A fence looks simple, but a bad install shows up fast: leaning posts, rotting wood at the ground line, or a dispute with your neighbor over the property line. Here is what to check before you hire anyone, in the order we would do it. It takes about 30 minutes and costs nothing.
Last updated October 15, 2026. Free to read, no sign-up. Sources are linked at the bottom.
Step 1: Check the license (5 minutes, free)
In California, anyone who does a home improvement job worth $1,000 or more (labor and materials together), or any job that needs a building permit, or uses employees, must hold an active license from the Contractors State License Board (CSLB). The smaller-job exemption rose from $500 to $1,000 on January 1, 2025.
- Ask for the license number in writing. Licensed contractors must put it on their bids, contracts, and ads.
- Look it up free at CSLB's Check a License page.
- Confirm three things: the status is active, the business name and address match your quote, and the classification fits the work. Fence work is the CSLB C-13 Fencing classification. Masonry block walls may fall under C-29 Masonry, and a general building (B) contractor can also do fencing as part of a larger project.
- On the same page, look at the bond (required to stay licensed), workers' compensation (a policy on file, or an exemption that means "no employees"), and any disciplinary or legal actions.
A company that arrives with a crew but shows a workers' comp exemption is a red flag: if an uninsured worker gets hurt on your property, you can be pulled into it.
Step 2: Ask for insurance in writing
A CSLB license is not insurance. Ask for a certificate of general liability insurance that names the business on your quote, and check the dates. If anything looks off, call the insurer listed on the certificate. Liability insurance covers damage to your home or a neighbor's property; workers' comp covers the crew. You want both when more than one person is on the job.
Step 3: Get 3 written, itemized quotes
Ask at least three companies to quote the same scope so you compare like with like. A useful quote lists:
- Every item of work, with materials named by brand, model, or grade where it matters
- Who pulls and pays for permits, and whether inspection fees are included
- Demolition, haul-away, and cleanup
- Start date, expected finish date, and what can cause delays
- A payment schedule tied to finished stages of work
- Warranty terms in writing
A much lower bid usually means something is missing. Ask each company what is not included.
Published national ranges per linear foot, installed (HomeGuide): wood about $20–$50, vinyl about $30–$60, chain link about $10–$40, aluminum about $25–$75, block walls about $60–$240 depending on height. San Diego labor often runs toward the upper end. Estimates, not quotes; try our fence cost estimator.
When comparing quotes, check post spacing, post material (steel vs. wood), how deep posts are set and in concrete, gate hardware, and whether old fence removal is included.
Permits
Many fences don’t need a permit, but taller fences, masonry or block walls, retaining walls, and fences near pools or in front yards often do, and rules differ by city. In the City of San Diego, start at Development Services; in Chula Vista, El Cajon, Santee, Oceanside, or Escondido, call that city’s building department. Put “contractor obtains all required permits” in the contract.
Shared fence on the property line? California Civil Code §841 presumes neighbors share responsibility and requires 30 days’ written notice before you build or replace. Our free neighbor fence letter helps you write it. If you aren’t sure where the line is, a licensed land surveyor can mark it before posts go in.
The contract and payments: California rules that protect you
- Down payment: no more than 10% of the contract price or $1,000, whichever is less (CSLB).
- Pay as work is done. Pay only for work that's completed, never ahead of it.
- Right to cancel: for many home improvement contracts you have 3 business days to cancel, and 5 business days if you're 65 or older (CSLB homeowner checklist).
- Changes in writing, signed before the extra work starts.
- Liens: your contract should include the "Notice to Owner" about mechanics liens. An unpaid supplier or sub can file a lien even if you paid the contractor, so ask for lien releases as you pay.
- Don't pay in cash, and keep a job file with the contract, receipts, photos, and warranties.
Warranties
Ask for two warranties in writing: the material warranty from the manufacturer (vinyl and aluminum often carry long ones, wood rarely does) and the contractor’s workmanship warranty covering leaning posts, sagging gates, and loose boards. Get the length and what voids it (for example, sprinklers hitting wood) on paper.
How to read reviews
- Read the 1- and 2-star reviews first, then how the owner replied. A calm, specific reply that fixes the problem is a good sign.
- Look for recent reviews describing jobs like yours in your part of the county.
- Be wary of a sudden burst of short 5-star reviews with no details.
- Ask for 2 or 3 recent customers you can call, or finished jobs you can drive by.
- Reviews tell you about service. They don't replace the license and insurance check.
Questions to ask before you sign
- How long have you been licensed under this business name?
- Who will be on site: your employees or subcontractors? Are subs licensed and insured?
- Who pulls the permit, and is the inspection fee in the price?
- What is not included in this quote?
- What warranty do you give on labor, in writing, and for how long?
- How are change orders priced if you find a problem after you start?
- How deep will you set the posts, and in concrete?
- Who handles the neighbor notice and the old fence?
- Will you call 811 (DigAlert) before digging?
Red flags
- No license number, or a number that belongs to a different business name
- A big deposit, or pressure to pay in cash
- "Today only" pricing or door-to-door offers after a storm or fire
- No written contract, or one that is vague about materials and dates
- Asking you to pull the permit as the "owner-builder" (that makes you responsible)
- Payments that run ahead of the work
- Refusing to call 811 / DigAlert before digging post holes
Questions
How do I check a fence contractor license in California?
Ask for the license number and search it free on the CSLB Check a License page at cslb.ca.gov. Make sure the status is active, the business name matches your quote, and the classification (C-13 Fencing) fits the work. The same page shows bond, workers’ compensation, and any disciplinary actions.
How much deposit can a fence contractor ask for in California?
For most home improvement contracts, no more than 10% of the contract price or $1,000, whichever is less, according to CSLB. After that, pay only for work that is finished.
Do I need a licensed contractor for a small job?
Since January 1, 2025, California’s minor-work exemption covers jobs under $1,000 including labor and materials, and only if no building permit is needed and the person has no employees. Anything else needs a CSLB license.
Can I cancel a home improvement contract after signing?
Often yes. CSLB says a 3-day right to cancel applies to many home improvement contracts, and a 5-day right applies if you are 65 or older. Check whether it applies before work starts.
Who pays for a fence between neighbors in California?
California Civil Code §841 presumes adjoining owners share responsibility for a boundary fence equally, and requires 30 days’ written notice before building or replacing one. Neighbors can agree otherwise in writing.
Sources (checked October 15, 2026)
- CSLB: Check a License
- CSLB: Hire a Contractor (consumer guide)
- CSLB: Homeowner checklists (down payment, 3-day and 5-day cancel, payment schedule, lien notice)
- CSLB: Senior Scam Stopper
- HomeGuide: fence installation cost (national ranges)
- California Civil Code §841 (Justia)
- DigAlert: call 811 before you dig
- City of San Diego Development Services (permits)