How to Find a Good Fence Contractor

There's an article that came out a few years ago by Josh Garskof in Money Magazine that offers some terrific insight into finding a good contractor, and I reference it extensively here.

The following are four web resources and a few rules of thumb to get you connected with a fence contractor you'll love.

Four websites you'll want to be aware of:

FenceCompanyDirectory.com - Free resource to find fence contractor by State and County.
bbb.org - Free resource to find Better Business Bureau ratings (A+ - F) on fence contractors.
AngiesList.com - Subscription-based (less than $10/mo) website to search or post service reviews.
ContractorCheck.com - Find financial, licensing and insurance information on fence contractor for a small fee.

Finding the Fence Contractor
The best resource will be friends, family and other members of your community who have had satisfactory fence work done, so definitely ask around. If you find someone who already has references within your community it's probably a safe bet to get a consultation and move forward.

Otherwise you will look to either the internet, yellow pages or Fence Company Directory.

Choosing a Good Fence Contractor
The following are nine tell-tale signs with which to distinguish a fence contractor you'll be happy with as opposed to one who you may end up taking to court.

Good Signs:

Reputation. You've hopefully already asked friends and neighbors to recommend good fence contractors, but a more reliable source of referrals is other people in the trades. For example a lawn care company or landscaper who has worked alongside a particular fencing contractor.

If they're willing to put their professional reputations on the line by vouching for someone they've already had business dealings with, they must like what they see.

The business card includes a local address. A fence installer who provides a physical address that's in your community is far less likely to disappear on you than someone whose true locale is hidden behind a post office box.

Long list of references. Even terrible contractors have had a few happy clients along the way - or have family members who can play the part when you call. The longer the list of references, the less likely it's rigged.

Once you have the references' contact information, Angie Hicks, the founder of angieslist.com recommends calling, "a handful of them, skipping around the list."

Warning Signs:

Company car is a rusted-out jalopy. A bucket of bolts that leaves an oil slick in your driveway doesn't bode well for the attention to detail or fiscal stability of the person driving it.

"That's not to say everyone has to ride around in a gleaming new truck," says Dick Mitchell, president of the New Orleans branch of the Better Business Bureau, the national nonprofit that lends its logo to participating companies meeting its standards (you can find a searchable list of member contractors at bbb.org). "But it should be clean and well maintained." Painted-on signs are better than magnetic ones, which are cheap and temporary.

Requesting payment in cash. Even if you don't care that someone's shirking their taxes by taking cash (or a check made out to cash), consider what other costs they may be cutting - like licensing fees, insurance bills and skilled crew members.

To investigate a potential contractor's finances, look them up at contractorcheck.com, where (for $13) you can find information about their licensing, insurance and financial stability, as well as any legal actions against them.

Mobile number not provided. For the most part, the only way to quickly get hold of an installer is by cell phone. If they don't want to give out that number, it isn't because they're conserving their minutes - they don't want to be reachable.

Red Flags:

They want you to skip the permit - or have you apply for it. Any major improvement project legally requires a building permit, which means that inspectors will check the work. If a contractor wants to go without a permit, it means they'd rather not have anyone looking over their shoulders (other than you, but let's face it, you don't know what to look for).

If they want you to apply for the permit yourself, it could be because they don't have the necessary state licensing - and it means you'd be the middleman between the inspector and contractor instead of letting them work things out directly.

They solicit business door to door. A fence installer rings your bell to say they just did a job in the neighborhood, they have extra materials and will cut you a rock-bottom deal if they can work on yours that afternoon. Sounds great, right?

Trouble is, you have no idea who they are or if they're going to do the job right. And if that new fence starts collapsing three months later, you'll never get them back to repair the damage.

They make you uneasy. Ultimately, you have to feel comfortable letting these people onto your property. Clearly, you're not going to hand your keys to someone who flips a cigarette butt into your azaleas or leers at your children.

If they don't look you straight in the eye, or if you just have a gut feeling that something might be amiss, go ahead and cross them off the list. Nowadays, thankfully, there are plenty of fence contractors available to do the job.

Three questions to ask references about a fence contractor:

How has the work held up over time?
Make sure to talk to one homeowner who had the work done at least a few years ago - enough time for flaws to reveal themselves.
Was the contractor easy to reach?
You want a contractor who picks up their cell phone right away when you call - or at least returns messages within a few hours.
How were problems resolved?
Every job will hit snags; the real test of a contractors merit is how well they handle them. They should have been able to minimize delays, added expense and anxiety - and get the job done right in the end.

 

As always - please contact our fence installation specialists if we can be of help in any way. And as you know, we welcome your comments.

Watch Welded Wire Fence Being Manufactured

Check out this awesome video of Oklahoma Steel's Fencing Materials Plant complete with ripping bluegrass sound track! We love robots! Thanks to Louis E. Page for posting on their great blog.

How to Get a Fence Quote – A Cost Estimate Calculation Tutorial

We're going to show you how to calculate the estimated cost of having a fence installed by professional fence installers. Much of the information here will also be relevant if you are planning to get a cost estimate on materials to build a fence yourself.

There are the essentially two steps to be able to acquire a quick, easy and accurate fence cost quotation:

1. Fence layout sketch with linear measurements


2. Fence Type – Style and Height

* Additional considerations

Cost will be a factor as most people determine what route to go in having a fence built, altered or repaired. The type and size of fence will have a considerable effect on the price, as will the terrain (installation conditions) on which the fence is to be installed. The process outlined below will help you put together a clear idea your specific requirements before you begin shopping, so you will be able to have an informed discussion with your fence specialist.

The first thing you will need to know is the length and height of fencing your project requires. Fencing generally comes in heights of between 4 and 8 feet. If the area to fence is large, you may want to look at the land survey that was done when the property was purchased or last assessed. Most contractors will begin by sketching the plan out with pencil and paper. It doesn't need to be pretty, but it's a great way for you to visualize and communicate your plan.

Here’s how the fence professionals do it….

1. Fence layout sketch with linear measurements

As you begin to assess your project you will notice that the basic overall layout usually can be described as resembling a linear configuration such as an “L” shape, a “U” shape, a “C” shape or a rectangle.
The simple example below shows a typical fence layout, commonly used to enclose a backyard. It shows the basic format for illustrating your plan on paper to communicate and acquire accurate fence material cost requirements and installation estimates.
The three numbers you need are:

1. Linear Measurements (Total Footage)


2. Number of Terminals


3. Number of Gates

DEMONSTRATION SAMPLE LAYOUT:

A. Linear Measurements (does not include gate)

Fence Line	Linear Footage
Line 1	8'
(3' Gate)	0'
Line 2	5'
Line 3	20'
Line 4	30'
Line 5	20'
Line 6	3'
Total Footage	86'

- Terminal Post

- Line Post

Total Footage: 86'

---

B. Terminal Posts

Number of Terminal Posts - 8 total (four corner posts and four end posts - shown as circles)

Number of Terminals: 8

---

C. Gates

Single Swing Gates – 1 (3ft wide) Double Swing Gates – 0

Number of Gates: 1
(3' wide single)

---

A. Linear measurements

Measure or estimate the length of each fence line. Support posts (also called ‘line’ or ‘intermediary’ posts) are shown here as X’s on the lines between the Terminal posts. You do not need to determine the exact amount of Line Posts at this time because this spacing will vary by fence types and styles. Every run of fence between a Corner Post, Gate Post or End Post constitutes a Fence Line. Measure or estimate the linear footage length of each fence line and indicate these linear footage dimensions on your sketch. (as shown)

B. Terminal Posts

Every time a line of fence starts or stops a Terminal Post is required. These mark the beginning and end of a Fence Line and are shown here with a small circle. There are three types of terminal posts, a Corner Posts, Gate Posts or End Posts. Terminal posts require more labor time and material to your total cost because the fence material is terminated here and additional fittings, hardware and labor are required. This is why you will get two different prices if you have 100 total linear feet with 2 terminals, as opposed to 100 linear feet with 10 terminals. You will need to have Corner Posts each time the fence line turns, End Posts every time a fence line begins or ends, and Gate posts on either side of each gate. If there is a gate post at the very end of a fence line without any fence material attached to it, it is called a ‘dead’ post. Determine the number of End Posts, Corner Posts and Gate Posts, and indicate their location on your sketch with small circles as shown.

C. Gates

Will there be gates in the fence and how many? How wide will the gates be and will they be single or double gates? You will need Gate Posts on either side of each gate.

All gates can usually be put into one of two types

• Single swing gates – (called walk gates) with widths of 3, 3/1/2, 4, 5 or 6 feet wide
  These require two gate posts, one to hang the gate on and the other to act as the latch post.


• Double swing gates – (called drive gates) with width openings of 6ft, 8ft, 10ft, and 12 ft.
  These require two gate posts for each gate leaf to hang on, the two leafs latch in the middle.

* There are various other types of less common gates and electric motorization options, but knowing and indicating the gate opening measurement will suffice for your fence company estimation visit.

Now you are ready to grab a pad, pencil, tape measure and this article, and head out to the yard and make your layout!

2. Fence Type – Style and Height

Once you have the fence layout sketch with linear measurements (above) you will need to determine the type, style and height of the fence. The first question here is .. what is the purpose of the fence?. Answering this question will eliminate all the fence styles that will not fulfill your purpose. For example, if you want to make your property feel inviting, you can rule out the 6 foot chain link fence with razor wire. If you are wanting to keep in a small dog or protect your young children in your yard and privacy is not a concern, then you can use chain link, spaced picket in wood, vinyl pvc, or aluminum picket fencing. On the other hand if your want privacy, you will be looking at chain link with slat inserts, solid board wood fence or vinyl pvc privacy fencing.

There are a few very good Fence Company Websites that have complete detailed information on all the fence types and styles available to the industry. It is worthwhile to find a site that you are comfortable with to familiarize yourself with the options the industry has to offer.

Although there are many variables which effect price such as type of fence and specific style, if it is spaced and open or solid privacy etc, the following chart demonstrates the basic relative cost structure of the main fence types.

• Welded Wire Fence – Garden fence, deer fence, chicken wire, etc. cost as low as $2 per foot.


• Chain Link Fence material is the most popular yard fencing and starts at about $6 per foot.


• Wood Fence material ranges between $12 and $15 per foot, depending on height and style.


• Aluminum Fence material is usually about $15 - $20 per foot.


• Ornamental steel and wrought iron fences are typically 21 to 30 dollars per foot.


• Decent quality (not cheap discount) PVC Vinyl Fencing material will start at about $17 per foot.

* Additional Considerations:

Terrain

The terrain (installation conditions) in which the fencing is to be installed will also be a cost factor. Is this fencing going to be installed on a hill? Will it be installed in soil, or is there pavement involved? Are there trees, bushes or ravines in the landscape that might interfere with installation? This is common sense but the more obstacles there are to installing the fence, the longer it will take and the more it will cost.

Finding Fence Companies - Walking (typing) Fingers

Once the size, material, style and terrain are determined, you're ready to talk to your specialists. If you are acquainted with a business or have friends or family who have had a good experience with a local fence installer, that will be an obvious place to start. Especially on a large project, it's common to request quotes from two or three companies. You can find local companies 1) from your local Yellow Pages, 2) by using an internet search engine, or 3) by using an independent fence company listings organization website such as www.FenceCompanyDirectory.com, where US contractors are listed by county and by types of fence they offer.
Some of the best sites have installation and material cost calculators, where you can input your details and get a immediately rendered quote.
Armed with your layout and measurements, you can also easily attain quotes by faxing or emailing your situation and requirements. As an informed consumer, you will receive more immediate attention, simply because it will require less energy on the part of the specialist. Remember to include your location and contact information.

Good Questions to ask the fence estimator:

• Is the fence company fully insured?


• Are they registered with the state as a home improvement contractor?


• Do they have their own crews that install the fence or do they subcontract it out to others?


• How long have they been in business?

Get it in Writing

Once you've received a verbal quote or estimate, be sure to get a detailed written copy before the work is begun. This is a good way to insure that both parties have the same expectations, and if there ends up being a gap in communication, you'll have the paperwork to refer to to resolve disputes.

Deposit and Payment

The most Common practice for reputable companies is to collect a deposit (usually 33-50%) at the time of signing the proposal/contract, and the balance in full at time of completion.

Warrantees / Guarantees

It is common for most companies to have different policies for the different fence types. For example, most companies will back up the material of an aluminum fence for 10 – 25 years, while not giving the same for a wood fence. It is a good idea to discuss this prior to contracting. Remember, a guarantee is only as good as the company that is offering it.

Codes and Permits

Each municipality has the authority to establish codes to determine what fence is permissible in that jurisdiction. Matters related to height limitations, property line setbacks, fence types, and vertical spacing are all at the discretion of the building department of the municipality where the fence is being installed. It will be necessary to contact your local building department to check if your project meets code and to acquire a building permit if necessary.

Take Your Time

A good fence can last decades so take whatever time is necessary to hammer out the details. Taking a slow walk through the process and procedure with the installers beforehand can bring up any unexpected challenges and prevent a hasty mid-install decision or workaround.

Enjoy the Process

Appreciate the fact that your energy is going into improving the property and/or neighborhood and respect the hard work the installers are offering. Your worry-free, positive approach will yield the best results.