Fencing · Nashville, TN
The Nashville homeowner's guide to fencing
What the work involves, what drives the price, what your options are, and what a bad job looks like — written so you can judge any fence company in Middle Tennessee, including us.
Estimate request
How much fence, and what kind?
Straight to us, and a reply the same day.
By Michael Blair, owner, Nashville's Fence Company · who we are
Warning signs
How to know you need us
Recognize one? Have it looked at before it grows.
- Posts leaning, or that move when you push on them
- Rot at the base of wood posts where they meet the concrete
- Boards cupping, splitting or falling out of the rails
- Gates dragging, sagging or no longer latching
- Sections pushed out of line by a tree root or a storm
- A new dog, a new pool, or a neighbor situation that has changed what you need
Your options
More than one right answer.
Wood, aluminum, vinyl or chain link: what you need depends on dogs, pools, privacy and how long you plan to stay. Here is how they compare, plainly.
Pressure-treated privacy fence
The Middle Tennessee default. Best value per foot, and it will want staining or sealing to last.
Cedar privacy fence
More stable, naturally rot-resistant and better looking, and it costs accordingly.
Vinyl fence
No maintenance at all and the highest up-front cost. Post structure underneath still decides the outcome.
Aluminum or chain link
Where containment matters more than privacy — pools, dogs and back boundaries. Aluminum meets pool code where chain link may not.
What it costs
What actually drives the price.
Fence pricing runs by the foot, but the material, the height, the gates, the ground and whether an old fence comes out first all change that number. We walk the line before we quote, and these are what we look at.
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Linear footage and gates
Fence is priced by the foot, but gates are priced individually and a wide drive gate is a significant line on its own.
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Material
Chain link, pressure-treated wood, cedar, vinyl and aluminum span a wide range in cost and in expected life.
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Terrain
Slope, rock and tree roots all slow post setting. Middle Tennessee limestone sits close to the surface in many places and can mean drilling.
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Post setting
Depth, concrete and post material are what decide whether a fence is straight in ten years. It is invisible and it is the whole job.
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Removing the old fence
Tear-out, disposal and the extra day it takes are a real line on the quote, and the easiest thing to leave out of a comparison.
Estimates are free, written and without obligation. Anything found only after starting is priced up front.
What happens
From your call to the finished job.
Layout and quote
We walk the line with you, measure the run and check for utilities before quoting.
Utility locate
Tennessee 811 has to mark the line before anything is dug. It is free and it is not optional.
Post setting
Posts set and concreted, then left to cure before anything hangs on them.
Panels and gates
Rails, pickets and gate hardware. Gates are hung and adjusted last so they swing true.
Done badly
What goes wrong, and why it matters.
Shortcuts that cheapen the quote and cost you later. Ask anyone you are considering about them.
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Hanging a gate on a standard line post
A gate puts its whole weight and every swing on one post. Gate posts want to be larger, deeper and braced.
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Skipping the 811 locate
Hitting a gas or fiber line is dangerous, illegal and entirely avoidable.
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Concrete poured level with grade
Water pools on a flat concrete collar and sits against the post. It should be crowned to shed.
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Attaching panels before the concrete cures
Loading a green post pulls it out of plumb and the whole run follows it.
Before you hire anyone
Six questions worth asking any fence company.
Including us. If a fence company cannot answer these easily, that is the answer.
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Will you locate the property line and the utilities before digging?
A survey pin or a locate, and a utility call before the auger. A fence on the neighbor’s land is a fence you move.
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How deep are the posts set, and in what?
A stated depth in wet-mixed concrete, not a bag of dry mix dumped in the hole. Shallow posts are where fences lean.
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Is the price per foot, with gates and tear-out shown?
A per-foot number, each gate priced, and the old fence’s removal on the estimate. The extras are where the surprise lives.
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Which side faces the neighbor, and what does my HOA allow?
The finished side faces out in most codes and HOAs, and the installer should know the local rule before the first post.
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Do you carry liability insurance for a crew digging in my yard?
Yes, with a certificate you can see. A cut cable or a broken irrigation line is exactly what the insurance is for.
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What happens if a post shifts in the first year?
A workmanship warranty that names the term and the fix. The right answer is that they come back; the wrong one is that posts never move.
FAQ
Choosing a fence company in Nashville
How do I choose a fence company in Nashville?
Every fence crew we run carries liability insurance on file with us and calls in utility locates before digging; the crews have set posts in this rock and clay on jobs we know. Ask the six questions below of anyone, including us.
Should I get more than one quote for fencing?
Yes — and compare the scope, not the total. A Nashville fence is priced by the linear foot for the style and height, plus each gate, the corners, and the tear-out of the old fence; the terrain and the rock underneath move it more than the material.
Is the cheapest fencing quote usually a bad idea?
Not automatically; a low number is information. A bag of mix poured dry in the hole is a post that leans in two winters.
Do I need a permit for fencing in Nashville?
Metro Nashville and the surrounding counties regulates fence height and setback, and some jurisdictions require a permit; the crew should check the rules and the property line before the first post hole.
How far in advance should I book fencing?
A fence estimate in Nashville is usually within days; the build is a few days for most yards once the material is in, with spring and early summer running longer.
Free estimate
Need a fence that stands up straight?
Tell Nashville's Fence Company about the yard, how many feet of fence and how many gates. We find the line, walk it with you and price it by the foot in a free written estimate.