Building a fence in Huntsville
The two things that decide whether a Huntsville fence lasts are what happens to it in a severe storm and what the crew hits when they dig the post holes.
Storm wind
NOAA's engineering weather data for the Huntsville airport station lists a 50-year basic wind speed of 90 mph, and real storms can be far worse. On April 27, 2011, 39 tornadoes touched down in the National Weather Service Huntsville office's area, and tornadoes hit Madison County six times. No residential fence stands up to a direct tornado hit, but ordinary thunderstorm gusts flatten fences every year. Board-on-board and shadowbox styles let some air through; a solid six-foot panel acts like a sail. Ask the installer about post size and spacing for the height you want, and how rails are fastened to posts, since rails pulling off is a common failure.
Rain on the fence line
NOAA lists a 100-year rainfall rate of 3.5 inches per hour. Soaked ground loosens posts and moves soil along the bottom of a fence. Keep the bottom boards a little above grade so water and debris can pass, and don't let a new fence block a drainage path between yards. If water already pools along the line, mention it before the posts go in.
Rock under the yard
The Geological Survey of Alabama says many areas of north Alabama are underlain by limestone and other carbonate rock, and it lists drainage problems among the triggers for sinkholes. Post-hole augers sometimes hit that rock a foot or two down. Ask how the crew handles it: coring into the rock, using shorter posts with anchors, or shifting a post a few feet. Get the price for rock work in the quote, since it's a common surprise charge. If you notice a depression forming along a fence line, have it looked at rather than just filling it.
Materials for a humid climate
Pressure-treated pine is the common choice; ask whether the posts are rated for ground contact, and plan to seal the boards after they dry out. Cedar costs more and weathers to gray. Vinyl doesn't rot but needs reinforced gate posts. Aluminum suits pool enclosures and front yards.
Gates
Gates sag before anything else. Ask for a diagonal brace that runs from the bottom hinge corner up to the latch side, heavy hinges, and a gate post set deeper than the line posts.
Before you sign
Have the property line marked, check HOA rules on height and which side faces out, and ask whether the installer requests a utility locate before digging. For jobs over $10,000, ask about the installer's Alabama Home Builders Licensure Board license. Get a written quote listing post depth and spacing, materials, gates, rock work and cleanup.