If you have a lot of board fence to paint and no time

[Alpha_Mare]

In other words, if you are going to hire a painter for your fence (purchased with the property) what is a reasonable rate? I was quoted $1 per board foot, including posts. Painter said he had worked with neighbors (who have lovely black fence) and previous owner.

Last painting was possibly 8 years ago, if this is true some of it has held up remarkably well, other portions of fence are showing wear and tear and do need to be redone.

I have way too much to do to take care of other deferred maintenance on my new-to-me farm while working desk job full time so would need to hire someone in any event.

[clanter]

[QUOTE=Alpha Mare;7693971]
I was quoted $1 per board foot, including posts…[/QUOTE]

Running foot of fence ?? board feet would be calculated per rail per foot

Is this quoted assumed to mean all sides, edges

[Bleeting]

[QUOTE=Alpha Mare;7693971]
I was quoted $1 per board foot, including posts. [/QUOTE]

Please let this be ridiculously high! I have about 4,000’ of fence I have not gotten around to painting/getting a quote to paint, I didn’t expect it to cost anywhere near that.

[Alpha_Mare]

I took it to mean per rail per foot, both sides. For an 8’ length of fence that would be $8, post included. It was a verbal quote and I would want it in writing before proceeding. I’m told that two guys have a sprayer and a third drives the truck behind and they go down the fence line.

My fence is one board on top of no-climb wire. Round posts.

[Emilia]

We were quoted the same price in NoVA. However, we have a three board fence and the price was for one foot as a section (front and back), not one foot per board.

If they only have one board to paint and the posts, that sounds little steep to me.

I would check around little more.

Being cheap horse people, as one COTHer summed us all up in a thread about barn help, we ended up doing it ourselves, but we had some spare time at that moment.

[ladyj79]

Yes, definitely do it yourself, if it’s not worth the price to pay a competent person!

Says the COTHer who called horse people cheap, and completely stands by that assertion

I’m sure she’ll see this, because she’s a COTHer and this situation had to stick in her mind as well, but I was visiting a friend’s farm a few years back, and she had “hired” her sister who was home from college and wanted a little spending money to paint her fences. Now, I don’t know what she was paying her sister, but I do know that her sister was there for less than fifteen minutes, I think painted a board and a half on one side, and in one section of three board fencing, and then left and didn’t come back…because “girl problems,” via text message. It was hilarious!! My friend was less amused.

If you want a job done correctly, hire a professional and pay the going rate, or do it yourself.

[Emilia]

Ha, ha, I know, it was you Ladyj79, but I could not recall the number behind your name, so did not name you specifically. My apologies for not crediting you properly.

With our family, the shoe fits, so I am not offended at all.

We frequently get quotes for various farm projects, then, when they come, our jaw drops and we tell ourselves: “Eh, no way, we are paying THAT kind of money. How hard can it be anyway?” :lol:

Sometimes, all works out well, sometimes, not so much.

[LauraKY]

$1/linear foot is a good price for someone who is competent…3 board or 4 board?

[Bleeting]

[QUOTE=Alpha Mare;7694028]
I took it to mean per rail per foot, both sides. For an 8’ length of fence that would be $8, post included. [/QUOTE]

Do you really hate the look of the natural wood then? That’s over double what it cost me to build three board fence, and that’s paying someone else to do it.

[fooler]

DH and I painted 6 paddocks, 3 board fences with sprayer rather quickly. For us the biggest problem/time waster was setting the extension electric cables for the sprayer.
Must add - DH had multiple home building/repair companies in the past, including home painting. So he is very knowledgeable about what type of paint to use, how best to use it (brush or spray), and most importantly how each paint type works or doesn’t work in a sprayer. That knowledge is worth a lot.
If these guys are setup properly, including a generator to run the sprayer, then they should be able to complete the process quickly and well.
Will ask DH what he would charge - with him buying the paint or with the client supplying the paint.

[LauraKY]

[QUOTE=Alpha Mare;7694028]
I took it to mean per rail per foot, both sides. For an 8’ length of fence that would be $8, post included. It was a verbal quote and I would want it in writing before proceeding. I’m told that two guys have a sprayer and a third drives the truck behind and they go down the fence line.

My fence is one board on top of no-climb wire. Round posts.[/QUOTE]

Just a sight rail? $1 is high, at least for around here.

[Guilherme]

From Home Depot you can get a good outdoor sprayer for $600, a 5500 watt contractor grade generator for $600, and a wagon to carry everything for $100.

Pull the wagon with an ATV or small tractor (or a horse if you’ve got one trained ) and you’re in business.

You do have to buy the paint but when you’re done you’ve still got the spray rig, generator, and wagon to sell or keep.

G.

[ThirdCharm]

High school boys painted my fence, by hand, for $8/hour several years ago. It is not a task which takes an astonishing level of skill.

Jennifer

[Alpha_Mare]

Thanks Coth peeps for your info and ideas.

fyi as more background, the fences span 45 acres, too large for extension cords. The painter has a mobile, truck-mounted sprayer/generator.

The fences are already painted black - some of the paddocks seem to be wearing more now with wood showing through and others look very good with paint/stain solid. The previous owners may have staggered their painting - not sure. Of course the recent repairs are bare wood and they stick out a bit. The farm is open to the neighbors on 3 sides - it is rolling countryside so you can see across several of the farms in the area depending on where you are driving. Besides not having time for this effort I really want it done correctly as the fence is very visible.

You have given me good food for thought and there are a couple of other fence painters I think I will call for quotes before making a decision.

[LauraKY]

You can rent spraying equipment too. My neighbor rented it from Sherwin Williams and repainted his whole fenceline (11 acres). It only took him 2 days I believe.

[Trevelyan96]

We started on ours in May, and I quickly realized that with only weekends available, I’d be spending the next year getting it done. Luckily, my neighbor has an unemployed grandson who finished the job for me - 2.5 acres, 3 board, cross fenced into 4 paddocks. We agreed on $500 - I let him pick and choose when he works on it (usually in the AM when its cooler) and I provide paint/rollers/etc. He’s almost finished, and I’m going to give him another $250 as we were planning on doing more of it ourselves, but so far, its been only him, and frankly, its a huge weight off my shoulders to know its actually going to be done without me sacrificing every weekend to it.

$750 plus the cost of materials to get it done - I’m in heaven.

[Tom_King]

Buy an airless sprayer, and a extention wand for the nozzle. Nozzles come in different fan widths. You want the narrowest one you can get, and the right size orifice for the paint/stain you’re (notice not your) going to use.

Or find someone that needs to work.

[JoZ]

Dumb question. Doesn’t the spray get on the grass?

Says the person with untreated posts and white wire fencing.

[Ambitious_Kate]

[QUOTE=JoZ;7698147]
Dumb question. Doesn’t the spray get on the grass?

Says the person with untreated posts and white wire fencing.[/QUOTE]

Ive seen it done well, and when done well the spray is close and directed at the wood and I saw really minimal overspray.

[YankeeLawyer]

As others suggested, get a sprayer and portable generator to run it. Or hire someone to operate the sprayer.