Building a fence around a country house
One can make their fence more secure with metal or wire borders. Photo by Julliet Kigongo.
What you need to know:
While everyone can build a house of their choice, it is important that you think through building a wall fence around your country home.
Building a parameter wall is one of the ways of ensuring personal security. A parameter wall looks fashionable in an urban setting although it might be more expensive to a low income earner.
However, when one constructs a parameter wall in a rural setting, they can be branded all sorts of names. Often you will hear locals claiming such a person is a show off or isolates himself from neighbours.
Weeks ago, I visited to a friend at one of the villages on Masaka Road. He could not hold his distaste over his neighbours’ parameter wall. His argument is it is useless for his neighbour to construct a parameter wall yet there were better looking houses than his in the vicinity.
Considerations
However, Alex Turyahabwe, Sales Manager of Jomayi Property Consultants says, when building, it is important to consider factors such as the kind of structures in your neighbourhood, size of plot, education facilities, health amenities, power connections, before you embark on construction.
Natural or short wall fence
Turyahabwe explains that while it is good to build a house of your choice, it is inconveniencing when your house attracts negative criticism.
“Building a parameter wall in the village automatically isolates you from the community,” Turyahabwe reasons.
He therefore advises that if you must build a wall fence in the vallage, it should not be high.
“Alternatively, you can choose to have a natural fence or a short fence with iron bars on top so that people can see what is happenig in your compound.”
Use an open gate
If you are the kind of person who feel insecure without a wall fence, you can build one but instead of having a closed gate, opt for an open one probably one made with either iron bars of from wood.
Ronald Ssali a builder says such a gate will allow you to see and also communicate with people are they pass by.
Size of land
Peter Waswa, an engineer adds that you should always seek advice from your builder on what kind of house to build in relation to the size of your land. “If you have a big piece of land, build your house with enough courtyards. You do not need a fence because there is enough space for your family activities. A fence is only crucial in urban areas,” Waswa says.
