until the markings have been certified. However, customers are responsible for marking out private utility lines such as BBQ or pool gas lines.

Assuming you have ordered temporary fencing material (which your sales representative would have included on your contract), there are two different scenarios: If you already have a pool. On the first day of the fence installation, we will bring the safety/pool fence with us to make sure the yard is secure. If you are having a new pool installed. If a new swimming pool is being installed BEFORE your fence is being installed, and you need safety fence to keep the yard secure in the meantime, please send an email to [email protected] to let us know WHEN you are ready for safety fence.

The installation department will contact you if the installer doesn’t feel they can install your fence that day due to weather. Until you hear from us, assume nothing has changed and we are still coming.

Generally, people use their lot plans from when they purchased their homes. Your lot plan will have measurements which will help you locate your property line and mark it out before we arrive. MOST people mark out the fence line early, as this allows neighbours to see the planned installation with notice to avoid problems when the installation crew arrives on site.

Contact your sales representative ASAP. Generally, for any questions or changes to scope of work, your sales representative is the first point of contact.

PVC/Vinyl fencing material comes with long term warranty, and they are maintenance free. It is also very simple to service or repair.

PVC/Vinyl crude oil, natural gas and salt are the main raw materials used in the production of Poly Vinyl Chloride (PVC/Vinyl). In a typical back yard application, away from road-salt and snow plows, this type of fencing material can look great for more than 25 or 30 years with very minor maintenance.

We offer a wide range of styles, but the most popular ones are the Rideau (privacy) and the Mackenzie (1’ of lattice).

Ideal Fence only sources high quality fencing material and this is especially important when it comes to PVC/Vinyl products. Our qualified installers have been working with the Rhino-Fence product well over a decade.
Rhino-Fence is constructed with an innovative H-post along with rails and boards that are among the thickest and most robust in the industry. Rhino-Fence profiles are engineered and manufactured to strict tolerances which combines for a powerful, easy-to-install system. All our Rhino-Fence profiles work in harmony for precision fit which lends itself to custom styles but does not compromise the strength of the fence. This flexibility yet strength of the fence offers homeowners the look that fits their needs.
Rhino-Fence won’t rot, split, splinter or decay. Rhino-Fence is a proven innovative fence system that can withstand the harsh northern climates. With Homeland’s ACCU-Shield coating, it’s easy to see why Rhino-Fence has been a market favorite in and around Canada for over 15 years.

Bottoms rails are reinforced with galvanized steel channel, and every post is reinforced with an aluminum stiffener for added support.

It is very easy to succumb to the lure of a “cheaper” PVC/Vinyl product. Some of the issues homeowners in Ottawa have had to contend with over the years include: excessive product fading, chalking, cracking in colder weather, scratch marks, splitting of surface film, etc. Due to the costs involved in setting up to manufacture quality PVC/Vinyl, purchasing PVC/Vinyl resin at a reasonable price (a world oil commodity), and the costs associated with constantly measuring manufacturing tolerances, the manufacturing of PVC/Vinyl is best left to large manufacturers. One of the advantages of the larger manufacturers is that they will be running many extruders at the same time. This allows them the opportunity to have a quality assurance department. One person is constantly taking samples of the product and measuring over 100 different variables. Not to worry, our consultants can provide you with the necessary resources to help you avoid making this mistake.

We offer Tan, Adobe (resembling Taupe), and White

Chain Link is an economical, long lasting and maintenance-free fencing material making it a popular choice for homeowners with children, pets or a pool or hot-tub. Easy to install, Chain Link provides safety and security without breaking the bank.

The most popular choice is Black because it blends in with most surroundings. But other colours include: White, Brown, and Green. It’s important to note that city by-laws require chain link mesh match all framework in colour. Framework is powder coated steel, and the mesh is vinyl coated.

We do offer polyethylene privacy slats, but it should be noted that standard residential Chain Link fence systems are not typically designed to hold the snow and wind loads that is incurred when adding privacy slats. We strongly recommend that people who are looking at Chain Link for privacy because of the attractive price should research alternatives first (i.e., wood or vinyl fences).

Chain Link is manufactured in many different heights, wire gauges and diamond sizes.

Typically, the size of the framework only changes with the height of the fence – 6’ high will require stronger framework than 5’ high. There are other factors that may affect requirements such as proximity to street plowing and pool by-law regulations. Our consultants will guide you through this process.

We use the most popular types: Western Red Cedar, Pressure Treated, and Eastern White Cedar. Specific residential/commercial applications may require Grade 1 Pine.

The main reason homeowners chose wood fencing material is simple – aesthetics! It’s an excellent reason. Wood is a great option for building a custom looking fence.
Pressure Treated wood fences may not look as refined as Cedar fences, but they offer a privacy fence option at a lower price. It’s a popular choice for first-time home buyers who are not planning to live in the same residence longer than a few years.

We value our reputation and source the highest quality products for all our consumers. Western Red Cedar is a select tight knot. All boards are graded after milling and kiln drying to provide quality control and a superior product. This is essential for Western Red Cedar projects where stability is required.
Our Eastern White Cedar is a grade #1 – the highest grade for Eastern White Cedar production. the #1 board is useable on both faces and is characterized by sound, tight knots and no open defects. This grade is used primarily in the manufacture of high end fencing and any interior or exterior finishing work requiring a board with lots of character.
Our Pressure Treated Brown MicroPro Sienna uses the only wood preservative technology that is low VOC and certified as an Environmentally Preferable Product. Innovative colour pigment technology gives the treated wood a warm, finished look. The advanced wood preservative technology provides a high-quality appearance lumber.

Western Red Cedar continues to offer the greatest value for meeting customer expectations

Eastern White Cedar is a relative of Western Red however, because the average white cedar tree is so much smaller, the lumber is quite a bit knottier and weaker than red. The grain is straight; shrinkage is low; and decay resistance is very high for either Red Cedar is from the Rocky Mountains. White Cedar is from the Northeast part of Canada. Mostly due to shipping costs, White Cedar is a lower priced alternative for customers in the Greater Ottawa region.

Pressure Treated Lumber is a cost saving alternative, spraying wood that would not typically be used outdoors with chemicals that deter insects, rot or fungi. This chemical treatment is not meant to hold colour, and while customers should expect to save money, they should also expect to see greatly increased levels of splitting, cracking, twisting and/or cupping.

Although Western Red Cedar will weather over time to a silver-gray color that might be appealing for some, applying protective finish provides the best long-term results both from an aesthetic and performance point of view. For Pressure Treated Lumber effective water repellants will retard the impact of moisture in the wood and thereby help reduce splitting, cracking and twisting that is common with these types of wood.

National Research Council has projected that wood posts should be changed between 9-12 years. Properly finished, any of our wood panel products can look great and perform well for more than 20 years, but height off the ground, distance between posts, wind load and snow load are all factors that challenge the total years of service.

Wood fences are best installed at least 2″ above ground level. Wood that is touching the ground will rot at an accelerated rate and may cause the entire fence to heave with frost.