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You’ve decided you want to install a metal fence in your yard, but now you’re running into issues finding places that will sell direct to you. Read on to see where you can buy metal fence panels.
Where to Find and Buy Metal Fence Panels
The internet is a wonderful place to research and purchase products. However, it can often feel overwhelming when search results aren’t returning what you want or you can’t find a way to purchase materials from anyone. There are 3 places you can typically buy metal fence panels from:
- An Online Company like Ours – www.ironfenceshop.com
- The ‘Big Box’ Home Improvement Stores
- A Local Fence Installer/ Company
Let’s take a look at each of those options to see how the buying process goes with each:
Online Fence Companies
This can be an extremely mixed bag so be sure to shop wisely. Online companies that allow you to purchase online via checkout cart may seem convenient, but they typically end up causing lots of issues for people. Buying a fence is not like buying office supplies online. There are often project-specific considerations, hardware and layout items that need to be taken into account. Sites that leave you to figure that out on your own often end up with frustrated customers ordering wrong materials and dealing with returns and multiple shipping charges.
At Iron Fence Shop, (www.ironfenceshop.com or 800-261-2729) we work with you at every step of the process communicating by phone or email. We will let you know what information we need from you and then we will put an itemized quote together for you. We understand that you aren’t a fence expert and we are more than willing to talk through and email as much information as possible to get things right. We are at 8+ years with a 99.99% accuracy rate on order by following this process.
Lastly, before buying from anyone online be sure to do some research on the company. Are they a member of the Better Business Bureau (BBB) in good standing? Do they have any real world testimonials on their site from multiple customers? If you call or email them, how receptive and professional are they? Many online fence websites come and go each year due to poor materials or bad customer service. An investigative email or phone call will go a long way in giving you a good feel for the company.
Options like eBay and Amazon seem like safe choices for online shopping a fence, but they can be even more confusing to deal with and get good information on the fence. Many listing don’t even make it clear what company makes the fence. And again, you are stuck trying to figure out all your materials on your own with no guidance.
The ‘Big Box’ Home Improvement Stores
Most of you reading this probably have one of these large orange or blue box stores near your home. It seems like it would be the safe alternative as returns will be hassle free and you can talk to someone in person. However, once you get there you will find that all the real metal fence panels and gates are special order. If you ask for any information on the fence, you will likely be dealing with an associate that has never dealt with a fence in their life and is looking at a sales binder or online trying to help you through it. While they may mean well and do their best to help, they are not going to be fence experts. We have dealt with many customers that started at the big box stores only to give up and come to us at Iron Fence Shop due to poor customer service, a confusing sales process and little to no information on the fence.
The other thing to watch for at the big box stores is the quality of the fence panels. All new fences look nice, but the devil is in the details. Those big box stores are competing to offer the best price, but that doesn’t equate to the best quality. Many of the fences available are built to hit a price point rather than be built to last. What’s worse is that we have seen very low quality metal fence panels at these stores that are charging the same price as high quality panels like yours. Be sure to try and figure out who the panels are made by and see what kind of warranty restrictions they have. Specs for all parts can be tough to come by too, but looking into those will often be very telling on the quality of the panel.
A Local Fence Installer/ Company
Folks that are leery of ordering a fence online and unhappy with the big box store offerings often turn to smaller local fence companies. However, this may not be your best option either. Most companies that offer installation do not want to sell you a fence unless you are paying for them to install it too. That leaves the DIY folks out int cold.
Another misconception is that a local fence company stocks the fence. This would save you the customer money and allow you to pick it up at a ‘direct’ price. While they make keep come chain link rolls and wood fence parts, metal fence panels are not stocked at 99.9% of local fence companies. Why? Because the amount of room you need to keep all the different styles, heights, gates, etc is more than a small local company can handle. Our Iron Fence Shop warehouses combined are over 100,000 square feet!
In addition to the metal fence panels not being there, that also means you are not getting ‘direct’ pricing. That local fence company is ordering from a company like Iron Fence Shop that makes the fence and then marks it up before selling it to you.
Lastly, a local fence company usually grabs onto one brand of fence and sticks with it. That may be for no other reason than that company gives them the best price to be competitive. Like the big box store fences, best price rarely equates to best fence. Be sure to ask who actually makes the fence and request warranty and spec information so you can properly shop around.
In Conclusion…
While you can buy metal fence panels from several sources, online really gives you the best bang for your buck and ability to comparatively shop. Your other options are going to be much more of a “Here’s your one option. Take it or leave it” operation. A good online fence company like Iron Fence Shop is going to have all their warranty, specs and install information online and customer service that instills confidence to you. You as a shopper just need to make sure you do your homework with anyone that you want to buy metal fence panels from. Not sure what homework to do? Check our blog for posts on what to look for when shopping for metal fence panels. Or shoot us an email at [email protected] or a call at 800-261-2729. We’re here to help and guide you through the process!
