Get Quotes from Top Fencing Contractors in San Antonio, TX

Are You Licensed to Practice as a Fence Contractor in San Antonio?

While there aren't any license or registration requirements in San Antonio for commercial general contractors, your fence contractor might need a residential building contractor license. This license is often needed for detached accessory structures larger than 400 square feet, additions to residential structures, foundation repairs, and new residential construction that involves structural work. Check with the city to see if your fence contractor needs this or other licenses.

It should be noted that the residential building contractor license must be renewed after two years. Applicants who wish to register for a license as a Residential Building Contractor, in addition to completing the license application, must:

• Go through a national background check by the FBI
• Present a government-issued photo ID.
• Provide $170 for registration and renewal fees.
• Submit a Certificate of Liability Insurance naming the City of San Antonio as the Certificate Holder and attesting to the minimum types of insurance and liability levels that must be met.

Depending on whether it is a first offense or a recurrent offense, acting as a contractor without the required authorization can result in fines of $300 to $1,000. To ensure that the contractor you hired for your fencing project is duly licensed, use the San Antonio Department of Development Services' License Search platform,

For additional information on licensing for fence contractors in San Antonio, get in touch with the Department of Development Services at (210) 207-1111 or visit their office at:

How Much Do You Charge Compared to Other Fencing Companies in the City?

For a number of reasons, San Antonio homeowners engage fencing contractors to put new fences on their properties. These include:

• For stylistic and decorative purposes
• To boost their level of privacy and block snoopers
• To cover their pool areas and keep trespassers from diving in
• To deter nefarious characters like burglars
• To improve the appearance of their gardens
• To increase their safety and security
• To prevent children and pets from escaping the property and prevent pests and rats from entering.

The price of installing a new fence on your property can range from $2,062 to $2,589.00 in San Antonio, but the actual cost will depend on a number of factors, with the style of fencing you choose being the most important. In San Antonio, the following materials are most frequently used by owners of homes and other properties for fencing:

• Chain Link: Chain link fences are noted for their security and can range in price from $10.26 to $13.99 per linear foot despite not being the most fashionable type of fencing. These fences can be utilized for backyards. However, they are rust-prone.
• Composite: Composite fences are similar to wood fences in appearance but have a wider variety of colors and require little to no upkeep. The cost of this fencing material, which ranges from $25 to $36 per linear foot, is a serious drawback.
• Vinyl: The price of a linear foot of vinyl fencing ranges from $15.85 to $21.44. These fences require little upkeep, are long-lasting, simple to install, and environmentally beneficial. They can be harmed by severe weather and might not be the best option for security.
• Aluminum: Aluminum fences are long-lasting, rust- and corrosion-resistant, and require little maintenance. Although these kinds of fences provide houses and properties with a more contemporary appearance, they can be expensive to build and are not the best option for security and privacy. They can range in price from $20.50 to $26.10 per linear foot.
• Wrought Iron: The most aesthetically beautiful forms of fences are those made of wrought iron, which is also noted for being strong and long-lasting. However, installing these kinds of fences can be pricey at $20.50 to $26.10 per linear foot. Additionally, wrought iron fences require a lot of upkeep and are easily dented and rusty.
• Wood: Wood fences range in price from $13.05 to $15.85 per linear foot and are popular due to the privacy they provide. Although this kind of fencing is adaptable and attractive, it has a lifespan of five to 10 years and needs ongoing care.

Other aspects that may increase or decrease fence installation prices in San Antonio include:

• How long the proposed fence is
• Labor charges
• Supplies and tools for fencing, such as screws, hinges, latches, and locks for fence posts

When looking for a qualified fence builder for your project, it is usually a good idea to obtain and compare pricing from multiple fencing firms in the city. This helps you avoid being duped by a dishonest fence contractor or business by giving you a realistic sense of the market pricing for your intended project. Look out for estimates that are noticeably different from the others when comparing these expenses, and take it as a warning if the contractor cannot adequately justify the price difference. Homeowners in the San Antonio region like the following fence designs and styles:

• Picket Fence: Picket fences are a very common type of fence that are frequently employed as aesthetic house boundaries. They are characterized by their uniformly spaced vertical planks, which frequently have pointed tops. Typically, picket fences are small fences. But larger variations of this design can be erected for a little protection, like deterring medium-sized pests and rats.
• Garden Fence: Low fences called "garden fences" are frequently erected around gardens to deter small animals and for aesthetic reasons. They can be made in a variety of shapes, from wire or wood.
• Flat-Top Fence: As the name implies, this is a straightforward fence style with a flat top. It can be made of wood or aluminum.
• Gothic Fence: In this design, the fence is punctuated with various points. This type of metal fencing frequently utilizes wrought iron and aluminum. It is a magnificently designed fence that is frequently found in mansions.
• Lattice-Top Fence: In this style, a conventional fence is given a lattice top to provide some decorative flair. It can be created from wood, vinyl, or metal.
• Scallop Fence: Unlike the standard picket fence with a straight horizontal top, the scallop fence type has a top that rises slightly curvedly from one end to the other.
• Shadow-Box Fence: This design requires alternately fastening wood fencing material to each side of the frame of the fence.
• Electric Fence: This design uses metal materials and wire mesh to build a barrier that discourages people and animals from entering an area by shocking them with electricity
• Split Rail Fence: This design uses a horizontal installation method rather than the more common vertical method. Compared to other fence designs, split rail fences often use less fencing material and are often used in ranches and farms.
• Dog-Ear Fence: This sort of fence has a hexagonal end created by shaving off the top ends of the hardwood fence boards on either edge. The most popular fencing materials for this type are wood and composite. They are inexpensive, easy to construct, and aesthetically pleasing.
• Custom Fence: As the name suggests, custom fences are those that are made especially for specific terrains and can be altered to suit your personal preferences. Although wood and metal fencing are the most popular choices for custom fences, you may build these fences out of any material of your choice. However, it should be remembered that building custom fences often costs more than installing other types and designs of fences.

Fence installers in San Antonio make an average of $46,540 annually. The following list compares the average hourly pay of these contractors with that of fence contractors in other locations across Texas and the rest of the United States:

What Kind of Fencing Services Do You Offer?

Discovering the kinds of fencing services your potential fence contractors are prepared to provide and ensuring that these services correspond to your unique needs are essential while looking for qualified fence businesses in San Antonio. Professional fence contractors in the city frequently provide a variety of services, such as:

• Building and designing unique and customized fences
• Fence upkeep and repair
• Gate installations for fence
• Installations of new fences
• Upgrading or replacement of an aged fence

Based on your agreement with the contractor, they might also offer other services like professional advice on fence design and installation, utility line and property boundary marking, and securing all necessary permissions for the project. Therefore, before entering into any contract with your fence contractor, it is always in your best interest to confirm the precise services they offer and agree on their extent. By doing this, you ultimately prevent arguments and subpar service performance.

When Am I Required to Have a Fence in San Antonio?

Finding out if there are any state or local laws that might affect or limit the nature and scope of your San Antonio fencing project is usually a smart idea before getting started. Laws guiding fencing in San Antonio are outlined in Section 35.514 of the San Antonio Unified Development Code. A few requirements of this ordinance are as follows:

• Except for any fence work specifically exempted from the City Code, any fence built, maintained, or expanded within the city limits requires a building permit.
• These limits apply to the following regions, which are regarded as fence-clear vision areas:
  • Residential Corner Lots with Street Intersections: No fence may be built on a corner lot or erected in the city that is taller than three (3) feet or extends more than twenty-five (25) feet in either direction from the curb.
  • A driveway, accessway, or alley cannot be created within a triangle formed by measuring fifteen (15) feet in each direction from where the curb of the street connects with a driveway, accessway, or alley.
• Fencing includes freestanding walls that are not an essential load-bearing component of a building and are made of masonry or wood frame.
• A professional engineer's certification stating that the base and support structure is built to withstand wind loads in compliance with the International Building Code is required for any solid screen fences that can be built taller than eight (8) feet.
• All fences must be built out of durable materials like wood, chain link, stone, rock, concrete block, pre-cast concrete panels, masonry brick, brick, ornate wrought iron, or others. It is prohibited to use the following materials for fencing:
  • Objects that were discarded or weren't created to build or maintain a fence.
  • Particle board, paper, Visqueen plastic, plastic tarp, and similar materials. Plywood that is less than five-eighths (5/8) of an inch thick. Plywood that is not of a grade that has been certified by the development services director.
  • Barbed wire, razor wire, and other fencing materials that can cause serious physical harm are prohibited; nevertheless, barbed wire may be legal inside a government building and under certain administrative exceptions.
  • Metal in sheet, coil, or corrugated form.

Note that there are specific height limits for the front, side, and rear yard fences for single-family, multi-family, and commercial uses. It is also important to understand the Texas Neighbor Laws, which cover issues that may arise between neighbors on topics such as fencing so as not to run afoul of it.

The fact that a professional fence company is usually familiar with pertinent fencing legislation and can help verify that your installed fence conforms with them is one advantage of employing one for your fencing tasks. However, the San Antonio Department of Development Services at (210) 207-1111 may provide you with further details on relevant fence ordinances and laws in San Antonio. The Code Enforcement Unit of this Department may also be contacted online with suspicions of violations of these laws.

Will You Get the Necessary Permits as Required as per the City Code?

In San Antonio, fencing permits are handled by the city's Development Services Department. In order to carry out any fencing activities in the city, be it constructing a new fence or repairing an old one, homeowners or contractors need to apply for a Residential Fence Permit. However, a fence permit is not necessary for fence repairs that are equivalent to 25 percent or less of the length of the current fence. Note that for commercial fencing, applicants must complete a Commercial Fence Permit Application.

Before applying, ensure that your proposed fencing adheres to the most recent city ordinances and building codes. To apply for a Residential Fencing Permit, fill out an application and submit it to the Department at:

While the Residential Fence Permit fee is $26.50, you may incur additional fees for review. Your application must contain a thorough site plan that shows the lot size, location of existing structures, easement locations, and planned fence position. It must also contain the height and material of each new or repaired fence section and the proposed fence position.

Note that if your fencing project will be completed in any of the following locations, the relevant San Antonio division will need to assess your permission application before issuing one:

• Corner lot
• Historical District
• Flood Zone
• Vacant lot
• Overlay or Conservation District

A Residential Fence permit is issued over the counter. Keep in mind that fences erected without a permit will incur double permit penalties and still need to adhere to the ordinance's fence regulations. For additional information on fence permits in San Antonio, contact the Development Services Department at (210) 207-1111.

Will You Contact the City's Utility Companies to Verify the Path of Underground Lines?

The accurate finding and labeling of utility lines on your property, particularly underground unmarked gas, water, and power lines, is a major advantage of selecting a professional fence company to install your fence. This is crucial since destroying any of these lines during your project can result in tragic accidents in addition to interrupting the supply of essential services to your property. The steps listed below are commonly used by professionals to complete fence installations:

• Estimating of the Length of the Fence: Here, an estimator measures the length of the proposed fence and verifies details like its style, material, location on the property line, and any easements granted by you.
• Marking the Utility Lines: The fence company contacts the city's utility marking service to come to your property and mark your yard so that the fence company may mark utility lines to avoid them when they dig.
• Securing a Fence Permit: The fence installer obtains the appropriate licenses for your fence project.
• Digging the Post Hole and Setting the Post Brackets: The diggers may use a hand-held post-hole digger for minor jobs. For the majority of the other task, they employ a motorized auger-style post-hole digger. In addition, post brackets made of galvanized post brackets are inserted into the holes and straightened until they are perfectly vertical.
• Constructing the Fence: The fence is installed according to plan.
• Finishing and Cleaning Up: The team currently gathers all construction-related waste. Now that the fence has been examined, you can decide if you like it.

Even though many fence businesses offer to locate utility lines as part of their services, you should always ensure that your chosen fence contractor does this before entering into any agreements with them. When creating project plans for acquiring the necessary fence permits, many expert fence builders in San Antonio may also ask for a copy of your survey records to help confirm precisely where these utility lines are placed on your project.

By dialing 811 or (800) 344-8377, you can also find these utility lines on your own. It is always a good idea to avoid damaging any of these lines before digging on your land. You can contact the local utility providers listed below with questions about the utility lines in San Antonio:

• CPS Energy (Power and gas) - (210) 353-2222
• San Antonio Water System - (210) 704-7297

Do You Carry the Necessary Insurance Policy for Fence Contractors in San Antonio?

It is imperative to work with contractors who are insured. Texas saw 608 fatal work-related accidents in 2019, and if one of those accidents involved an uninsured contractor working for you, you might be held accountable. You will also be responsible for paying for any property damage this uninsured contractor causes.

Fence installers operating in San Antonio are mandated to have a Certificate of Liability Insurance with the City of San Antonio listed as the Certificate Holder, certifying the following type and limits of liability:

• $500,000 per occurrence (combined with property damage and bodily injury)
• $1,000,000 aggregate (the total amount the policy will pay for property damage and bodily injury)
• $500,000 aggregate for products and completed operations.

Before hiring a fence contractor, always ask for confirmation of insurance and bonding and confirm this documentation with the proper authority. Additionally, be sure the contractor is covered by a general liability insurance policy that will pay for any accidents or property damage to third parties that may be brought on directly by your project.

To learn more about the mandatory insurance requirements for San Antonio fence contractors, call the Development Services Department at (210) 207-1111.