How to choose a fence company in Florida
A new fence is a bigger job than it looks: property lines, post holes, permits, gates and, in Florida, often a pool barrier. Getting two or three quotes from companies that list the material you want is the simplest way to compare price and approach. Every company in this directory installs fences, and each listing shows what it says it builds: wood, vinyl, aluminum, chain link, iron or steel, pool fences, gates, repairs, commercial work and farm fencing.
On a listing, a check mark means the company states that service in its own words, and a cross means it says it does not offer it. Anything it never mentions is grouped in one line under "No information yet". That line does not mean the company cannot do the work. It means you should ask.
Permits are local in Florida. Brevard, Lee and Charlotte counties, for example, all require a permit to put up or replace a fence, and each sets its own heights and paperwork; Charlotte County caps chain link and wood fences at 6 feet. Ask each company whether it pulls the permit and whether that is in the price. If you live in a homeowners' association, read its guidelines before you choose a style. Under Florida law, an association's say over a fence's location, size, type and look comes from its own recorded covenants and published guidelines.
If the fence will enclose a pool, state law sets the minimum. The barrier must be at least 4 feet high on the outside, with no gaps a young child could crawl through or footholds a child could climb, and every gate to the pool must open outward, away from the water, and close and latch on its own. Ask how the fence and gates meet those rules.
Before any posts go in, Florida law requires a call to Sunshine 811 at least two full business days ahead so buried lines can be marked. Hurricane season runs from June 1 to November 30, so if you want a fence before summer, or need a repair after a storm, start calling early.
On the first call, ask which materials and styles the company installs, whether removing the old fence and building the gates are included, who handles the permit and the 811 ticket, which local license it holds, whether its warranty is in writing, and how soon it can start. Licensing for fence work is set by each county or city in Florida, so check a license with your local office.