1: Government Building Requirements

Many localities have established laws and regulations on the matter of pool fencing.  The State Building Code of Connecticut states that a pool (in-ground or above-ground) must be protected by a barrier, that this barrier cannot be located near anything that would allow someone to climb over it, and that it must be at least 48 inches tall.  This is for your protection and for the protection of others.

2: The Prevention of Loitering and Unsupervised Access

A fence around your pool will keep strangers from using your pool. Additionally, a fence will keep neighborhood children from wondering into your yard and potentially having an accident.

3: Safety

Installing a fence around your pool will be one of the wisest decisions you make as a homeowner.  A pool fence can ensure your children don’t go swimming unsupervised and provide you with a feeling of reassurance.  It can also protect your pool from intruders, be they animals or neighborhood children that are not allowed in.  For the ultimate protection, choose a fence that is over four feet high and gates that use self-closing and self-latching hardware.

4: Beautification

A quality fence can accentuate your pool and add elegance to your yard.  Many fear a fence will distract from the appearance of the pool, but on the contrary it can add style and class in addition to the all-important safety benefits.  With so many styles to choose from, there is sure to be a fence to suit your needs.  If you want to show off your pool, invest in a picket or mesh fence, or for a feeling of seclusion try a privacy fence.  Try an aluminum fence if you want people to see your pool and don’t want to have to worry about fence maintenance or wear-and-tear.

5: Liability

When you are a pool owner, you assume additional liability (in case any injuries take place on your property or in your pool).  It is important to take care of yourself and those that may be affected by your pool, and a pool fence is the first step.  The installation of a pool fence can be a fast, easy, and affordable way to limit your liability you take on with pool ownership.

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Pergolas can give your Connecticut-area home a pleasing aesthetic appearance. There are several reasons to erect a new pergola. Before you decide be sure to discuss your plans with a reputable builder of pergolas in the Connecticut area.

1. Pergolas provide an entertainment area

When you install a pergola at your Connecticut-area home you have a shaded, beautiful area in which to hold family get-togethers, parties, business meetings, or neighborhood conversations. Cover your pergola with a climbing plant or add a full or partial roof canopy and it shields you from the hot summer sun.

2. Pergolas increase your home’s market value.

Realtors will tell you that adding a landscape feature like a pergola can increase the value of your home by up to five per cent. Why not increase the curb appeal of your home and add this delightful relaxation area? A pergola will make your home a stand-out in your neighborhood.

3. Start a successful garden area.

If you have always wanted a garden but felt your yard was just too small, a pergola offers a neat opportunity to exercise your green thumb. Climbing vines like honeysuckle and trumpet vine attract bees and butterflies and hummingbirds. You can enjoy the wildlife up close. Garden plants like tomatoes, grapes, strawberries, raspberries, blueberries, beans, peas and others can be purchases in vine varieties and trained to climb the walls of your pergola. You can enjoy the fruits of your labor and aid in pollination of surrounding plants.

4. Increase your privacy.

Tired of feeling as if your neighbors are part of your backyard recreation area? A pergola can add privacy without obstructing your view. Covered with climbing plants, a pergola is shady and offers privacy from prying eyes. You can add a canvas canopy to protect from the sun’s rays. You can even add a misting system to keep your pergola comfortable in hot, dry weather.

There are many great reasons to consider adding a pergola to your property. Before you make decisions about style, size, and materials for your pergola, talk to a reputable builder who specializes in these structures in the Connecticut area.

Currently, there are dozens of fence styles to choose from, with even more customizable features. One style you might want to choose is the cable rail.

Here are some reasons why you should consider getting one.

What is Cable Rail?

Among the many styles of fence available for residential or commercial use, cable rail is one of the most popular.  Cable rail generally consists of end posts, corner posts and mid posts with tension cables running through out.

The posts must be made out of a very strong material to withstand the tension from the cables and be able to handle weather damage.  Sometimes top and bottom rails are placed between the posts to ensure stability.  Depending on the use or where you’re placing the fence, any number of tension cables can be used.

Why Choose Cable Rail Over Other Types of Fence?

Three of the most popular reasons why many people decided to install a cable rail is because they are attractive, durable and affordable.

Even though this style of fence does not provide a great deal of privacy, it does give you the same amount of protection a regular fence does, without blocking the view that’s on the other side of the fence.

The presence of this fence still provides safety in discouraging intruders, and protecting pets and children from roaming out of sight. This style of fence is consistently used on decks and balconies so homeowners do not lose their view.

This style of fence is elegant and attractive, adding class to any property. Many installations are done on waterfront properties to keep high visibility of the water.

Is it as Secure as Other Styles?

Though it is not as bold or space consuming as other fences, cable rail is as secure as any other style of fence.  You might be thinking, “How can two or three tension rods keep my pets or children safe?” That is all dependent on the distance between each cable. As long as the cables are spaced close enough together, it will keep pets and children from leaving the yard or falling off a deck or balcony.

A cable rail fence is great for enhancing the appearance of your home without stealing the show.

Cable rail fencing gives a modern appearance to existing homes or a sparkling, natural look suitable to contemporary homes. It also works well indoors and outdoors.

A deer fence is a great addition to your home. Did you know that 60% of all adult deer ticks are infected with Lyme disease? Or one deer will enable the birth of 1 million deer ticks a year? It is no wonder why it is important for your family’s safety to rid deer from your property and deer fence is the only proven way to keep deer at bay.

As the name suggests, a deer fence is an enclosure that surrounds your property to protect it from the damage caused by deer and other creatures.

Did you know that deer can jump as much as eight feet high? Therefore any deer fence needs to be high and sturdy. Deer fences are typically made out of a wire mesh material, which is attached to solid metal or wooden posts.

Not sure if a deer fence is right for your home or what type of fence you should be looking at? Take a look at our three varieties of deer fence below.

Types of Deer Fencing Available

There are several variations on the traditional deer fence. When building your own fence or hiring a contractor to build one for you, there are several factors to take into consideration.

1. Steel Hex Web

Our strongest, most popular, and least visible deer fence. The steel wire is plastic-coated, which helps the 1” x 1” hexagon shape cells absorb an animal’s impact.

Available Heights: 4′, 5′, 6′, 7’3″

2. Polypropylene

A high-strength, wire fence-like mesh (in 1.75 inch squares) that is constructed with UV stable black polypropylene. This hi-tech plastic fence is 8 feet high, and is a cost-effective way to keep deer and other creatures out of your yard.

3. Woven Wire

Recently developed in New Zealand, this high-tensile fencing system uses smooth 12-1/2 gauge wire with a yield strength of 200,000 lb/square inch, or a strength of 1,600 lb for each wire.

High-tensile wire is made with carbon steel. The carbon content of this product is approximately 0.28%, which significantly increases the wire’s strength and reduces elongation. This allows you to use a smaller diameter high tensile wire to replace a thicker low carbon wire. High tensile wire can be installed using fewer posts than other deer fence products.

Woven wire is available in a variety of heights and configurations with our most popular height being 8′. The fence has a gradient vertical spacing from top to bottom 8″, 7″, 6″, 5″, 4″, 3″.

While deer are cute and may appear harmless, they can pose a threat to your health and your property. If you live in an area where deer are beginning to have more of a presence or if you live near a wooded area, consider contacting a fence contractor to install a deer fence around your property.

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There are many benefits to installing a fence on your property, and many things to consider.

Why Construct a Fence?

Safety, appearance, and privacy are among the main reasons why people decided to put up a fence. They can keep intruders out, pets and loved ones protected within, and can polish the look of your property. For decades, people have opted for the picket fence, but theremare many other suitable options these days.

Why a Picket Fence May Not be Right for You

Though picket fences are classic and seemingly timeless, they might not always be the right choice.

Wooden picket fences require upkeep and repainting and have a shorter lifespan than those made of iron, aluminum, or vinyl.

Picket fences also do not provide as much security as privacy fences, semi-privacy fences, bamboo fences, and a slew of other new styles and materials. If you are trying to keep intruders or animals out of your yard and keep your family safe within, picket fences may not be ideal.

Benefits of Building the Right Fence

Houses and properties in general can benefit a great deal from the addition of a fence.

By building the right fence for you, your family and your property, not only will it provide you with a sense of security, knowing there is a barrier between the outside world and your house.

When finding the right fence for your yard, it’s key to look at the style of your home. Depending on your location or need one style might provide more benefits than another. Cannot forget to mention that home values tend to increase with the addition of a fence.

Alternatives to a Picket Fence

These days, there are seemingly limitless options when it comes to fences.

Some alternatives include:

• Privacy/semi-privacy
• Post and rail
• Aluminum
• Wrought iron
• Deer fence
• Cable-rail
• English Garden

Each has its benefits and detriments, though the garden gates are simply a matter of taste, each is effective in its own right.

With all of these fencing options, there’s no need to limit yourself to the simple picket fence.

With the right company, you can have a beautiful and elegant fence designed specifically for your property. Making your home a little more private and attractive.

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While the answer is typically yes, there are a few items to take into consideration when deciding if you should add a fence around your property.

Before you invest in a picket fence or any other type of fence, don’t be afraid to do a little research. You want your fence to compliment your house and match the look and feel of your neighborhood, and also stand out to potential buyers down the road.

Your Neighborhood’s Curb Appeal

What does your property say about you?

The first thing you should do while determining if your home needs a fence is to drive around your neighborhood. You don’t want to have a cookie cutter house that looks the same as every other home in your neighborhood, but at the same time you don’t want it to stand out too much from the other houses.

If you are considering selling your home, you will want to make your home attractive and memorable to potential buyers.

Depending on your neighborhood, a privacy or picket fence might be a better alternative to a chain link fence. Don’t let your choice in fencing make your home stick out like a sore thumb, the overall goal of adding a fence is to improve your curb appeal.

Not sure which type of fence will increase your home’s value? Discuss your options with a fence designer at Riverside Fence.

The Look of Your Home

Not only do you want to take into consideration the look of your neighborhood, but you also want to find a fence that matches the look of your home.

Depending on the age of your home, you may want to mimic the style through the key elements (fence, driveway, door, color and decorative features) to match the style of that era. The type of fence you choose can have a huge effect on the value of your home.

Just as a swimming pool and central air can add to the value of your home, a fence can contribute a similar benefit.

Don’t just add a fence to mark the perimeter of your property – use it to help create a sense of place, accentuate landscape features, provide security, and contribute dramatically to your home’s curb appeal.

Added Privacy and Security

One of the prime reasons for building a fence is to provide security for children, pets and homeowners.

If you are selling your home, you will probably consider who the potential buyers might be. If they are new owners who have young children or pets, an attractive, well-maintained fence will be seen as an asset and certainly increase the value of your property. Oftentimes, a fence that enhances the look of your property and blends into the community is a good investment. If potential buyers want privacy for entertaining or relaxing, a fence will be viewed as a plus. If they want to install a pool, the right fence will fulfill safety and legal requirements and save them money.

Already Have a Fence – Should You Repair or Rebuild?

If you have an older fence on your property, you might be wondering if it should be repaired or rebuilt. A fence contractor can advise you on which direction you should take.

Your aim is to have a fence that gives your home a feeling of completion—like the icing on the cake. A fence that has not been properly maintained is absolutely going to reduce your home’s value and should be repaired or replaced immediately.

A fence that fits your neighborhood, matches the style of your home, and can be utilized to add an additional element of privacy and security, is a fence that will increase the value of your home.

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People are finding a way to create a home away from home in their backyard.

For a long time tree houses were only thought of as a play dwelling for children, but adults are now beginning to see the appeal of living in the sky.

Tree Houses Hold a New Meaning

For decades families have placed tree houses in their backyards for their children’s enjoyment.  Lately, however, tree houses have been showing up in different forms like spas, hotels, and resorts.

Instead of taking a weekend vacation such as camping, people are able to get the comfort of their home in a “tree house resort.”

Giving you the opportunity to live in nature without actually leaving your own home or sleeping in a tent.

Tree Houses are no Longer Just for Kids

Until recently, tree houses were a playground for children. Now adults have begun to see tree houses as a place to escape everyday life and relax.

A custom built tree house can function as a private resort in your own backyard.  Rather than spending hundreds or thousands of dollars on expensive hotels or getaways, a custom built tree house gives you the option of walking out your back door to escape to your own personal oasis in the trees.

Custom Design

With a skillful and knowledgeable team to design it; a safe, luxurious, and beautiful tree house could be a possibility for you.

These tree houses can be designed for children, teens, or adults.  They can be made as grand or as humble as you desire.

Custom tree houses can function as a playroom for your kids— a quirky guest bedroom for adventurous guests, or your secret getaway when you need a place to relax away from the chores and jobs of the real world.

Architects typically jump at the opportunity to design a tree house as it is a challenge and a way to feel like a kid again.

Closer to Nature

There is something about being in a house that’s hovering above the ground that feels magical, no matter what your age.

Custom tree houses bring you closer to nature than land houses because your house is being supported (mostly) completely by the tree itself.  The tree has your life in its limbs.  Because of this, you will inevitably feel closer to nature — on top of literally being closer to nature.

Whether you’re looking for a nice gift for your kid(s) or a small vacation home in the trees for yourself, a custom tree house could be the way for you to go.  Custom tree houses are beautiful, functional, and long lasting.

Need Help?

Are you interested in adding a customized tree house to your yard, but don’t know where to start, contact us today for your FREE estimate!

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Privacy fences are one of our most popular styles, and we are constantly fielding questions from customers about different materials, construction methods, and code issues. This blog was written to address some of the most common inquiries about this versatile fence style.

The amount of privacy fence installation we perform can be attributed to the three main features they provide: privacy (most obviously), aesthetic appeal, and pool code compliancy. There is nothing like a solid board fence to keep your property secure and private. The most common height of 6’ provides a perfect barrier to give your property a secluded feel. Having said that, all of our privacy fences are available in 2’, 3’, 4’, 5’ high, as well as 7’ and 8’ (please check if the latter two heights meet code in your town).

Tongue and Groove Fence

The aesthetic appeal of privacy fences also makes them a popular choice with our customers. The flagship style of our line is a tongue and groove fence, so named for the style of joint between the pickets (vertical boards) of the fence. This is an elegant, finished style that is available in both cedar and PVC (it is our only privacy fence style available in PVC). On our cedar tongue and groove fences, all the front rails have beveled edges, to further give a finished look to the fence. Some customers choose to put “toppers” on their tongue and groove fences. This is either a spaced picket or lattice section of fence, typically 1’ high, that serves to “open up” what some perceive as the wall-like nature of a privacy fence.

Stockade Fence

Another common privacy fence style is the stockade fence. This is the familiar one-sided style of fence built with pointed-top pickets that have a rounded-off dimension to them. An attractive and more cost-efficient style, our stockade fences stand out from other fence companies and your run-of-the-mill panels because they are built from grade #1 cedar, as opposed to spruce or pine. The pickets on a stockade fence are “butted”, meaning that they are placed directly next to each other with no joint. Due to the nature of wood, small gaps will naturally develop between the pickets as the wood expands and contracts in reaction to moisture and dryness. Like all of our wood fences, stockade style is available in any height you request. A perfect choice for privacy as well as pool fencing.

Flatboard Privacy Fence

A slightly more unique choice, and one that steps up the aesthetic appeal of the stockade fence, is our red cedar flatboard privacy fence. Built from beautiful 1” x 4” western red cedar, this fence occupies a middle ground between the framed, finished look of tongue and groove, and the more rustic stockade style. The pickets on this style fence are butted, similar to how they are on a stockade fence. The striking red cedar and dog-eared top pickets ensure that this fence style will be a subtle yet beautiful compliment to your property.

All of our cedar fences are hand-built by our craftsmen here in our Wilton workshop. This means every aspect of construction is customizable – height, rail placement, picket style, material – you name it! Call us today to discuss the privacy fence that perfect for you and your property.

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Last month, we completed our most recent custom tree house project in Greenwich, CT. This tree house, built for the client’s two young children, incorporated various play features with our standard high level of custom woodworking and finish detail. The first phase of the project was erecting a 180 sq. ft. deck platform 7′ off the ground, wrapped around a tree.

The Custom Tree House Project

For framework and support, we used all pressure-treated lumber for maximum stability and life. After laying down the cedar decking, we began construction of the 8′x9′ cabin, which when completed had a fully finished cedar interior including two bunk beds, screened windows, and a custom tongue and groove door. For access to the tree house, we built a staircase with manila rope handrails, although the more adventurous child can gain access by way of a climbing wall on the back side of the deck! For getting down, there’s also a slide! The finishing touch was building the rail system and cladding the entire house and frame in cedar half-round rails that lend a rustic yet refined log cabin-esque look to the build.

On the ground level, our customer had us incorporate such features as a swing set, hammock, and bench swing, to ensure that the parents have plenty of fun places to hang out while the kids play upstairs! See the Facebook feed below of our progress.

Contact us to begin designing your own custom tree house project!

Ranked #1 Construction Company in Fairfield County- I

The Inc. 500|5000 list represents a comprehensive look at America’s independent entrepreneurs – one of the most important segments of the economy. Riverside Fence is ranked No. 88 of the top 100 construction companies nationwide and they are the only Connecticut-based fence company to make the list. In addition, out of the 100 Connecticut-based companies on the list, Riverside Fence is ranked No. 24.

“We are thrilled to be recognized by Inc. Magazine as one of the fastest-growing companies in the US,” said Rob Kaye, Owner of Riverside Fence. “It truly is a testament to the hard work our employees put in year over year – as well as the quality construction and workmanship for which we are known and that our customers have come to expect.”

Riverside Fence was founded in 1991 and purchased in December 2006 by Rob and Nancy Kaye. Over the past seven years, the Kayes have grown the company from eight to 25 employees, all of which work out of the centralized Wilton headquarters. Easily accessible to their main service areas of Fairfield, Litchfield and Westchester counties, Riverside Fence serves customers on jobs ranging from large estates to quaint backyards and offers a wide variety of fence styles, including private, semi-private, wrought iron, bamboo, driveway gates and more.  In addition, the company manufactures all of their wood fencing onsite, which allows them to completely control the quality of their fences, as well as react to last-minute requests for add-ons to a job.

About Riverside Fence

For over 20 years, Riverside Fence has been providing residential, commercial and municipal customers in Fairfield, Litchfield and Westchester counties with quality custom fencing. Constructed of the highest quality fencing materials, the company’s fencing provides security, privacy and safety. To ensure customer satisfaction, Riverside Fence offers a two-year guarantee on all labor and a lifetime guarantee on all vinyl and aluminum fencing products. The company is licensed in Connecticut and Westchester Counties, and is a member of the American Fence Association, Better Business Bureau, National Association of Home Builders and Home Builders & Remodelers Association of Fairfield County.

About Inc.

Founded in 1979 and acquired in 2005 by Mansueto Ventures, Inc. is the only major brand dedicated exclusively to owners and managers of growing private companies, with the aim to deliver real solutions for today’s innovative company builders. Total monthly audience reach for the brand has grown significantly from 2,000,000 in 2010 to over 6,000,000 today. For more information, visit www.inc.com.

Featured Articles:

The Stamford Advocate

The Wilton Daily Voice

The Wilton Patch

What Our Clients are Saying:

“Working with your company was one of the most pleasant contractor experiences I’ve ever had.  The Fence was great, Todd was easy to work with, your installers were excellent, the product looks great, and the price was fair and honest. I wish your company did home improvement too.” – Scott

“I have worked with Riverside Fence for the past 5 years on 2 different properties in New Canaan and Darien, and I have always been pleased with the results. From the friendly courtesy of the reception desk, to the prompt onsite visits to formulate a proposal, then the manufacture of the necessary materials and finally the professional installation by a well trained crew.  You do it all and you do it well.” – Lynne

“You guys do great work at fair prices and treat your customers well.” – Russ