I live in a house with no backyard. I have twin boys that will be 6 in August. We live on a cul de sac so it’s relatively quiet and peaceful.
My wife regrets buying a house without a backyard since we always have to be out front when the boys are playing. My wife grew up in an area where crime was a factor, so she’s wary of having the boys out in front alone. I grew up in a suburb that was relatively quiet and safe.
She got a quote for a fence (iron) that would cost about $7,500 (she wants it to look nice). I’m ambivalent about the fence, but leaning to not having it constructed since the boys are now almost 6. She wants it for peace of mind, for the boys safety -either to prevent them from cars or kidnappers.
How long have you been married? You should know better the wife is not going to let this go. She wants a fence to protect the babies. You will paying for it one way or the other.
I would look up the statistics for your area and get to know your neighbors more to try and give your wife a higher sense of security. I grew on a side street with plenty of eyes watching so my parents didnt worry about it, there were always people around.
Any investment in your kids is wise overall. Better to shell out 7.5K than a missing/injured child, + the enhanced security.
Maybe a good sturdy weatherized wooden fence perhaps? YOU go out & get the fencing quotes to appease your wife. Either way the most expensive thing in the world is regret & if I had the money I’d spring for the fence. The cheap DIY option is to get yourself & some like minded buddies working for beer to build it yourself (if time this summer permits)
It would add value to the house overall later on, wouldn’t it?
Buy the materials and build it yourself. Wood would be cheap and attractive and would rot only after your kids have moved out of the house, if it is built correctly.
We had the same issue with a fence, but we have a big back yard. Quotes to have a fence installed ranged from $4,500 - $10,000. Yes - there was that big of a difference. I ended up buying the parts and installing it myself. It ended up costing me $2,000 and a couple of weekends. Do it yourself if you think you can. If not, then get multiple quotes.
The house we bought about 3 years ago has a fence and its the first fence we’ve had. I have son who is now 8 but its nice to be able to let him play in the back yard. I know where he is and that he is safe.
Playing the devil’s advocate and just spitting out questions…
How high is the fence and is it see through? If a predator can see your kids playing through it, then simply reach over or nimbly hop it then toss them over, I don’t see the utility.
Are you going to gate the driveway if you have one? If a guy can just walk around the fence and snatch your kids, I don’t see the utility.
Maybe some all weather closed circuit cameras would be cheaper. You can get a couple monitors and wire it to a base station then RF it to other monitors in other rooms. Sounds expensive, but its probably 1/2 the cost of your fence. You still have to keep an eye on the cameras though.
Mom will probably still be paranoid with the fence, but that’s the way Moms are.