Fence Installation Quote Checklist

What it should state. What's commonly not stated. What to ask before you sign.

You're about to sign a fence installation quote. This page lists what a complete one states, the lines that are commonly not stated, and the questions worth asking before your name goes on it.

This is a reading checklist, not advice. Spend Defense doesn't tell you whether to sign — we make sure you've actually seen what's on the page, and what isn't.

What a complete fence quote states

Material and style — wood species, vinyl, chain link, or metal — with the style and grade named.
Height and linear feet — both as numbers, and how the footage was measured.
Posts — post material, spacing, depth, and whether they are set in concrete.
Gates and hardware — number and width of gates, plus hinges and latches, included or extra.
Old fence removal — whether tear-out and haul-off of the existing fence is in the price.
Permit and HOA approval — who applies for each, and whether any fees are in the total.
Total price and payment schedule — the full amount, the deposit, and what triggers the balance.
Warranty — workmanship warranty length, separate from any material warranty.

What's commonly not stated

Property-line responsibility — who confirms where the line actually is — survey, owner, or installer — is often left unsaid.
Utility locating — whether underground lines are marked before digging, and who calls for it, is rarely written down.
Rock or hard digging — extra charges if post holes hit rock or caliche are sometimes added mid-job.
Grade and slope — how the fence follows uneven ground (stepped or racked) is often decided on site.

None of these gaps decide anything by themselves. They're the lines to ask about before you sign, not after.

Questions to ask before you sign

“How many linear feet is this, and how was it measured?”
“How deep are the posts set, and are they in concrete?”
“Is removal of the old fence included?”
“Who is responsible for confirming the property line?”
“Who handles the permit and HOA approval, and are those fees in this number?”

Want a second set of eyes on the actual document?

Send us the paperwork before you sign. A Quick Check reads your document and shows you what it says, what's not stated, and what to ask — for $4.99 (up to 10 pages). Longer documents: Document Review $19, Premium Review $49.

Check my document →

We don't decide for you. We make sure nothing on the page — or missing from it — surprises you later.

FAQ

How much does a new fence usually cost?

We don't price other people's work — cost depends on the material, the footage, the height, and how hard the ground is to dig. What you can check is whether your quote states the footage, the post setting, and its own total. If it doesn't, that's a question to ask before signing.

What if something on this checklist is missing from my fence quote?

Ask for it in writing before you sign. A missing property-line or removal line isn't a verdict on the installer; it's an unknown in a contract you're about to be bound by. Getting it stated on the page costs nothing and settles it before the first post goes in.

Can Spend Defense read my actual fence quote?

Yes — that's the Quick Check. Send the document and you'll get back what it says, what's not stated, and what to ask, for $4.99 (up to 10 pages). Fence quotes are usually a page or two, comfortably within that limit.

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Spend Defense — we read the paperwork before you sign. We don't decide for you.