Ask for three things in writing: the California contractor licence number, proof of insurance and an itemized estimate. The licence can be checked in a minute on the Contractors State License Board website, cslb.ca.gov, or on its automated phone line.
The Mountain View Fence Company is licensed and insured. Ask us for the licence number and an insurance certificate when you get your estimate.
What should I ask a fence contractor before hiring?
- What is your CSLB licence number?
- Does this fence need a city or town permit, who applies, and is it in the price?
- Who places the USA North 811 ticket?
- How deep are the posts set, and in what?
- What species and grade of wood, or which vinyl or metal product, and what size posts?
- Is removal and disposal of the old fence included?
- How many gates, what widths, and what hardware?
- How will you work around the trees on the fence line?
- When can you start, and how many working days will it take?
How do I check that a contractor is licensed and insured?
Look the contractor up with Check a License on cslb.ca.gov. The board says anyone doing work of $1,000 or more in combined labor and materials must hold a CSLB licence, and so must anyone on a job that needs a permit or uses workers. The fence trade has its own licence classification, C-13 Fencing. The licence record shows bond and workers' compensation information. For liability insurance, ask for a certificate sent to you directly by the insurer.
What should a fence estimate include?
Footage, height, material and grade, post size and depth, every gate with its width, tear-out of the old fence, permits, cleanup, a payment schedule and a start date. When two estimates differ, find the item one of them skipped. The CSLB says a written contract is required in California for all home improvement projects over $500.
Should I get three quotes?
Yes, for a full fence. Three bids tell you the local going rate and show which contractor actually measured. Compare the written scopes first and the totals second.
What deposit is normal?
California caps it. The CSLB says the down payment on a home improvement contract cannot be more than $1,000 or 10 percent of the contract price, whichever is less. After that, payments are not supposed to get ahead of the work completed. Pay by check or card, not cash, and keep every receipt.
The cheapest quote wants half up front and will not show insurance. Is that a problem?
Yes, on both counts. Half up front is far above the legal down payment limit for a California home improvement job. Refusing to show insurance on top of that is a common mark of someone working without a licence. If their worker is injured on your property or they break something, the cost can land on you. Check the name at cslb.ca.gov before going any further.
I paid a deposit and the contractor stopped showing up. What can I do?
Send a dated written request for a firm start or completion date. If you get no answer, file a complaint with the Contractors State License Board, the state agency that licenses and disciplines contractors. Save the contract, your payment records and every text and email.
The crew cut my internet line or sprinkler pipe. Who pays?
That depends on whether the line was marked and on the contract terms. The 811 ticket covers lines the utility companies own. Sprinkler pipe, drip lines, landscape lighting and other things a homeowner installed are not marked by anyone. Show them to the contractor beforehand and get them noted on the estimate.
My HOA approved the fence in writing and now wants it moved. What now?
Keep the written approval safe and leave the fence where it is for now. The problem is between you and the association, not a defect in the fence. Speak with a lawyer who handles California homeowner association matters.
Can I install a fence myself?
Yes. A short, straight wood fence on flat ground is a reasonable project for a handy owner. Gates, long runs and slopes are where owner-built fences go wrong, almost always at the posts. You still have to notify USA North 811 before digging and keep to your city's height and permit rules.
We can only give a real price after seeing the yard. The on-site estimate is free. Call (408) 539-2396 or text us a photo of the fence line.