My wife and I just purchased a new home and the builder only did 1/3rd of the yard's fence. They charge 20$/ft to install a fence and I'm hoping to save some money and do it myself. The fence will be 6ft high and then capped with a 2x4''. Here is my understanding of what needs to happen, please feel free to chime in. 1. Mark the property line. Dig the holes for the corners first 18" to 24" deep. drop in an inch or 2 of pea gravel. 2. Find an even measurement between corner posts that doesn't exceed 8ft and mark the spot where the other posts need to be set. Set posts level in ground and allow up to 4hrs if using quick set. 3. Install metal brackets in center of postes to hold the cross beams. Mark the top of one plank along a corner post and cut the post off on that line, then using a line level set a level line from corner post to corner post to mark where to cut off the top of fence posts. 4. Nail/screw in cross beams. Then cap off the top of fence posts with 2x4's making sure they butt up to eachother on center of fence posts. Then nail in each fence picket making sure its nice and flush with the top 2x4, using that top 2x4 as a guide. Does that sound about right?

We are concreting our fence posts. When I get it mixed, how much time do I have before it must be in the post hole and crowned? I've read the amount of water used affects the strength (more is not better). What about how quickly you get it in place? Does it weaken (or strengthen) if it sits before it finds its final resting place?