I built a privacy fence in garden makeover and it was cheaper than I expected – but everyone still asks the same thing
A BLOKE who built his own privacy fence while giving his garden a makeover has revealed the clever way he kept costs down.
Aaron Gould explained he wanted to make his outdoor area more inviting and intimate, without breaking the bank.
He decided to take on the DIY project during Covid to make the most of his time and boasted that it “still looks good after three years.”
Aaron often shares clips showing the progress of his budget home transformations and other handiwork around his property online.
In his latest TikTok video, the creator proudly showed that the privacy fence in his garden is still standing while explaining how crafted it.
But Aaron said he is still plagued by the same question from his 185,500 followers about his method even after all this time.
Discussing his guide to building a horizontal slat fence the cheapest way, the US-born social media star put all the queries to bed.
Aaron said: “At the time I built it, it was probably the most cost-effective way to build a horizontal fence, because those are always like ten times more expensive.
“A lot of the questions were about whether or not I used fence pickets.
“Yes! These are 8ft dog-eared fence pickets. There screwed at each end with a support strap in the middle.”
These panels are known to be durable, stylish and good value for money, while adding an extra degree of privacy to gardens.
The handyman continued: “I built this three years ago, I think at the time these pickets were like under $3 (£2.40) each.
“It’s held up really well except one time someone hit it with a skid-steer. I’m still looking to find out who!”
He said his “favourite part” was the latch he had attached to the gate, which shuts ridiculously smoothly – but he admitted his DIY project wasn’t perfect.
Aaron said: “I should have covered the top of these posts because a few of them have warped a little bit.
“Wood is wiggly, it’s going to move. I built it during the first quarantine when everyone got sent home from work.
“But for an 80ft long fence, in 8ft sections, each post sunk into concrete – all said and done this cost me about $1200 (£996).
“So now with inflation and the price of wood, it’s probably gonna be like $10,000 (£8,050).”
TikTokers were wowed by how well the fence had held up, with many saying they were keen to take heed of Aaron’s do-it-yourself attitude.
The video quickly racked up over 43,000 views as his followers were fascinated by the design and durability.
One wrote: “I followed you because of that fence!”
Another added: “I actually like the horizontal look a lot better than the traditional vertical.”
A third simply commented: “Goals.”
And a fourth said: “Can’t believe it’s been three years.”
We previously told how a woman revealed her secret to crafting her own privacy fence on a budget – but it divided opinions online.
The DIY whizz sparked a fiery debate as some social media users suggested it was unfair to other residents.
Another woman who erected a similar fence to block out prying eyes also raised eyebrows when she shared her step-by-step guide.