Issue link: https://read.dmtmag.com/i/588129
52 • NOVEMBER 2015 • WORLD FENCE NEWS THE HUMAN LINK by Jim Lucci Management Motivational Associates This month, I have been asked to re-visit the topic of getting your crews properly prepared in advance for fence installations. As many of you have heard me say before, in different venues, there should be no real mys- tery when it comes to clearing fence lines and setting up for the next phase of installation. However, when we have helpers involved, many times it is necessary to supervise them very closely as they have, in some cases, created some in- teresting problems when left to their own devices, as many of you know. Well, perhaps this is a good time to review a few thoughts regarding some procedures that may help you with the "learning curve" for some of neighbors because "assumptions" were made, and we all know the old saying that "assume" will make an "ass" of "u" and "me"! Suffice it to say that building a fence on neighbor- ing property can be a costly mistake. Make sure that your information is accurate and that the fence is go- ing to be installed completely on your customer's side of the property line before starting the job. The next step that should be tak- en is to make sure that the location of any underground utilities is known. Call at least 48 hours in advance of the planned work to allow time for marking of utilities. This will provide a safety margin for you and your com- pany. I should remind you, at this point, that this service does not identify pri- vate installation locations of things such as outdoor barbecue gas lines, decorative utility lighting wiring, etc., that were installed by the property owner. (Editor's note: The one-call sys- tem is now easier to use than ever, with the nationwide 811 number now in place. For more information, visit www.call811.com.) Once the utilities have been lo- cated and marked, remove brush, any loose rocks, small trees and tall grass from the fence line. (This would all have been previously discussed with the customer so that there are none of those "surprises" facing the crew when they arrive on the site.) Fence construction time is con- siderably reduced when the fenceline is well-cleared ahead of time. The ap- pearance of the finished fence is also improved at the same time. Often, the worst part of preparing to erect the new fence is clearing away the old fence. Because many fenc- es have been "patched up" for years, rather than being replaced, there is often a tangled succession of fence with new wire on old parts, new posts knocked in at intervals, wires attached to trees and so on. I am sure many of you have seen it all! However, I am still somewhat sur- prised to hear from the newer contrac- tors that they didn't realize how much "tear-out" was involved and they didn't figure on the extra time and cost, so consequently they didn't get enough for the job and therefore didn't get their margins. A word to the wise should be sufficient! Many contractors, over the years, have told me that when they first start- ed out, they tried to "salvage" mate- rials for use on other jobs down the road. For instance, they were going to straighten out the chain link fabric or perhaps try to save and use other your helpers. With that in mind, let me start by saying that it is critical at the outset to make sure of the exact location of the property lines. If the information pro- vided by the plot-plan or final survey cannot be easily re-created due to the passage of time, or the disappearance of survey markers, then the property lines where the fence is to go must be re-surveyed for the protection of all parties concerned. I have heard stories – horror sto- ries – that have occurred between Mysteries are for TV and books: Some simple thoughts regarding preparation for fence installation continued on page 54 At Western Tube & Conduit customer satisfaction and quality are the first order of business. Our Fencepost and Fencerail production is ISO-9001:2008 certified - and our products are manufactured to meet all the applicable state, federal, industrial and regulatory specifications and requirements. While we regularly stock standardized products and sizes, we are happy to provide custom dimensions as well. All our Fence products are galvanized with high purity zinc. We use high frequency welding (ERW) to turn the highest quality strip steel into tubing, and then a continuous hot-galvanizing process to zinc-coat the products smoothly and evenly. A zinc-rich interior organic coating, a chromate conversion coating, and a clear exterior organic coating provide the complete finish package that gives them superior protection against the elements and long life as a result. Gal-Z serves customers looking for shaped Fence tubing as well as corrosion-protected mechanical tubing. It can be purchased in squares and in rectangles, and it provides excellent environmental durability while also fulfilling the need for strength and weldability.