Fencing services

A typical new-fence job runs: measure and mark the line, confirm the property boundary, call for utility locates, pull any required permit, dig and set posts, hang rails and pickets or panels, hang gates, and haul away debris. The invisible steps — boundary and locates — are the ones that cause the expensive problems when skipped.

Repair is often the better buy. If the pickets are sound and two or three posts have rotted at grade, resetting posts costs far less than a replacement. A contractor who will only quote a full replacement on a fence with a decade left in it is telling you something about how they sell.

Gate work is its own specialty. Sagging gates, latches that miss in summer and catch in winter, and self-closing hardware around pools all require someone who does gates regularly rather than treating them as an afterthought.

How to choose

Confirm the property line before anyone digs

Fences built over a line get moved, at your cost, and are a common source of neighbor disputes. If the boundary is not obvious, pay for a survey.

Always have utilities located

Calling 811 before digging is free in the US and protects you from hitting a buried line. Confirm your contractor is doing it.

Ask what the warranty covers and for how long

Separate the manufacturer's material warranty from the contractor's labor warranty. Get both in writing.

Get three itemized bids

Same footage, same height, same material, gates listed separately. Anything else is not a comparison.

Verify license and insurance directly

Contractor licensing rules are state and sometimes city specific. Look the company up with the licensing body rather than trusting a printed certificate.

Ask about repair before replacement

Post resetting and section replacement are legitimate services and are much cheaper than a new fence.