Project story
The Noble Contour Project That Changed How We Work
A Challenging First Project
I remember the initial site visit well. The property was hilly, access was difficult, and there was quite a bit of rock.
We were confident we could tackle it, but once installation began, we quickly discovered just how challenging the ground conditions were. It was mid-to-late summer, the soil was extremely hard, and the rock was worse than we had anticipated.
At the time, we didn't have the right equipment or experience for that kind of ground. We tried renting a mini excavator, but it wasn't the solution we needed.
Finding a Better Way
Eventually, we discovered dedicated rock-auger equipment and found a local dealer who could rent us a large skid steer and rock auger.
That changed everything.
The experience became a turning point for our company. We eventually purchased our own rock-auger equipment and have since installed thousands of feet of Noble Contour and similar rail fencing in challenging ground conditions.
Hard Work—and a Few Good Memories
The summer heat pushed temperatures over 100°, so the crew started as early as 4:00 or 4:30 in the morning, took a break during the hottest part of the day, and returned to work in the evening.
Thankfully, the river was nearby. Jumping in for a swim became one of the highlights of a very demanding project.
At the time, my wife and I had just welcomed our first baby. Partway through the project, we even went down and camped for several days to help the crew finish the job.
The final day was especially memorable. With temperatures climbing over 100 degrees, the crew pushed through an intense final day to get the job wrapped up. Once we finally finished, we headed into town and made a much-needed stop at the local air-conditioned grocery store—where we enjoyed a generous dose of cold ice cream.
It was definitely a baptism by fire—but we got through it.
A Project That Changed How We Work
This project taught us a lot about estimating difficult ground, preparing for rock, and having the right equipment.
Today, we approach projects like this with far more experience, better equipment, and a much better understanding of what it takes to build a quality fence in challenging terrain.
Looking back, this difficult first Noble Contour project helped lay the foundation for many of the projects we've successfully completed since.
