If you’re reading this article, you are likely exploring your options for what fence company to use in Bastrop, Texas. We are often asked by customers if we can match the fence bid they got from another local company in the Bastrop area. Here at Butler Contracting, we have heard horror stories time and time again about prices changing after a project starts or poor craftsmanship. Many fence companies low-ball their initial bid, then come back with additional charges just before the project starts or while in the middle of the project say something changed or was overlooked. Sometimes, they just simply cut corners to save on cost ultimately costing the customer more money. We don’t do that! We honor our pricing promise and only use materials of the highest quality!
What Makes Another Fence Company Cheaper?
There are a number of factors that can drive the price of your fence. We have broken down a few key reasons one fence company may be cheaper than another one.
Size of Company: How large is the company and how many employees do they have? What is their overhead cost? Do they have a physical location or do they work out of their truck? While lower-cost fence companies seem appealing they may be a one-man show or have one helper. Cheaper fence companies may or may not be able to take on multiple projects at once, can be limited in the types of fence products they offer, or it may take a while for them to complete your fence project. The larger the fence company the more expensive it is for them to operate, but there is safety in hiring a well-established fence company with a good reputation.
Skilled vs Unskilled Labor
This is an area that sets Butler Contracting apart from the majority of other companies that offer fencing services in the Bastrop area. Many fence companies in the area fall into two categories:
1.) They sell the fence project and subcontract it out to fence crews, handymen, or day laborers.
2.) They do the work themselves as a one-man show or with one or two helpers or day laborers.
Often, the subcontracted crews, handymen, or day laborers are unskilled and untrained on fence industry standards. They may have the ability to install a fence but the people who actually show up to do the job, the quality of the materials, and oversight of the project are basically out of the salesperson’s control once the project is subcontracted.
Often, when a smaller company takes on a fence project, the owner is out on the job site with an unskilled helper or two installing the fence. The owner is often distracted answering the phone, going to get materials, and going to another job site or sales appointment in the middle of your project leaving the unskilled and untrained guys behind on the project to figure it out and get it done. This is often a recipe for issues down the road with your fence due to quality control issues.
What Sets Butler Contracting Apart?
Our team is highly trained and skilled from management to production. All of our fence installations are performed by our actual employees that are on our payroll. Rather than Alan the owner on the job site with all the distractions mentioned above we have a dedicated Project Manager on our team who has completed Operations Manager School with the American Fence Association. Our Project Managers are responsible for scheduling, customer communication, materials, and managing our production team.
All of our field employees receive fence installation training both in-house and professionally. We send all of our field employees to Fence Installation School through the American Fence Association. You can be assured when a member of our fence build team shows up to do your project, they are highly trained by some of the best fence experts in the industry. We are not aware of any other company in the area that offers that kind of value to their customers or another company that invests in their employees as much as Butler Contracting does.
Quality of Materials Used On Your Fence
One of the most common failures in a fence we see is the size, type, and durability of fence posts. Fence posts are one of the most crucial parts of a fence and one of the most common reasons a fence will fail. We often see other companies taking shortcuts here to save money and cut corners mainly because the customer will likely never know until there is a storm and their fence has blown down. At that point, the post fails and it is unlikely you will be able to get the fence company to come back or even answer the call when there is an issue. Many other material factors include the thickness of fence pickets, the quality of metal fence panels thickness, paint and powder coating, and concrete.
Materials: Here at Butler Contracting we only use top-quality fence materials. Quality fence materials cost a little more but are worth every penny in the long run, ensuring your investment is working for you in the long run.
Gates: If you have a fence you can almost guarantee there is going to be a gate. The types, styles, and number of gates can drive the price of a fence up rather quickly due to the cost of materials and the expertise it takes to construct a good quality gate. The most common issue with a fence we get called about are gates. Gates are also the number one reason we get called back for warranty work. There are many ways to build a gate, and over the years Butler Contracting has developed its way of building a gate that has a guaranteed No-Sag Warranty. We warranty our gate systems with a 2-year parts and labor warranty.
Will Other Fence Companies Pull Permits?
Do you know if you need a permit for your fence project? The City of Bastrop has specific rules and regulations when it pertains to fence repair and fence replacement. The City of Bastrop requires a fence permit whenever a fence is replaced, a new fence is installed, and when repairs exceed a certain threshold. In order for a fence company to pull a permit with the City of Bastrop, they must be registered as a contractor and a current general liability insurance policy must be on file. In addition, there may be HOA fence permits required for your fence project. Even if your HOA happens to be outside of City limits HOA permits may still be required based on Texas laws your HOA must adhere to. In some cases particularly if you live in a Floodplain Zone or if you are constructing certain types of fences you will need a permit from Bastrop County. We often see companies skirt around permitting and tell customers a permit is not required for a fence, leaving the customer at risk.
What Fence Warranty Does The Company Offer?
Do you know what warranty is being offered? Most quality fence companies will offer at a minimum a workmanship warranty. Based on the type and style of fence Butler Contracting has options ranging from 2 years, 5 years, and even 10-year warranties on workmanship. Due to the quality of fence materials we offer at Butler Contracting, the products we use come with 15-year fence post warranties and even 20-year manufacturer fence system warranties. Make sure the warranty being offered is detailed and you have some documentation about what is and is not covered, so you can refer back to it if something warranty-related arises. At the end of each fence project Butler Contracting provides a Warranty Certificate with these details for your reference.
What Should I Do Next?
After reading this, you may have come to the conclusion you can’t afford to choose the cheaper companies. If you’re ready to get started, use our Free Instant Estimator Tool or call us at (844) 628-8537 and explore your fence options today.
