Most repair calls in Mountain View are about one long back fence. The ranch and Eichler tracts here were built with shared rear and side fences, and after decades of patching, the posts give out at the soil line while the boards still look fair. The valley clay holds winter water against the wood for months, then dries hard and pulls away in summer. We replace failed posts in new concrete footings and rehang the rails and boards when they are sound.
Winter storms bring the second wave. When a run of atmospheric river rain soaks the ground and wind follows, a tall solid fence with tired posts goes over in one piece. In Los Altos, Palo Alto and the hill towns, a fallen oak limb is just as likely. We can close an open yard quickly and return for the full repair. Gate problems are the third group: sagging side gates, latches that miss, and driveway gates that bind.
On a shared fence, talk to the neighbor before work starts. California Civil Code section 841 presumes both owners share the reasonable cost of a boundary fence, and it calls for 30 days' written notice. We can write the estimate so the shared run is its own line. Expect us to test every post in the run, not only the ones that look bad, and to say plainly when a repair is throwing money at a fence that is finished.
Fence repair in Mountain View: common questions
Do I need a permit to repair a fence in Mountain View?
Replacing posts and boards in the same place at the same height is normally plain maintenance, and the city says wood fences 6 feet or less at a single-family home need no permit. Raising the fence, or rebuilding in metal or masonry, is different. Ask us or the Community Development Department first.
My neighbor and I share the back fence. Who pays for the repair?
California Civil Code section 841 presumes adjoining owners are equally responsible for the reasonable cost of maintaining a boundary fence, after 30 days' written notice. This is general information, not legal advice. We can give each owner a copy of the written scope and price.
Can you repair a fence that runs past a big oak or redwood?
Yes, with care. Mountain View counts oaks, redwoods and cedars as Heritage trees from 12 inches in trunk circumference, and Palo Alto and other towns protect large trees too. We dig by hand near the trunk and shift a post rather than cut a main root.
How it works
- Free estimate: Call, text or book online. We visit, measure and talk through options.
- Written quote: Clear pricing with material choices side by side.
- Permits & planning: We check local rules and help with permits before we dig.
- Install & clean-up: Our crew installs, cleans up and walks the finished fence with you.