No two fencing companies are the same. That means when it’s time to choose yours, you need to do a little extra digging and ensure the company you tap checks all the boxes. Here’s where to start—and what to ask.
Fence Examples
“Can you show me some examples of your work—and provide a reference or two?”
Quality is key—no surprise there. But while a fencing company may talk a big game, make sure they have the goods to back it up. Ask to see samples of recent work and make sure they’ve tackled projects like yours before. Too often, untrained handymen and other service providers try and work through a complex fencing project—and the results speak for themselves. Make sure you’re working with a trained pro, and confirm any work they share by checking in with a recent customer or two. It’s also a good idea to search for online reviews as well. While one less-than-enthused review isn’t likely the sign of a bad business, a pattern likely indicates issues on the horizon—a giant red flag.
Fence Project Timelines
“What happens if you can’t meet a deadline?”
At the end of the day, quality and reliability are critical to getting your fence installed. Quality is essential but, if that fence never gets installed or only gets partially installed, then it never really matters how good the work could have been.
Be sure to talk deadlines and accountability. Many fencing and landscaping companies take your deposit, schedule a date, then disappear. It’s not that they’re never coming back to install your fence but, often, smaller companies get overwhelmed with new and existing clients and start shuffling their schedules—and, in those cases, customer experience and accountability tend to suffer.
While no one can predict the weather—literally—and schedule changes are par for the course, be sure you understand what happens then. How far in advance will they call you to cancel the install? How quickly will they reschedule your project? Will you be prioritized ahead of other scheduled jobs? Ask questions now and you’ll avoid frustration and disappointment that come with picking the wrong company later.
Fence Project Budget
“What if you go over budget?”
It happens—if you’ve ever bought or renovated a house, you know there’s virtually no way not to inch over your initial financial plan.
That said, fencing companies should be experts in assessing, pricing and planning—and that means your estimate should be relatively close, if not exact. Be sure, though, to ask what happens if they need to go over. Will you be contacted to approve overages? Is there a limit—10% above estimate, for example—after which you won’t be charged?
While you may opt for add-ons and other features during the installation process and understandably, that could add to your bill, some fencing companies intentionally undercut the competition, only to turn around and charge a ton more after they’ve secured the project.
Fence Installation Team
“Who exactly will be here for the installation?”
There’s a very good chance that whoever you’re talking to pre-sale won’t be the actual person installing your fence—but maybe they will be.
Regardless, be clear. Ask who they’ll be sending to handle the work—and are they staff or subcontractors? Will you have the same people onsite throughout the project, or will vary? And who’s “in charge” everyday? Is there a foreman? Will the person you’re talking to—likely the business owner—be stopping by? And who should you connect with if you spot an issue? Knowing this now will prevent slowdowns and frustrations during and after the install process.
Fence Cost
“How much will this be?”
Again, good fencing companies are expert estimators, so be sure and asked for a written proposal before making a decision. That said, don’t just scan and opt for the cheapest—you get what you pay for, in most cases. Instead, evaluate the quality of work, reputation, reliability and what exactly you’re getting for your money before signing the work order.
Contact Bluff City Fence now to learn more, get YOUR questions answered and schedule your free consultation and fencing assessment.
