How to Hire a Fence Contractor

A fence is a gateway to your home, framing your house from the street and providing what is often the first glimpse of your home that visitors will get. Because of that, when adding a new fence, you want to ensure the job is done correctly and be confident that the beautiful fence style you selected will be built to last. With plenty of other projects on your plate, you’ll want to learn how to hire a fence contractor suited to install the best fence for your yard.

Read on to find out how to research fence contractors, understand your options, and choose the right company for the needs of your home landscape. 

Common Projects to Hire a Fence Contractor For

Whether you’re looking for a white picket fence or your privacy fence needs repair, a fencing contractor can help.

Here’s a look at the various projects a fence contractor can handle:

• Fence consultations 

• Fencing design and material recommendations based on your needs

• Fence building and installation 

• Fencing customizations 

• Permits for building and zoning requirements 

• Fence and gate maintenance and repairs 

• Boundary and utility marking 

• Fence gate design, building, and installation

How to Find a Fence Contractor

Before you start evaluating potential fence contractors, do your research to gain a fuller understanding of the options in your area.

Read online reviews and recommendations of local fence contractors and talk to friends and family to get feedback on contractors they’ve hired. You can even drive around your neighborhood and look for homes with the kind of fences you’d like for your yard. Many newly installed fences feature badges with the company's name that installed them. You can also ask around at your local hardware store.

Don’t be afraid to cast a wide net. When possible, it’s a good move to hire a contractor specializing in fencing so that you know they have plenty of experience. But if the options for fence contractors in your area are sparse, other pros can install your fence. As you compile your options, look into nearby licensed handyperson services. You might also consider landscapers in your area, especially if the job will require re-grading land or moving a lot of dirt.

Before Hiring a Fence Contractor

There are a few steps you should take while evaluating different fence contractors and before making your decision. 

Figure Out if You Need Permits

In many jurisdictions, installing or altering a fence requires a building permit. Do you need a permit to build a fence? Check with your local zoning department or building inspection department to determine your permitting requirements.

Understand everything that your local codes require so that you can confirm your contractor will be handling the necessary permit applications and will coordinate with inspectors. 

Check the Building Site

The total cost of your fence installation depends, to a large degree, on the nature of the land where it will be built.

Factors that may increase the price of adding a fence include trees, boulders, and uneven grading. You should also consider access to the site. Will workers have a difficult time hauling large and heavy equipment to the area from where they park? If so, your costs will probably rise a bit.  

Make Sure They’ve Got the Right Qualifications

Before deciding who to hire to build a fence, make sure they have the right qualifications for your project.

• Credentials: Check with your state’s licensing requirements to ensure the contractor is qualified to build and install your new fence, as well as offer repairs and maintenance. Often, states will require a fencing contractor to hold a general contractor’s license, but it varies.

• Education: While a college degree isn’t a requirement to become a fencing contractor, many contractors get training through trade schools and on-the-job experience. 

• Insurance: Your fencing contractor should have general liability insurance to ensure you won’t be held liable for any problems that may arise during installation. 

• Ongoing training: Find out whether the contractor belongs to any trade groups, like the American Fence Association, so you can be confident they’re keeping up with the latest developments and best practices in the field.  

Understand the Average Costs 

Before soliciting quotes from contractors in your area, it’s helpful to understand the average costs of installing fencing. Homeowners typically pay between $1,500 and $8,000 to install a fence, depending on various factors.

One of the most significant considerations is the total length of the fence, with most materials sold by the linear foot. The average costs differ considerably depending on the material used for different types of fences, too.

For example, the cost of vinyl fencing typically falls between $10 and $35 per linear foot, while wood fence cost estimates are between $10 and $30 per linear foot.

Nationally, fencing contractors charge an average of $50 per hour for labor, with most jobs requiring between 24 and 72 labor hours.

Should you need to repair a fence instead of replacing it, knowing how to hire a fence contractor can be helpful. The fencing contractor can give you a cost estimate and should be able to handle nearly any kind of repair you need. Fence repair cost options typically range from $300 to $900 when hiring a fence contractor, but severe damage could cost quite a bit more to fix.

Questions to Ask a Fencing Contractor

After you’ve narrowed your list down to the most likely candidates, call each potential contractor to ask the important questions.

• Can I see a portfolio of your work? Most fence contractors should have a portfolio on hand that should provide reliable evidence of the range of work they can do. 

• Can you provide references? A good contractor should be able to point you to satisfied clients who can provide a reference. Aim to get around three.

• Do you take care of permits? Installing a fence typically requires a building permit, and if you’re paying a contractor, you want one who will take care of this sometimes complicated process. 

• Will you locate all utilities? Whenever you’re digging into the ground, you need to make sure that you’re aware of all the utility lines—electricity, water, natural gas, cable—that may lie beneath. Find out whether the contract will take care of this process or if you need to call 811 first. 

• How does zoning affect the installation? Local zoning regulations may stipulate certain requirements or limitations for adding a fence to your home. Even if you’ve already done the necessary research, this question offers a good opportunity to better understand the contractors’ knowledge and experience. 

• Will you handle grading? If your yard slopes in places you want to install your fence, the project may require some initial landscaping work. Is this something the fence contractor can do, or does it need to be taken care of separately? 

• How will you install the fence? Ask for details of their installation process and find out how they plan to proceed through each step. Do they plan to set the posts in concrete? If so, how deep? Do they install dirt domes around each post? Are gates and hardware included as part of the fee, or will they require an additional charge? Will they take care of waste removal and hauling, or do you need to make separate arrangements? 

• How large is your crew? Discuss how many additional workers will be joining the contractor for the installation. Do they hire subcontractors for any part of the job, or is it all done by employees? Will the owner of the company or a foreman be on-site?

• What’s the timeline? Find out how long the contractor anticipates the job will take. 

• How do you structure your fees? Figure out whether they’ll offer a flat rate for the job or whether they’ll charge by the hour. Do they provide a written contract? Do they require a deposit? When is payment due?

Tips for Hiring a Fence Contractor

After gathering a few cost estimates, you may have a particular fencing contractor you plan on hiring. Before making your final decision, you should follow a few tips to protect yourself.

• Background check: You can hire a third party to perform an employment background check on the fence contractor, or you can do the legwork yourself. Contact the provided references and verify that the contractor has the proper insurance coverage and licenses.

• Check on subcontractors: Ask if the fence contractor will use subcontractors. If so, you should check their references, too.

• Get a written contract: Although it’s easier to work without a written contract, it is vital to ensure both parties have protection. The contract should include the guarantees or warranties the contractor provides.

• Verify payment expectations: Make sure you understand when the contractor expects to receive full or partial payments. Such requirements should be part of the written contract.

• Set up firm dates: Make sure the fence contractor gives you dates to reach certain milestones on the project. These dates should be part of the written contract, too.

• Watch for red flags: If the contractor doesn't provide references in a timely manner or photos of past work, this could be a sign the contractor is not being truthful with you. If the contractor seems extremely distracted while discussing your project, such as taking multiple other phone calls or missing scheduled meetings, they may be too busy to actually do the job. Asking for a full payment amount upfront is a potential red flag—though asking for a partial payment as a deposit is standard.

Preparing for a Fence Building Project

Suppose you’ve combed through the estimates and made your decision. You’re one step closer to surrounding your house with the fence of your dreams, but there are still a few more things to do. 

• Prepare the area: Remove any kids’ toys, gardening equipment, or stray knick-knacks in the area.

• Secure your pets: If you normally have pets outdoors, keep them indoors or on a leash for the duration of the work.

• Notify the neighbors: Fence construction can be a little noisy, and the contractors may have multiple vehicles parked on the street. It’s courteous to let the neighbors know what will happen before work starts.

• Be available, but don’t hover: Make sure the contractors know how to find you to ask any questions that come up, but don’t feel like you have to oversee the work the entire time. In other words, go relax and let the pros work.

After the Fence Contractor Has Finished

Your fence is installed and even more stunning than you dreamed. You’re almost totally done—just a few more boxes to check.

• Inspect the work: Upon completion, most contractors will be willing to review the project with you, explaining what they did and whether anything changed from the original plans. Take advantage of this opportunity.

• Look for forgotten items: Inspect the area before letting kids and pets outside unsupervised. Make sure there aren’t any forgotten tools, trash, or other items that could be a danger.

• Pay on time: Contractors rely on customers to make timely payments so they can avoid issues with paying their suppliers and subcontractors. Don’t delay making your payment unless the completion of the work is in dispute.

• Leave a review: When you were initially trying to figure out how to hire a fence contractor, you undoubtedly checked out online reviews. Leaving an honest review can help fellow consumers do their own research and help the fence contractor receive more jobs after doing a good job on your fence.

Kyle Schurman contributed to this piece.