Ask for three things in writing before you agree to anything: proof of insurance, the state licence number if the job needs one, and an estimate that lists every item. A contractor who avoids any of the three is one to pass on.
Fence Company Jackson is licensed and insured. Ask to see the documents at your estimate.
What should I ask a fence contractor before hiring?
- Who applies for the City of Jackson fence permit, and is the fee in the price?
- Who sends the Mississippi 811 locate request?
- How deep will the posts go in this clay, and what shape is the footing?
- Are the posts treated for ground contact?
- What grade of lumber or thickness of vinyl, and what size posts?
- Does the price include removing and hauling away the old fence?
- How many gates, how wide, and with what hinges and latches?
- When do you start and how many days will the crew be here?
- How is the price handled if you find roots, old concrete or standing water?
How do I check that a contractor is licensed and insured?
Ask for the papers, then check them yourself. The Mississippi State Board of Contractors licenses commercial contractors, residential builders and residential remodelers for jobs above dollar thresholds set by state law (Mississippi Code Title 31, Chapter 3 and Title 73, Chapter 59). Ask the Board whether a job of your size needs a licence and look the contractor up with the Board. A small fence job may fall below the threshold, which makes insurance the main protection. Have the insurer send the certificate straight to you. Cities also issue their own business or privilege licences.
What should a fence estimate include?
The length, the height, the material and its grade, post size and depth, every gate with width and hardware, removal of the old fence, the permit, cleanup, the payment schedule and a start date. If two estimates differ widely, compare them line by line. One will be missing an item or using a smaller number for it.
Should I get three quotes?
Yes, for a new fence or a full replacement. Three quotes tell you what the job costs locally and who took the time to measure. Compare what each one includes before you compare prices.
What deposit is normal?
A deposit toward materials, with the balance due as the work is completed, is the common arrangement. We have not found a Mississippi statute that limits a fence deposit, so the amount is whatever the contract says. Use a check or a card so there is a record, and ask for a receipt. Think twice about anyone who wants most of the price before material is on your driveway.
The cheapest quote wants half up front and will not show insurance. Is that a problem?
Yes, it is. Half up front with no proof of insurance leaves you with all the risk. If the crew damages a gas line, a neighbor's property or one of its own workers is hurt, the claim can come to you. And if the contractor disappears, the deposit goes too. Paying somewhat more for an insured company and a written scope is the cheaper choice in the end.
I paid a deposit and the contractor stopped showing up. What can I do?
Send a dated letter or email asking for a start or completion date, and keep the contract, payment records and messages together. If the contractor holds a state licence, you can bring the matter to the Mississippi State Board of Contractors. The Consumer Protection Division of the Mississippi Attorney General's Office takes consumer complaints. To recover money, justice court handles small claims in Mississippi, and a lawyer can advise on larger amounts.
The crew cut my internet line or sprinkler pipe. Who pays?
That turns on whether the line was marked and what the contract says about unmarked lines. Mississippi 811 locates lines that belong to utilities. A sprinkler pipe is private, and so are other lines an owner added. A shallow internet line or sprinkler pipe that nobody marked is a common loss. Walk the fence line with the crew leader before digging and have private lines written on the estimate.
My HOA approved the fence in writing and now wants it moved. What now?
Keep the approval letter and answer the association in writing. If the board approved the fence and now wants it moved, the disagreement is about the covenants and the approval, not about the fence work. A lawyer who works with homeowner associations can tell you what your rights are.
Can I install a fence myself?
You can, and a short straight run on level ground is a fair weekend project. It gets harder with long lines, slopes, gates and Yazoo clay, and the usual failure is posts set too shallow. You still need the City of Jackson permit. Mississippi's dig law exempts only hand digging less than 12 inches deep on your own property, and fence post holes are deeper than that, so contact Mississippi 811 first.
We cannot price a fence without seeing the yard, and the visit is free. Call (601) 476-1207 or text a photo of the fence line to the same number.