Adding a fence to your residential property in Orlando, Florida is a great way to improve your home’s value and can even help you sell your home quickly on an “as-is” basis. But how can you make sure you’re hiring the very best and most trustworthy fence installation company you can?
Pinpointing a qualified and reliable fence installer with the experience and skills required to get the job done right can be a daunting prospect, especially if you’ve never hired a fencing contractor before. Here are five straightforward steps to hiring the right fence installer for your Orlando, Florida home.
1. Start Creating a Short List
The first step is probably the lengthiest and most complex: Create a shortlist of fencing installation companies, through a combination of personal recommendations from friends, relatives, and neighbors; digital databases with rating systems; and independent client reviews from third-party websites. If you’re planning to sell your home in the near future, it’s also a good idea to check with your Orlando real estate agent for recommendations and suggestions.
Orlando is a large city, so it’s usually a better idea to whittle down the list of possible contractors before you start researching each in any in-depth way. This approach usually helps minimize the time and effort involved overall.
2. Check Licensing
For any fence installation job, you’ll want to hire a properly licensed contractor with good standing in the industry. One of the best ways to verify that the companies on your shortlist are licensed is to go straight to the source. In the state of Florida, that means checking with the Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation. Fortunately, searching for active contractor license verification is easy in Florida with the state agency’s MyFloridaLicense website.
3. Create a Description of Your Project
Your next step is to jot down a short written description of your project’s parameters. Measure the length and width of the part of your yard you want the fence to enclose. Give some idea of your desired height and materials and any special functioning requirements (i.e., needs to keep dogs securely inside). You can give this description to the contractors you’ll be talking to in the next step in order to get an accurate, competitive quote for the work.
4. Interview Your Candidates
For each contractor still on your list, you’ll want to get a written quote or estimate for the project. You’ll also want to ask the following questions:
- How much experience do you have with fence work like the type I want done?
- What are your requirements for the timing and manner of payment?
- Will you be working with others? How do you select those people?
- Will you be responsible for site cleanup both on a daily basis and at the end of the work?
- Who will carry away excess materials or debris?
- Will you give me the name and number for a few former customers who can vouch for your work?
- Will you verify utility locations with the providers?
- How long will this work take from start to finish and when do you think you can begin?
- Will a permit be necessary? Is that included in the quote or do I have to arrange that payment separately?
Make a note of their responses so you can evaluate these contractors accurately.
5. Checking the Fine Print With Your Finalist
After following the above steps, you should have a better idea of which contractor you’d prefer working with for the duration of your fence installation project. Ask that company for the details of whatever warranty they provide for their work. Also request a copy of their agreement or form of contract, and review its terms carefully. Finally, ask for proof of insurance coverage. This will help you rest assured that your fence installer is both trustworthy and capable of performing the work you need done.