Get three things on paper: a Utah contractor licence number you can look up, proof of insurance, and an estimate that lists every item. If a contractor will not provide all three, move on to the next one.
Salt Lake City Fence Solutions is licensed and insured. Ask us for the documents when we give you the estimate.
What should I ask a fence contractor before hiring?
- Is the city permit in the price, and who applies for it?
- Who makes the Blue Stakes 811 request?
- How deep do the posts go, and what are they set in?
- Which wood species or vinyl grade, and what size posts?
- Does the price include tearing out and hauling the old fence?
- How many gates, what width and what hardware?
- What is the start date and how many days on site?
- What happens to the price if you hit cobble, roots or old concrete?
How do I check that a contractor is licensed and insured?
Utah contractors are licensed by the Division of Professional Licensing, known as DOPL, part of the Utah Department of Commerce. Ask for the licence number and look it up on DOPL's licence lookup before you sign. State law exempts only small jobs under a dollar limit, and DOPL publishes the current figure. For insurance, ask for a certificate sent to you by the contractor's insurance agent, not a photocopy.
What should a fence estimate include?
The footage, the height, the material and its grade, post size and depth, each gate with its width and hardware, removal of the old fence, the permit, cleanup, a payment schedule and a start date. When two estimates differ by a lot, one of these items is almost always missing from the cheaper one.
Should I get three quotes?
For a whole fence, yes. You learn the going rate and you see which contractor measured and wrote things down carefully. Judge them on the written scope first and the total second.
What deposit is normal?
The deposit is whatever your written contract says, so read it before you pay. We did not find a Utah statute that sets a fixed limit for fence work, so there is no state number to quote. A deposit that covers materials is common. Pay by check or card, get a receipt, and be wary of anyone who wants most of the price in cash before work starts. Utah also has a Residence Lien Recovery Fund, run through DOPL, that protects owners of a single-family home or duplex from liens when they have a written contract with a licensed contractor and pay it in full. Ask DOPL whether your job qualifies.
The cheapest quote wants half up front and will not show insurance. Is that a problem?
Yes, it is. A low number, a big deposit and no insurance certificate are the three warning signs, and here they come together. If an uninsured worker is hurt in your yard or a gas line is hit, you may be the one paying. A contractor who shows a licence, insurance and a complete scope is worth a somewhat higher price.
I paid a deposit and the contractor stopped showing up. What can I do?
Write to them with the date and ask for a firm start or finish date. Keep a copy. If you get no answer, file a complaint with the Utah Division of Professional Licensing, which licenses and disciplines contractors. Hold on to the contract, proof of payment and every text and email.
The crew cut my internet line or sprinkler pipe. Who pays?
It turns on whether the line was marked. Blue Stakes members mark the lines they own. Pipes and wires the homeowner put in, such as sprinklers, drip lines and low-voltage lighting, are private and are not marked. Nearly every yard in the Salt Lake Valley has sprinklers, so walk the line with the crew, point out heads and valves, and have it written on the estimate how sprinkler repairs are handled.
My HOA approved the fence in writing and now wants it moved. What now?
Hold on to that written approval and do not move anything yet. This is a disagreement with the association about its own decision, not a building problem. A lawyer who works with Utah community associations is the right person to ask.
Can I install a fence myself?
You can, and a short straight run on flat ground is a fair weekend job. Where owner-built fences go wrong is at the posts: too shallow for frost, or out of line on a slope. Long runs, bench lots with cobble and any gate are harder than they look. You must still contact Blue Stakes of Utah 811 before you dig, and Salt Lake City still requires the permit.
The only way to get a real price for your yard is a free on-site estimate. Call (385) 402-8455 or text us a photo of the fence line.