A tape measure, a notebook and the city's own words
Plenty of fence projects begin with a catalog. A Montgomery fence can begin somewhere plainer: a long tape measure, a notebook and a few sentences the City of Montgomery publishes about fences. Those sentences talk about distances, and distances are something you can gather by yourself on a quiet afternoon, well before any company parks in your driveway.
What the City of Montgomery's FAQ says
The City of Montgomery's Inspection & Permit FAQ says both new fences and fence replacements over 3 feet in height require a permit, and the applicant provides a site plan showing the distances from dwellings, other structures and property lines.
For pools, the City of Montgomery's Inspection & Permit FAQ says the top of the fence must be at least 48 inches above grade and run around the perimeter, and the gate must open outward, be self-closing and self-latching, and accommodate a locking device.
A notebook page for each company
Give every company that comes out its own page. When you talk with a company, ask: "Does this fence call for a permit under the City of Montgomery's Inspection & Permit FAQ, and if so, who will apply for it?" Whenever a company brings up permits, write down what it told you, close to its own words, with the date and the name of the person speaking. Keep those pages next to a printed copy of the FAQ wording above. Answers read side by side on paper are easier to compare than answers half remembered after the third visit.
Distances worth measuring yourself
The FAQ's mention of dwellings, other structures and property lines makes a handy checklist for planning any fence. Walk the route you picture and measure:
- from each wall of the house the fence would pass near, counting steps, a porch or a deck attached to it;
- from a detached garage, a carport, a shed, a playset or a pergola;
- from each edge of the lot, as far as you can tell where it runs;
- from anything that needs elbow room for service, such as an outdoor air conditioning unit, a meter, a hose bib or a cleanout cap.
Jot each figure on a rough drawing of the yard. Problems can show up once the numbers sit on paper: a run squeezed against the shed, or a gate that would open straight into the back steps.
Where the lot ends
The boundary is the one line a tape cannot help with until you know where it is. Papers from the purchase of the house may hold a survey drawing, and metal markers at the corners of the lot can confirm it if you find them under the turf. When the drawing and the ground disagree, or nothing turns up, a land surveyor can locate the corners. A short visit with each neighbor before anything is staked can save trouble too: talk about which face of the fence will look toward them, and whether they will need to reach their side to mow or trim.
One job for each stretch
The front, sides and back of a yard are often asked to do different things. Behind the house, the job might be screening a patio from view. Along one side, it might be keeping a dog home. Across the front, it might be nothing more than marking the edge of the lawn. Write one job beside each stretch on your drawing, then pick a height and a face that suit it. Give every bidder the same drawing, with the height you want for each stretch written on it, so each company prices the same plan.
Samples and older work
A brochure shows a fence on its first day. Ask each company to bring a short sample of what it proposes, or photos of fences it put up some years back, so you can see how the material has worn. Then ask about the material itself:
- Wood: the species and grade, what the posts have been treated for, and whether any stain or sealer is part of the work.
- Vinyl: how thick the walls of the posts and rails are, how the panels attach, and what the maker's warranty leaves out.
- Aluminum or steel: what finish protects the pickets and how a scuff gets touched up.
- Chain link: the thickness of the wire, whether a top rail is included, and whether slats or a coated fabric are in the quote.
Corners and changes in grade
Corners, ends and gate openings can each call for a post of their own, sometimes a heavier one. Ask each company what holds its posts in the ground and how deep it plans each hole. If the ground rises or falls along the route, ask whether the panels will step down in level sections or tilt to follow the slope, and how any opening under a stepped panel gets closed.
Gates sized by what passes through
Make a list of what goes in and out on an ordinary week: trash and recycling carts, a mower, a wheelbarrow, bicycles, a grill rolled out for the weekend. Measure the widest item, and add the width you want to the drawing. Mark which way each gate should swing and what stands in its path, and decide whether it should latch from one side or both.
Below the grass
Ask each company who requests markings for public utility lines before digging starts, and whether its crew waits for the markings to appear. Then list the lines that belong to you and may not be marked: a sprinkler pipe, wiring to a lamp post or a backyard workshop, a buried wire for a pet containment system. Mark each on your drawing and walk it with the crew lead on the first morning.
Proof of coverage
Ask each company for proof of liability coverage and workers' compensation before any work begins, and keep it on that company's notebook page.
What each proposal should hold
When the written proposals arrive, look for the same items in each:
- the route drawn and measured, with the height for every stretch;
- the face and the material for every stretch;
- post size, spacing and how each post is set;
- every gate with its width, swing, latch and hinges;
- removal and hauling of any old fence, and cleanup;
- the material warranty and the workmanship warranty, written separately;
- the payment steps and a start window;
- what the company told you about permits, put in writing.
Where a proposal skips an item, ask that company to fill it in before you set its total beside the others.