• Property pins located or surveyed
• Clear Fence Lines
• Access to Water & Electrical Outlet
• City Permits
• Neighborhood Covenants
• Non-public utilities, underground obstructions
• Sprinkler systems
• Propane lines

The professional fence dealer knows that his future in business depends upon his customer’s satisfaction. His reputation is important, and he is aware of your needs — whether your fence is for privacy, protection, for increasing your property value and appearance, or simply to define its boundaries. The AMERICAN FENCE ASSOCIATION and its members recognize the importance of informed consumers and has helped in providing this report so you may make a more informed buying decision.

There are typically two types of warranties - Manufacturer and Installation

Manufacturer warranties cover the material that is to be used for construction of the fence, they can vary from 5 years to limited lifetime.

Typical coverage of manufacturer warranties:

• Wood fence - decay or rot and insects - with exception
• Chain link fence - red rust over 5% of coverage - with exception
• Ornamental - corroding, cracking, peeling, chipping, blistering - with exception
• PVC - corroding, rotting, peeling, chipping, blistering - with exception.

Installation warranties cover the workmanship of the fence construction, they can vary from no warranty to 3 years. The industry standard for installation warranties is 1 year.

Common misconceptions or misunderstanding of warranties:

• Manufacturer warranty: DOES NOT COVER labor to replace materials, shipping costs, or sales tax
• Installation warranty: DOES NOT COVER natural characteristics of the material used (i.e. warpage and shrinkage of wood, wear & tear of gates). If a consumer is under the belief that 7 years after their purchase, and due to their warranty, that they will get the fence fixed at no cost — they have been misled.

A WARRANTY IS ONLY AS GOOD AS THE COMPANY BEHIND IT!

• NOT ALL MATERIALS ARE THE SAME There are different types of chain link fence materials as well as wood and ornamental fence. Chain link fence materials come in galvanized steel, vinyl and aluminized. Wood Privacy fence can be constructed from several types and grades of lumber. Ornamental Fence can be constructed of aluminum or steel.
• BE CERTAIN YOUR WRITTEN CONTRACT contains the specifications of the materials that your contractor intends to use. If lumber is to be used, your contract should specify the type and grade of wood. If a metal fence is your selection, the gauge of fabric and size of posts should be specified. The number of gates, layout of your fence, total footage of fence, and height of fence should also be specified.
• WHAT YOU SEE MAY NOT BE WHAT YOU GET A reputable AFA contractor will be more than happy to show you samples of the fences you are interested in. When the fence installation is complete, make sure that the samples shown are the materials actually installed.

• Provide security
• Retain children and pets
• Enclose pools or tennis courts
• Beautify your property
• Screen an unsightly view
• Prevent industrial theft & employee loss
• Reduce traffic noise
• Provide privacy from street or neighbors

• NOTICE ADVERTISING: Unbelievable discounts are just that… UNBELIEVABLE! Read the small print. You may get a discount on the material, but then find yourself paying an inflated price for labor and other necessary items. Without profits, a business cannot continue to operate. A reputable contractor deserves a reasonable profit. Without it, he cannot remain reputable, or stay in business.
• CHECK REFERENCES: Call the Better Business Bureau to determine if other consumers have had bad experiences with the contractor.
• MAKE SURE YOUR CONTRACTOR IS INSURED: Ask to see a copy of his insurance coverage. A reputable AFA member will have an insurance certificate and will be happy to provide a copy. The contractor’s workman’s compensation and liability protect YOU if one of his employees is injured on your property.
• YOUR CONTRACT SHOULD BE IN WRITING: A reputable AFA contractor will use a printed estimate form which gives the details of the contract and will specify on that estimate form the materials he intends to use. The contract is to protect not only you, the consumer, but the contractor as well.
• KNOW YOUR RIGHTS AND OBLIGATIONS: Ask questions! Who calls for underground utility locations (Missouri One Call System)? Who determines property lines? Does my fence attach to my neighbors fence? All these questions, when addressed ahead of time, can save you valuable time and resources and insure a clean installation.