How hard is it to put up a fence in a rocky yard?

Question

We just moved into a new house, which is GREAT except for the fact that the yard is not fenced in. We have two dogs - a lab and a weimaraner - who are both very active, so keeping them inside all the time is not an option. We shopped around, and can get all of the equipment and supplies to fence the yard ourselves for about $1000. my husband has done it before, but not in a place nearly as rocky as our yard. (the house is built into the side of a mountain, so ther's only a thin layer of dirt and grass, but LOTS of rocks.) My question is, how much harder would it be to put up the fence ourselves with all this rock? Would it even be worth it, or should we just hire someone to do it?

Answer 1

Yep..rent a jack hammer from your local tool rental.

Answer 2

I think it comes down to cost vs. time/effort.  How much is your (husband's) time/sweat/possibly tears worth?

While something CAN be done by oneself, is the saved money and sense of accomplishment worth it?  It's satisfying to do the work yourself.  For me, my time is always an issue, so I'm typically willing to pay for convenience.  Especially concerning a difficult task (which renting and using the hammer will be).  Have you gotten a quote from anyone?  They're usually free.  I would personally get the quote and then make the decision.

Answer 3

i agree..........rent a jack hammer..........and if you cant get that much deeper than concrete the fence post in that will hold it up

Answer 4

if you have a thin layer of dirt over a thick layer of rock you might need to rent a jackhammer to drill your post holes, but after that little obstacle is cleared, you should be ok.

Remember, it's not a problem, it's a challenge!  = )

Answer 5

Valid question.  I have tried digging in typical mountain rocky soil and it proved to be a chore just digging up a few small trees.  If your husband can count on a friend to help, he can rent a 2 man gas-powered auger that will get the job done.  It still won't be easy if he runs into extra large rock, but with patience and a lot of sweat it will save a lot of money doing it yourself.  Once the holes are dug, the rest is easy.