Are you considering installing a fence in your yard to beautify your property and increase your home’s resale value? Or, perhaps you’re eyeing one to help add privacy and security to your residence or place of business.
In any case, the team you choose matters. A reputable and experienced fence contractor can help you select the right type of fence for your needs to make sure you’re getting the most for your money. You can also trust their craftsmanship and customer service at every point in your project.
Yet, with so many different fencing companies to consider, how can you make sure you’re hiring the right one?
Today, we’re taking a look at what sets the best ones apart from the rest. Read on to discover the key traits to look for as you reach out to local teams in your area.
1. A Solid Local Presence
Any time you’re looking to begin any kind of home project, it’s always best to stick to local teams you can trust.
While there are national chains that boast a wide geographic reach, bigger isn’t always better in this case. Although the skill sets might be similar, consider the value of your particular project among a sea of similar endeavors. When your fence installation is just another number, the degree of personalization and dedicated support can shrink.
Why should you keep your search small?
In short, a local fencing company will know your area like the back of their hand. They’re familiar with the layout of your region and can reach you quickly as soon as you request support. This means that every touchpoint of your project, from the initial site visit to the actual installation and even follow-up troubleshooting, is handled with care.
At Butte Fence, we’ve been serving our local community for more than 25 years.
What started as a modest operation in Paul, Idaho has expanded exponentially in the years since, but we’ve always kept our roots strong. Now, we have several convenient locations that allow us to best serve our local customers. This includes our Boise branch (added in 1995) as well as our Twin Falls branch, which we opened in 2007. Most recently, you can find us at our new location on Franklin Road!
In addition to serving the Treasure and Magic Valleys, we also have a strong local presence throughout Southeastern Oregon and Northern Nevada. Through our expansions, we’ve remained committed to helping customers in each area find access to the top-quality fencing materials they need.
Now, we’re one of the largest vinyl fence companies in the west. With a rich history of serving residential, commercial and land development clients, we’ve enjoyed cementing our reputation as a local go-to.
2. Positive Customer Feedback
Where do you first turn when you’re looking for the best restaurant in your town? What about the top place to buy “X,Y or Z?”
In years past, you might call up a few friends and go with their suggestions. That approach took a significant change with the development of the Digital Age.
Now, you don’t merely have access to the opinions of a few close acquaintances. Rather, you can reach thousands of people (or more) in just a few clicks, thanks largely to social media and user-friendly company websites.
If you’ve ever solicited feedback from Facebook, Twitter or another social platform, you know that people love to share their opinions! This is a relatively easy and straightforward way to distinguish a great fencing company. Who are they recommending over and over again? Which names seem to be the most popular?
Posing your inquiry that way can help you learn how your friends, colleagues and family members all feel. However, what if you want to reach a larger sphere?
The Power of Online Business Listings
Using the names on your social media short list, you can perform a Google search to see what others outside of your circle are saying about the companies in question. Often, a company’s online business listing is the first item you’ll find in the Search Engine Results Pages (SERPs). This is a short profile that lists key details that most customers want to know about.
In each listing, you can learn valuable information about each company, including their hours of operation, address, and services provided. On most platforms, including Google My Business, users can also leave reviews. This is a great way to quickly scan how well others are rating the business you’re searching.
For lengthier and more in-depth reviews, try actually visiting the websites of each company you’re considering. Many companies will dedicate a separate web page just to showcase testimonials and feedback from past clients. You can find ours under our Testimonials page.
You don’t have to base your entire decision on the opinions of others, but it can help to look for common themes woven throughout the commentary. Does everyone rave about the fencing company’s prompt communication? What about their on-site professionalism and industry knowledge?
Take notes as you review so you can compare later. Especially when you have multiple options to consider, it can be easy to confuse details later on.
3. Courteous, Timely Communication
Your fencing project should be a top priority of any company that you hire. Each interaction should leave you feeling respected and informed, and you should never feel like a burden.
Throughout the duration of your project, you’re likely to have plenty of questions. Which fencing material will work best for your space? What are the cost breakdowns? What kind of design should you choose?
You should be able to ask all of these (and many more) without fear or reproach or reprimand. If you begin interacting with any fencing company that makes you feel like your inquiries, opinions or concerns aren’t valid, then it’s time to continue your search elsewhere.
Thankfully, this is one trait that our team has in spades.
Before we start any job, we take the time to set up a meeting, listen to what you want, and provide expert advice and product recommendations. We’re here to help you every step of the way, but we understand that ultimately, our customers are in the driver’s seat.
When you reach out to us to begin a project, ask a question or make revisions to a plan, we’ll respond to you quickly and professionally. We won’t leave you waiting around for days to receive a call back or an email reply. You’ll know from our first interaction that we’re a customer-centric team and have been from the very beginning.
Then, once we have your approval to start the job, we’ll be equally as time-conscious. We’ll usually begin as soon as one to four weeks, and depending on the weather.
4. Wide Array of Options
You shouldn’t have to settle for a specific type of fence that you don’t love just because it’s the fencing company’s speciality.
Instead, look for a company with an industry reach and breadth of connections that is vast and varied. The one you choose should be able to supply a wide range of different fencing materials and designs for your consideration.
At Butte Fence, we’re proud to offer many different fencing products designed to meet different residential and commercial needs. These include:
- Vinyl fencing
- Wood fencing
- Concrete stone fencing
- Ornamental iron fencing
- Chain link fencing
- Privacy fencing
- Agricultural fencing
- Picket fencing
Our initial site visit can help us better understand your needs. From there, we can offer our professional suggestions on the type of fence that would work best for you.
For instance, many homeowners looking to spruce up their yard and add a degree of privacy will opt for vinyl fencing. This type of material looks fresh and bright and can hold up against harsh weather conditions. On the other hand, many businesses want to enhance their commercial entrances with concrete stone fencing that’s as durable as it is beautiful.
There are benefits and drawbacks to every fencing material on the market, and key details to know about each one. The best fencing companies are those that will listen closely to your goals for the project and use their skill sets to help guide you toward the best fit.
5. Photos of Past Work
You might not be able to visit each location where your fencing company has worked, but clear, high-resolution images are the next best thing!
When you’re trying to find the best contractor in your area, check their website to see if they have shared any images of their past work. This can be a great way to gauge how your finished project might look in the future.
As you browse, keep in mind that these images shouldn’t be doctored or improved in any way, which means no filters or PhotoShop should be used.
If you don’t see photo galleries on their website or social media pages, you can reach out to their team directly. Ask if they have any photos of recently completed projects that they can show you. If they refuse your request or send ones that are small, grainy and difficult to make out, consider this a red flag.
Any dependable and experienced fencing company will be more than happy to share and show off their past work. It can be difficult to visualize how your fence will look when it’s completed, and it helps to see real-world applications similar to yours.
Thankfully, we make it easy to find ours with our Projects Gallery page! In addition to the fences we’ve installed, you can also peruse pictures of our decks, docks, and patio covers. Each image is crisp and clean, with details that are easy to see. We’ve even categorized the images by material type, so you can browse specifically for vinyl fences, ornamental iron fences, and so on.
6. Affordable Pricing
Of course, your budget will play a major role in the team you decide to hire for your fencing installation. You might fall in love with one company’s products, image and reputation, but if their materials are priced way above your price range, it could be cost-prohibitive to move forward.
At the same time, it’s also important to remember that the absolute lowest quote isn’t always the best one to go with. If you have one that comes back leaps and bounds below the rest, it could signal poor-quality materials, workmanship or both.
In almost every home services niche, you’ll unfortunately find unscrupulous companies just looking to scam innocent homeowners and business owners out of their hard-earned money. Most of the time, they do so by offering a service that’s too cheap to refuse. Then, once you agree to the project and sign on the dotted line, you’re roped in and it can be difficult to retract your steps.
This is why it pays to set a clear budget from the very beginning. Before you begin asking for quotes, write down what you can afford to spend on your new fence. Then, you can compare the numbers that you receive to determine which company’s pricing appears to be the most fair, realistic, and aligned with your expectations.
Along the way, you can always check to see if the companies you’re contacting are offering any current promotions. Even if they’re modest, these savings can help you lower your expenses even more.
Before we provide any estimates, our team will perform a site visit to learn more about your job and make sure we’re accurately capturing all associated costs. We will perform a free visit to locations within a 100-mile radius. Once the visit is completed, we will return an estimate to you within one to five days, all free of charge.
7. Industry Expertise
The top fencing companies are experts in their space. In addition to performing top-tier planning and installation services, they’re also dedicated to learning and sharing as much as possible about their craft.
Check to see if the company has any industry certifications or accreditations. What does their training policy look like? Have they written articles or been featured in any contractor publications?
Thought leadership is important, and company standouts are willing to impart their knowledge to those who need it. This even includes DIY-ers who moonlight as fencing pros at their own homes. While it might seem counter-intuitive for an installer to teach homeowners how to install their own fence, this is the kind of knowledge sharing that top companies aren’t afraid to do.
We’re happy to share our insights with you, and we’ve done so on our Installation Tips page. Here, you’ll find step-by-step instructions that can help you tackle your own fencing project. To make the process as easy as possible, we clearly lay out the following details:
- The tools you’ll need
- The materials you’ll need
- The exact steps to follow
We aren’t holding tight to our knowledge, unwilling to impart it to you. We want to see you succeed, and we’re honored to play any role we can in that endeavor.
In fact, you can even purchase just materials from us! If you need custom-cut panels or other specialty items for your project, we do that too. Our delivery trucks can bring the goods right to your doorstep, so you never have to leave your home.
When you’re ready to get started, simply reach out to our talented sales staff to learn exactly what you need. Nearly every one of our sales members began as an installer, and has the firsthand knowledge you need to choose the right materials every time.
Can your other contractor say the same? Are there helpful tips on their website, or DIY instructions? Do you feel as though they’re safeguarding their support until you agree to a contract?
Look for a company that’s confident and successful enough to be transparent and supportive, even if that means equipping you with the resources you need to bypass their assistance. Down the road, they’re the ones you’ll turn to when you’re ready to tackle a bigger project or take on a more advanced installation.
8. Trained, Knowledgeable Team Members
Before you agree to begin any fencing project, you should clearly know who will be performing the work at hand.
Often, the company representative you speak to on the phone will have more of an administrative role and won’t be doing the hands-on work. Or, you may speak to a sales executive or business owner who will likewise handle a different aspect of your project.
Ask if the company has its own internal team or if they will be hiring subcontractors to help perform the work. In our case, it’s both! We take the time to carefully and thoroughly train all of our crew members, including our subs, to make sure everyone knows exactly how to perform the responsibilities of their job.
9. Project Guarantees
No one wants to install a brand-new fence only to discover that it breaks apart or erodes in a few months’ time. This is why it’s smart to ask prospective companies if they offer any sort of project guarantee to help ensure that yours lasts for as long as possible.
If you install a vinyl fence or patio cover through Butte Fence, it’s guaranteed for five years. At the same time, we also guarantee wood fences and decks for one year. In addition to these guarantees, we also offer incredible product and labor warranties. If you have any questions about our policies, our team is happy to help answer them.
If the company you speak with can’t offer similar levels of support, it’s best to ask why. The same applies if they’re unwilling to share the fine-print details of their warranties.
10. Showrooms to Visit
As we’ve mentioned, photos of past work are great when you’re trying to decide between a few different fencing companies. Yet, what’s even better than viewing 2D images of our products online? Seeing them for yourself in our facilities!
At both our Twin Falls and Meridian locations, you can visit our offices to find a large number of products on display. This can be a great way to get a better view of how each fencing material varies in texture, color, and more. For instance, you can see the nuances and differences that set gray and brown woodgrain vinyl apart from traditional white and tan varieties.
Once you visit our showrooms, you’ll also see why Butte Fence stands head and shoulders above other fence companies. From the clean, walkable layout to the courteous staff and helpful team members, you’ll notice the difference right away.
If the company you’re considering suggests that you make a site visit, take them up on the offer. Visiting a location in person can reveal information you might not have otherwise known about their business, both good and bad. There’s only so much you can decipher over the internet, and seeing really is believing.
Find Local Fencing Companies You Can Trust
A new fence can add visual appeal and practical function to your home or business. However, the team that installs it will ultimately determine how well it performs.
If you’re looking for a sturdy, solid solution that will look great and perform well, you can’t afford to spend time on sub-par contractors. You need to find local fencing companies that exceed your expectations at every turn.
We’re proud to be one of them, and we look forward to learning more about your project. Contact us today to request a quote.