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Unique and Unusual Fence Gifts and Apparel

You were kind of hoping that this stuff did not exist..........Well - it does. Consider this the complete list of ridiculous gifts for the Fence Man or Fence Woman that has everything.

To reach the official main page of The World Famous Fence Wizard, Just click here.

Fence Industry Wildcard: "DOGS".

As implied in previous articles by the Fence Wizard the residential fence installation market is enduring a complete recession in "most" American markets and will likely get worse in the short term. One bright spot - new dog owners. Americans have a love affair with dogs. Chances are if a homeowner has no dog; they will get one soon. In addition, new laws such as the no chain law in California are basically forcing some Dog Owners to repair, replace, or add a new fence to comply. It is vital to focus on any trend that could make your company more competitive. The facts are clear, more Americans are getting pets and they are spending more money on pets every year.
Here is some relevant data from the APPMA (American Pet Products Manufacturers Association):

• In 1988, the first year the survey was conducted, 56% of U.S. households owned a pet as compared to 63% in 2006

Total U.S. Pet Industry Expenditures

Year............... Spending (in billions)

2007............... $40.8 Est.
2006............... $38.5
2005............... $36.3

2004............... $34.4

2003............... $32.4

2002............... $29.5

2001............... $28.5

1998............... $23

1996............... $21

1994............... $17

Now, we know we have demand for anything relevant to pet owners and specifically dog owners. Lets address a big problem: "ELECTRONIC DOG FENCING" or "INVISIBLE FENCE". I have linked our readers to these products on the sidebar under "Fence Builders Enemy". Indeed it is exactly that and for a couple hundred bucks homeowners can avoid a $ 5 -10,000 perimeter fence installation. So lets review your sales technique if you think your customer might go to the dark side......
Invisible fence will NOT:
1. Keep out other animals
2. Protect your animals from attack by other animals
3. Keep out thieves
4. Keep out vandals
5. Keep out Jehovah's Witness's
6. Most importantly - it will not guarantee a pet from escape
7. It Can and Will effectively lock your dog out if they get excited and breach the perimeter then they may be too scared to return and suffer another shock.

Get your sales pitch straight, it only takes 2 minutes to explain why you would personally avoid the lure of a cheap invisible fence for your own animals. Be a good member of the community and stop by the local SPCA and even pet shops to leave your card. Develop relationships with others in the animal care industry including your local veterinarians. Use this bright spot in the market to your advantage - the growth in this area will not stop anytime soon.

Ten BooksTo Improve Your Fence Company

The World Famous Fence Wizard has compiled the following Book List to Benefit Both New and Well Established Fence Companies. Just Click on the title to find out more.

"The Small Business Start-Up Kit"
"Building a Successful Construction Company"
"Working for Yourself: Law & Taxes for Independent Contractors, Freelancers & Consultants" (6th Edition)
"The Employer's Legal Handbook"
"Smart Business for Contractors: A Guide to Money and the Law (For Pros, By Pros)"
"Markup & Profit: A Contractor's Guide"
"Contractor's Guide to Quickbooks Pro 2007"
"Workplace Spanish for Home Builders & Contractors"
"Contractor's Guide to Change Orders"
"Construction Daily Project Log for Construction & Maintenance"
"Osha Quick Guide for Residential Builders and Contractors"

To Visit the Complete Fence Wizard Blog Page Including Fence Industry Links, Tools, and News just click here

For additional Books on any subject - Find the lowest price and fastest shipping from Amazon:

Principia announces results of Fence Market Study...

Unfortunate for us, Principia does not believe in the free lunch philosophy that guides the Fence Wizard Blog. The major results of the survey are described HERE.
However, for the full report you will have to pony up some money. Here are the points that I wish to pass on to Fence Wizard readers:

1. Demand for residential fence is estimated to be nearly $3 billion of the total fence market value in 2006. Steve Van Kouteren, a Principal at Principia Partners explains, “The residential fence market consists of five major fence styles including privacy, post and rail, chain link, ornamental, and post and wire/wire mesh. The market can also be segmented by the four distinct material segments including wood, metal, plastic and mineral-based or masonry materials. Wood and metal are the dominant materials used, accounting for over 70% of the total value.”

2. In addition to vinyl fence, polystyrene, wood-plastic composites (WPC), and polyethylene are the other plastic-based fence materials. Mr. Van Kouteren says that the recent study estimates demand for plastic fence materials in the North American residential market to be over $600 million or nearly 25% of the total market in 2006.

3. Plastic fence will continue to grow its market share over the next five years. Most demand growth will be for vinyl and for new wood-plastic composite privacy fence. Both materials will be replacing wood. Plastic fence manufacturers have developed new privacy fence products with embossed wood grain and earth tone colors as well as low gloss to mimic wood. The new WPC fence products have an edge over vinyl in regards to availability of a wide range of darker colors. Both vinyl and WPC suppliers are looking to take advantage of the growing consumer demand for low maintenance, non-shiny, white plastic fence by tapping into the huge portion of the wood privacy market that will not consider white vinyl as an option.

Compared to vinyl post-and-rail fence, which has successfully penetrated and displaced as much as 50% of wood in many regional markets, vinyl only has about a 16% share of the North American privacy fence market. The large wood privacy market is also a target for the foamed polystyrene and 100% polyethylene-based fence products.

Again, thank you to Principia for this 2006 Fence market review.

CBS attempts to put fence installers out of business...

"Home improvement correspondent Danny Lipford shows Harry Smith how to build a good fence".
Good luck to those hoping to build a fence based on this short video. The Fence Wizard is frankly tired of the constant attempt from big media to minimize construction work and quality workmanship with short and pathetic do it yourself videos. Harry Smith actually takes time to make fun Danny for actually digging holes, thank you Harry Smith for the remarkably unabashed arrogance to all of us in the construction industry. You have earned the coveted "Wizard Finger" of the week award. To view this silly CBS video and low quality garbage fence they want you to buy click here.
To learn, understand, and plan for a fence project: Tune into THE FENCE WIZARD. ( 24 hours a day)

Opinion piece: What fence is for.

Longtime Fence Wizard readers know that there is no such thing as opinion; it either is or it is not. The Fence Wizard will make such determinations on his schedule and with complete infallibility. So here is a short list for some newcomers about the pure essence of fence and what it is truly for.

Fence is for the demarcation of private private; private property being the cornerstone of a capitalist system which sits squarely upon the concept of private ownership, the ability to obtain credit, and the accumulation of wealth. The wizard determines these truths to be positive concepts that combine the fabric of an exceptional nation not unlike a perfect splice of chain link.

Fence is not for the unnecessary wholesale destruction of limited forest resources (i.e. cheap wood fencing)

Fence is for the protection of property enhancement, personal safety, and national security.

Fencing for private property should always compliment the prime features: house, pool, landscape. It should not dominate and seek attention; if it does - your priorities are backwards. (The Wizard does allow for individual liberty to do otherwise; just know that you are wrong).

Here is a great example of "Fence is not":


A non wizard described the above failure as:
"The Playground Fence by Tejo Remy is a translation of what is normally a mundane object - by manipulating the fence he reprograms it, creating seats and play areas. What is normally built as a barrier or a separator becomes an area for connecting and hanging out. Beautiful idea!"

Wrong. The fence is a clear trip hazard guaranteed to create liability for whatever public entity paid for its installation (meaning tax payers on the hook as always). It begs for children to climb it and play on it - the opposite of what a fence should be. Fencing by rule should improve safety for the property owner and be glamorous only in its ability to blend inconspicuously with the landscape. A Wizard Eye also catches the failure to match picket height from the modified "art" fence to the existing fence. Enough said.

The Do It Yourself Fence Builder Reference Guide

The Fence Wizard Book Club; Putting Oprah in her place. To check out everything new in the world of Fence visit the Industries Best News and Link Page.

Fence Books: Ornamental Iron

Ornamental Iron Books and Reference

Just Click on the title to find a complete description and purchase information.

"Hand Forging and Wrought-Iron Ornamental Work"
"Ironworkers fabrication manual;: Presenting practical illustrations, methods and procedures for the fabrication of structural steel and ornamental metal work"


Click here to find the complete fence industry tool and link page courtesy of the "World Famous Fence Wizard"

ASTM Fence Spec and Standards BOOKS.

Here are three key books that define ASTM Fence Specifications and Standards. Just Click on the Title to Find Additional Information and Sourcing.

"Selected ASTM Standards for Fence Materials and Products"
"Handbook Of Comparative World Steel Standards" (Astm Data Series Publication, Ds 67b.)
"Coated Steel Products" (Annual Book of ASTM Standards Volume 0106)


Get Connected to the Complete Fence Industry Link and Tool Page - Industry News and Articles Posted Regularly.

For additional Books on any subject - Find the lowest price and fastest shipping from Amazon:

Fencing Calculators and Conversion Tools

Just Click on the appropriate description to find the calculator that you need. Courtesy of the World Famous Fence Wizard Blogsite. Visit us at the mainpage for breaking news, tools, and links. Keep on Fencing!

Calculators:
Fast Chain Link Parts Calculator
Concrete Yardage for Wall, Column, and Pad
Concrete Yardage and Bags for Post Holes
Wood Fence Material Estimator
Picket Fence and Split Rail
Master Halco's Project Estimators
More Calculators for ....(everything)

Conversion Calculators:
Area, Length, Volume, Weight, Temp etc.

Other Tools:
Privacy Fence Wind Load Chart (Page4)
OK Brand Ag Wire Tools and Charts

Fence Manufacturers and Associations - LINK LIST

Click on any of the following Links to arrive at the homepage for each institute. Thanks to all of our sponsors here at the Official Fence Wizard Blog for making this possible.

Chain Link Manufacturers Institute (CLFMI)
Doors and Access System Manufacturer Association (DASMA)
Expanded Metal Manufacturers Association (EMMA)
Composite Fence and Deck Association (CFDA)
Vinyl Fence, Deck, and Railing Manufacturers Association (VFDRMA)
Pool Fence industry Links from Protect-A-Child
DMOZ - Fence Industry Pile Up
Fence Industry List (should we add you?)
Complete Equine Link List From Centaur
Canadian Fence Association

To take a free ride on the Fence Wizard Blog (Industry Links, Books, News, Humor, and Discussion) Just Click Here

Fence Books: Ornamental Iron

Ornamental Iron Books and Reference

Just Click on the title to find a complete description and purchase information.

"Hand Forging and Wrought-Iron Ornamental Work"
"Ironworkers fabrication manual;: Presenting practical illustrations, methods and procedures for the fabrication of structural steel and ornamental metal work"


Click here to find the complete fence industry tool and link page courtesy of the "World Famous Fence Wizard"

For additional Books on any subject - Find the lowest price and fastest shipping from Amazon:

Fence Project Leads, Architect Resources

Here is an extremely useful list of Commercial - Industrial Fence Project Lead Sources. Thank you Gene Kalb for the Fencebid link. For complete Fence Industry Links, Tools, and News visit the Fence Wizard.

Government Project Leads:
Fencebids Weekly Release
Federal Business Opportunities (Type "Fence" into Search)
"Dept Of Defense Military Handbook For Fencing, Gate, Barriers, and Guard Facilities"

Spec Project Resources
Wheatland's Architect cheat - "spec wizard" for Chain Link
Allied's Spec Literature
ARCAT Architectual Resources

Cad Designs list ---- (www.caddesigns.com):

	(32 31 16) welded wire fences and gates (32 31 00) fences and gates
	(32 31 13) chain link fences and gates
	(32 31 19) decorative metal fences and gates
	(32 31 29) wood fences and gates
	(32 31 23) plastic fences and gates

Fence Contractor Software and Design Systems

Software ideas to improve your fence company

Do It Yourself Fence Designer
Fence Estimating Software
QuickBooks Pro 2008 Quickbooks Premier Contractor Edition 2008 Quantum Project Manager - Contractor Billing Accounting for Contractors 1.0 Peachtree Complete Accounting 2008 Peachtree Premium Accounting for Construction 2008 SOHO Business Cards (Mac)



To reach the full Fence Wizard Website (a portal to the fence world) just click here

Fence Industry Discussion Pages - Links

Follow these links to read and discuss eveything fence. For a plethora of additional Fence Links, Tools, and Industry News just click here!

Fence Wizard Myspace Page
"Fence Resource" Discussion Page
United Fencers Network at Facebook
Fence Week Blog
Vinyl Fence Blog
Garden Guides Blog
Champi Fence Myspace Page
Invisible Fence Discussion Forum (Amazon)
Fence History Blog
Mark-Up and Profit Blog
Building Decks and Fences (gardenstructure.com)
Search Page for Blog Catalog

Fence Tools For Sales, Limited Pricing

A fenceman is never caught without his pliers. Never. If you are not familiar with the other tools on this page - You are not a Fenceman, shame on you.

To visit the Fence Industries Premier Link Page and News Site, Click Here

Ameristar announces warranty upgrade on Iron Products...

Easily the best warranty in the iron business Ameristar Fence manufacturing has upped its warranty period to 20 years. Click here to review their best in segment coating process. Ameristar is a leader in the industry and comes with a healthy recomendation from the Fence Wizard. It is easy to find cheaper product, as Fence Wizard readers know - we are looking for best value.

Visit Ameristar and view their product here.
Cad designs are available as well.

Queensboro Shirt Offer to all Contractors

Employees showing up shirtless to work? Problem Solved. Queensboro Shirt Company is offering one of the best apparel deals in America. Who offers a 10year warranty on a shirt? Queensboro.

Clean up your sales force, get professional. If you want to submit a professional price to your customer - you better look the part.

For more information on this and other Fence Wizard Specials - just Visit the Homepage at www.fencewizard.blogspot.com

Invisible Fence, Wireless Dog Training Devices

Fence builders enemy: Wireless Dog Training Devices....

Dog Dazer II
Petsafe IF-300 Wireless Pet Containment System
Petsafe IF-275 Wireless Fence Receiver / Collar
Petsafe SDF-100 SportDog In-Ground Fence System
Petsafe UL-250-11 In-Ground UltraLight Receiver / Collar
Innotek ULTRASMART CONTAIN AND TRAIN
Innotek ULTRASMART REMOTE TRAINER, 300YDS


To read and discuss everything Fence - visit: "The World Famous Fence Wizard"{homepage}