Step 1: Build a shortlist of three
Three quotes is the sweet spot — enough to see the market, few enough to manage. Mix your sources: a local fencing specialist, a well-reviewed general contractor or handyman for small jobs, and one personal recommendation if you have one. Check each candidate's reviews with a skeptic's eye: look for detail ("replaced two posts, showed up when they said") over volume of five-star one-liners, and see how the company responds to the occasional bad review. A company that answers complaints calmly and specifically is showing you how they'll treat you if something goes sideways.
Step 2: Get quotes the comparable way
- Insist on an on-site visit for anything involving posts. A company quoting post work from a photo alone is guessing — and the guess gets revised upward later.
- Describe the same job to everyone. Same panels, same posts, same cleanup. If one quote is mysteriously half the others, it's usually quoting a smaller job.
- Ask for the quote in writing, itemized: labor, materials, number of posts/panels, disposal of the old material, and the timeline. Itemization is what makes quotes comparable.
- Ask what's NOT included. Permit fees, haul-away, staining the new wood, and HOA paperwork are the usual exclusions.
Questions to ask before you sign
The eight questions that separate good companies from the rest
- Are you licensed and insured? Can I see the certificate? (See below.)
- Who actually does the work — your crew or a subcontractor?
- Will you call 811 to mark utilities before digging?
- How deep will the new posts be set, and in concrete or gravel?
- Will the replacement materials match my existing fence (species, profile, color)?
- What warranty do you offer on workmanship, and for how long?
- What's the payment schedule? (See red flags — never pay in full up front.)
- When can you start, and how long will the job take?
Licensing and insurance, in plain terms
Licensing rules for fence work vary by state and city: some places license fence contractors specifically, others fold fences under a general contractor or home-improvement license, and some have no license requirement for repair work at all. What matters practically:
- Liability insurance protects you if the crew damages your property, a sprinkler line, or your neighbor's fence.
- Workers' compensation protects you if a worker is hurt on your property. Without it, an injury can become your problem.
- Ask for a certificate of insurance and check it's current. Legitimate companies send it without blinking; reluctance here is information.
- If a permit is needed (common for pool fences and some boundary fences), the company's name should be on it.
Does that quote sound right?
Measure it against current ranges: a post at $150–$350, a leaning repair at $200–$400, a panel at $150–$300.
Red flags: walk away when you see these
- Full payment demanded up front. A modest deposit for materials on a big job is normal; 100% before work starts is not. A common fair structure is a deposit, then the balance on completion.
- No written quote — or a number scribbled with no itemization, no materials specified, no timeline.
- Pressure tactics: "this price is only good today," especially paired with a storm-damage pitch door-to-door.
- No physical address, no insurance certificate, or a company name that changes between the quote and the contract.
- Cash-only, well below every other quote. The cheapest quote that skips footings, uses untreated lumber, or sets posts in plain soil is the most expensive fence you'll ever own — you'll pay to redo it.
- They won't discuss the property line or 811. Professionals treat both as routine; amateurs treat them as obstacles.
What a fair fence repair quote includes
A proper written quote for fence repair should spell out: the scope (exactly which posts, panels and gates), materials by type and size, footing method and depth, haul-away of old material, start date and duration, total price with the payment schedule, and the workmanship warranty. If your quotes include those elements, comparing them is simple arithmetic — and the company that produced the clearest quote has usually told you something true about how they run the job, too.
A note on shared fences
If the fence sits on the boundary, talk to your neighbor before you hire anyone. Many states and HOAs have "good neighbor fence" norms or rules about shared costs for boundary fences, and a five-minute conversation beforehand beats a dispute over a bill afterward. Get any cost-sharing agreement in writing — a simple signed note is fine — and share the chosen company's quote with them before work starts.
Ready to talk numbers? Start with our fence repair cost guide so you know the fair range for your job before the first quote lands.