Fence Company Comparisons

Before you hire a contractor, it is important that you find out a few things:

• Do they have a current State Contractor license?

This is important because contractors must prove to the State of MN that they have enough insurance, and it means they are serious about being in this industry. You can weed out the non-licensed guys right away. A link to look up a residential contractor is provided in the right side bar of this page (under the heading of "License Look-Up Link"). You may be surprised to see how many fence companies are not licensed.

CLICK HERE to look up a contractor

• Warranty on workmanship?

Anybody can warranty materials for 5, 10, 20 years, but the labor is what costs money. A board replacement or a gate adjustment are minor material costs, but the labor can be $200.00 or more. A one year labor warranty is the same as nothing. It says to the customer that if a board falls off next summer, the new board is free; but the trip charge is $200.00 (does that sound like a good warranty?) Better contractors who build durable projects, will warranty everything for 5 or more years because they know that they will last.

• Small down payment?

Most consumer advocacy groups (BBB, Angie's List) advise paying 30% or less as a down payment. Be cautious of contractors who want more than that. Remember, this down payment reflects your commitment to the job, but the contractor hasn't performed any work yet. You have nothing to show for your commitment.

If you follow these steps, you may find that choosing your next contractor is quite easy.
Here is a link to the MN Dept of Labor and Industry to check out any contractor that you may be considering to hire: click here

Thanks for reading!

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