By Gene and Katie Hamilton

No matter what time of year it is, seeing Old Glory waving in the wind always brings a sense of pride. If you're considering adding a flagpole to your yard, a good choice is a telescoping pole with aluminum sections that slide up and down and snap in place.

A contractor will charge $960 to install a 25-foot pole in concrete, which includes the labor and material. You can buy a flagpole kit for $550 and install it yourself. The kit includes a 25-foot pole with installation sleeve and gold ball top, a 3-foot-by-5-foot flag and swivel rings and harness that allows the flag to fly freely. Another cost is $25 for concrete mix and gravel for its foundation.

To install a pole, dig a round hole approximately 28-inches deep by 12-inches round, and place 6-inches of small gravel for drainage in the bottom of the hole. Insert the bolt in the sleeve and fill in the area around it with concrete. Use a carpenter’s level to make sure it is level.

When choosing a flag pole you should know about the wind in your area. Really. The wind load or expected wind at an elevation of 30-feet above the ground is used to determine the appropriate size of a flag pole. Don’t worry you won’t have to figure it out because flag and flag pole retailers use a reference map - it’s the same one for highway and transportation signs.

For more information from The Flag Guys click here Installing a Flagpole.

Caring for a flag: Wash a polyester or nylon flag in a machine on the "Gentle Warm" cycle and to dry, lay it on a clean dry towel so it can air dry.

Wrapping up, given the average cost to install a flagpole you can compare the price of a contractor’s bid with doing it yourself. For a local cost input your ZIP Code.

Improvement and Repair Cost Updated 2019

The cost and time data is generated by averaging labor and material data from annually updated cost books used by contractors and refined by the authors' experience remodeling 13 houses. They are authors of 20 home improvement books and Do It Yourself or Not, a weekly column syndicated by Tribune Content Agency. The national cost can be adjusted by ZIP Code.