Wind and solid fences
A solid privacy fence acts like a sail. NOAA's engineering weather data for Fayetteville's Drake Field lists a 50-year basic wind speed of 90 mph, and a six-foot board fence catches a lot of that force. Gaps between boards, shadowbox styles, or horizontal designs with spacing let some wind through and reduce the load on the posts. Whatever style you choose, the posts carry the fence: ask about post size, spacing (often 6 to 8 feet), how deep they'll be set, and whether every post or only corner and gate posts will get concrete.
Digging in the Ozarks
Fayetteville sits in the Ozark Mountains, and the Arkansas Ozarks are limestone country. On the Springfield Plateau, the ground is underlain by Boone Formation limestone, rich in karst features. Practically, a post hole can run into rock or chert. A fence contractor who has worked locally will tell you how they handle rock: a rock auger, a jackhammer, core drilling, or setting posts in shallower holes with more concrete and bracing. Ask how rock affects the price, and whether the quote includes a per-hole charge for rock. A firm price before digging should spell out what happens if rock is found.
Freeze-thaw and post setting
NOAA lists an average of 62 freeze-thaw cycles a year at Drake Field. Water that collects around the base of a post freezes and expands, slowly lifting posts that aren't deep enough. Ask the contractor to crown the concrete at the top so water runs away from the post, and to put gravel at the bottom of each hole for drainage. For wood posts, ask whether they are rated for ground contact, and consider steel posts behind a wood fence for longer life.
Slopes, property lines and permits
On a sloped lot, a fence can be stepped (level sections that drop at each post) or racked (following the grade). Each looks different and handles gaps under the fence differently, which matters if you're keeping a dog in. Before work starts:
- Know where your property line is; a survey is the only way to be sure.
- Call 811 so utility lines are marked before anyone digs.
- Check with the City of Fayetteville and any homeowners association about height limits, setbacks and permit requirements.
The license threshold
In Arkansas, work on a single-family home costing more than $2,000 in labor and materials needs a license from the state Contractors Licensing Board. Many fence jobs cross that line. Ask for the license number and look it up on the board's search.
Comparing quotes
Ask each contractor to list the material grade, post type and depth, concrete use, gate hardware, and how they'll handle rock and slope. Ask who is responsible for marking the line and for cleanup of dirt and rock spoil. Get the workmanship warranty in writing, and ask whether gates are warrantied against sagging.