When is Temporary Heras Fencing the Right Solution?

Although it’s often associated with construction sites and indeed offers excellent options for site security, Heras fencing is also a popular choice in temporary fencing for a surprising range of other events, as well as being a good option for control and demarcation of areas:

• For site security on as many types of site as you can think of:
  • Construction sites.
  • Outdoor events, such as farmer’s markets, open air concerts, displays, festivals, fairs and arts events, including music and outdoor theatre.
  • Additional property security.
  • Swimming pool privacy and security for enjoying the use of an existing pool and additionally for safety during pool construction.
  • Sporting events, including games matches and road races.

• For control and demarcation:
  • Temporary boundary demarcation and security for sites under transition or renovation.
  • Demarcation of audience and participation areas for outdoor events, such as sporting events and road races or display events.
  • For queue and crowd control at entrances and exits to large events.

With its easy installation and removal, Heras fencing offers plenty of potential as a temporary fencing solution. However, for many customers, it isn’t a question of knowing whether Heras fencing is the best solution for temporary fencing, it’s knowing whether to hire it or buy it!

Hire or Buy?

For many Heras users, the question of whether to hire or buy will come down to four distinct criteria:

• Budget: For a single, short term use, hiring offers good value for money, as it incurs no costs for maintenance or future storage. However, for long-term or repeat use across a range of sites, buying the Heras fence panels you need can be cost-effective when worked out on a cost-per-use basis, particularly when you consider that it may be possible to sell advertising space on your panels and recoup some of your costs in the long-term.

• Time scales: There are two aspects to consider with time: how long you need fencing for and how quickly you need it. For a short term event, such as a weekend fair, hiring Heras fences may fit in well as these can often be delivered at short notice and collected quickly after the event for maximum convenience – particularly if the area for the outside event has also been hired and needs to be cleared quickly. However, for examples such as constructions sites, where work may be subject to other issues such as planning and inspections, where hold-ups can frequently occur, buying Heras fencing may be more cost effective. Either way, most professional fencing and security companies will happily price up your event with hiring or purchasing Heras fences in mind, to help you to make an informed choice.

• After the event: If the event is likely to be one of many, buying your fencing may be the better option. Once it’s yours, it is always available to you and can be moved from site to site without necessarily incurring storage costs. Over time this may save you money in direct comparison to hiring each time, although consideration should be given to the occasional need for storage and on-going maintenance, depending on how and where you use your fencing. For one off or seldom repeated events, hiring Heras fencing is likely to be the most convenient option.

• Erection and dismantling expertise: When you hire your fencing, it is delivered and erected for you, in full accordance with statutory regulations and dismantled safely upon collection – all of this is included in your hire price. When buying your temporary fence panels, even if you are going to be using them for years to come, it’s important to remember that it takes a conscientious team to create a safe, secure boundary which meets stringent local government and national health and safety guidelines and regulations. Although it may seem cheaper to buy in the long-term for frequent use, remember to factor in the hidden costs of additional insurance and training for the members of your team who will be involved in putting up and maintaining your fencing to safe standards, in order to avoid risk and liability on your company’s part.

Of course, as well as advising you on the best type of secure fencing for your site or event, most professional temporary fencing and security specialist companies will happily help you to price up your options for both buying or hiring your fencing. It is also worth asking if your chosen company offers a buy-back scheme, in the event that you no longer require your fencing. Finding out about your fencing and talking it through with your chosen company will help you to make an informed choice in order to gain the best value and maximum guarantees from your temporary fencing options. You can contact SafeSite Facilities on 0845 346 0305 or use our contact form here.