If you've ever had the pleasure of spending an entire summer's worth of weekends installing fencing around your yard, you'll find that it's kind of nice to have a fence company install your fence. But it's not all smooth sailing. Here's the process.
Get Those 3 Fence Company Estimates
"Yeah, right," you say. "Who has time?" Personally, I loathe getting estimates--and three estimates is too much to even think about. But getting three estimates for fencing is the easiest thing in the world. For one thing, fence installation is very competitive, so you can get fence estimators to show up at times convenient for you. Even if you can't make it, you can usually coax an estimator to come to an unattended property. Most likely, there are company rules that forbid this. But if you give them clear instructions about what you want, and you give them license to set foot on your property (yes, that means keeping the Rotweilers inside that day), they'll probably do it. In the end, I like being on the premises whenever estimators show up. Besides the legal issues, it just gives me more control over the project.
Fence Estimator Evaluates Area
While on your property, the fence estimator will do more than measure. They will:
- Check for obstructions like trees, rocks, etc. that may hinder the fencing or affect costs.
- Look at how the fence will meet other pre-existing fences or your house.
- Evaluate grading. If you're lucky enough to have a level lot, this isn't a problem. Other lots will slope, and this will affect how the fence is constructed.
- Determine the type of fence you would like.
Questions to Ask About Fence Installation
Fence companies tend to be tightfisted about giving out information. Maybe it's because these estimators hit so many places in a day. In any case, ask them:
- Will you pull permits?
- Will you call a utility locator?
- If there is grading (a sloped lot) to deal with, how will you deal with the spaces at the bottom? Will the fence be "stepped" (thus leaving triangular spaces under the fence--a problem is you have pets) or will it contour to the ground?
- Are gates and associated hardware part of the quoted cost?
- What kind of warranty do you offer?
- What is your timeline? Fence companies tend to have big backlogs, and it may take weeks or more for them to get to you.
