If you're undecided between building fences yourself or having a professional installation, be aware that fence building is not an all-or-nothing proposition.

The most difficult part of building a fence is setting the posts in the ground properly. But you could have the posts erected by a professional, then finish off the project yourself. These units are then trimmed to width and secured between the posts. In some cases, brackets are used that make installing the prefabricated units even easier.

This compromise between building fences yourself and opting for complete professional installation saves you money. It saves you aggravation, too, since you're having the pros handle the most aggravating part of fence building (erecting the posts). [Source: Lawrence Winterburn, GardenStructure.com.]