As a first-time homeowner, I'm dealing with a situation where I need to replace my fence. A section fell down in heavy winds and upon inspection, I've realized that a lot of the slats are rotted and several posts are broken. I've reached out to five different fencing companies about this. Interestingly, only one of them actually came by to inspect the fence and gather details. One company wants a service fee before they'll visit, while the others provided estimates without stepping foot on my property or even calling. I'm feeling a bit lost in this process because I thought they would at least want to assess the situation before giving a price. I'm just waiting for a quote from the contractor who visited, and he seemed pretty straightforward without any upselling. Is this how things usually work in the fencing business? What should I be cautious about?
3 Answers
Yeah, I've had a similar experience with fence contractors too. I think it often comes down to how much time and money they’d spend sending someone out versus just estimating based on material and labor costs. It can be a big investment for them, so not surprising they skip the visit.
Exactly! It’s all about the numbers they can crunch without spending too much time driving around.
This isn't unusual at all. Consider that for many contractors, the profit margin isn’t huge. Sending someone to your property means spending time and money they might not get back. It’s easier for them to provide a rough estimate upfront and only invest more time once you’re committed to moving forward.
Totally! It's just frustrating as a homeowner not to get that in-person touch.
Right! It seems logical from their perspective.
Completely normal! Many contractors can use public data and tools like Google Maps to estimate costs from afar. They don’t really need to see the property itself, especially since fencing can be pretty standard across different yards.
Yeah, saves them tons of time but it makes it feel impersonal!
That’s wild! I didn’t realize how accessible that info was.
That makes sense! So they're really just trying to minimize their costs.