What a fence or block wall quote should include

Why quotes are hard to compare

A fence is a long, thin structure made of many identical pieces, so it is tempting to price it as one number. But the cost is driven by things the one number hides: how deep the posts go, how many gates there are, whether the old fence has to come out, whether the ground is hardpan, whether a permit is needed. Two contractors quoting the same 150 feet of 6-foot wood privacy fence can differ by a lot because one set posts 30 inches deep in concrete and priced demolition, and the other set them 18 inches in dirt and assumed you'd tear the old fence out yourself. Neither is lying. They are quoting different jobs.

The fix is not to get more bids; it is to get bids you can read. What follows is what a complete one contains, section by section, and what to ask when a section is missing.

1. Who is quoting: name, license number, classification

The business name on the estimate should match the name on the CSLB license, and the license number should be on the document. Then the part most homeowners skip: the classification. Fence work is C-13 Fencing Contractor work. Block, retaining and any other masonry wall is C-29 Masonry Contractor work, and the C-13 scope explicitly excludes masonry walls. A fence company can hold both — some do — but the record has to show it. The licensing page walks through the CSLB lookup in seven checks; do it before you compare prices, because a great price from the wrong license is not a bargain.

2. The fence itself: footage, height, material, style

Total linear feet, the height, the material (vinyl, wood species, chain link gauge and coating, block size), and the style (privacy, semi-privacy, picket, rail, split-face block, smooth block). If the quote is a lump sum, ask for the footage and per-foot rate underneath it. This is the number that lets you set two bids side by side and also the number to hold up against the national benchmarks on the cost guide — remembering those are national figures, not Visalia averages.

Material choice is its own decision, made before the quote and not on it — the materials comparison and the vinyl vs. wood page cover it. But the quote should name the material precisely enough that you could buy the same thing at a supply yard: "vinyl" is not a spec; "6-foot tongue-and-groove privacy, 5-inch posts, tan" is.

3. Posts, corners, ends and gates — counted, not assumed

Posts are where fences fail and where quotes diverge. A complete quote states post spacing (commonly 6 or 8 feet on center, varying by material), and counts the specials separately: corner posts, end posts and gate posts, which are usually heavier or set deeper than line posts. Gates get their own line each: width, style, hardware (hinges, latch, drop rod), and whether the gate is a walk gate or a drive gate. An estimate that says "includes gates" with no count or width is an estimate that will grow.

4. What is in the ground

For a fence: post-hole depth and diameter, and whether the post is set in concrete, gravel, or dirt. For a wall: footing width and depth, rebar size and spacing, and whether cells are grouted. This section is where a low bid usually earns its price, and it is the section homeowners can least verify after the fact — once the concrete is in, the hole is gone. Ask for it in writing. Around Visalia, Tulare and Exeter the NRCS soil mapping shows sandy loams with hardpan in places rather than expansive clay, so the relevant question is what the contractor does when the auger hits hardpan, not clay heave. (This site makes no soil claim for Hanford or Porterville — ask locally.)

5. Demolition and haul-away

Removing an existing fence or wall is labor, and disposing of it costs dump fees. Old pressure-treated wood and concrete both have disposal rules. A complete quote either prices tear-out and haul-away as a line or says explicitly that the homeowner will handle it. Silence means a change order later.

6. Permit

Whether the job needs a building permit depends on height, placement on the lot, whether it is a retaining wall, and which jurisdiction the parcel is in — the city building department inside Visalia, Tulare, Exeter, Porterville or Hanford city limits, Tulare County or Kings County outside them. Those thresholds have not been sourced for this site yet and are not stated here. What the quote should say regardless: whether the contractor believes a permit is required, who pulls it, whether the fee is included, and whether engineering or drawings are needed (retaining walls, often). A quote that does not mention permits at all is a quote from someone who either has not thought about it or is hoping you will not.

7. The 811 locate

Post holes and footings are excavation, and California's California Government Code § 4216.2 requires the excavator to notify the regional notification center — USA North 811 for both Tulare and Kings counties — at least 2 working days and not more than 14 calendar days before digging. The ticket is valid 28 days. The contractor should be the one calling it in, and the contract should say so; the gas, water and communication lines along a property line are exactly where a fence goes. A contractor who says "we'll just dig carefully" is proposing to skip a legal requirement on your property.

8. Payment terms

Deposit amount, any progress payment, and final payment on completion — with completion defined (gates hung and swinging, debris gone, final inspection passed if there is one). A deposit is normal for material-heavy jobs. Full payment up front is not, and a contractor who asks for it is asking you to carry all of the risk.

9. Exclusions and expiration

What the price does not cover: grading, sprinkler or drip-line repair, stain or sealer, landscaping restoration, HOA submittal fees, unforeseen underground obstructions. And how long the price is good for — material prices move, and a 30- or 60-day expiration is normal.

The checklist in nine checks

1. Check the license classification against the job. C-13 Fencing Contractor for a fence or gate; C-29 Masonry Contractor for a block or retaining wall. The license number should be on the estimate. Look it up at cslb.ca.gov before you read the price.
2. Find the footage and the per-foot rate. Total linear feet, and the rate per foot for the material and height quoted. If the quote is one lump sum, ask for this split — it is how you compare two bids for the same fence.
3. Count the posts, corners, ends and gates. Each should be a countable item. Gates in particular: width, hardware, and whether the gate posts are heavier than line posts.
4. Read what is in the ground. Post depth, hole diameter, and whether posts are set in concrete. For a wall: footing width and depth, rebar, and grout. Ground work is where cheap bids save money and where fences fail.
5. Look for demolition and haul-away. Removing an old fence or wall and disposing of it is labor and dump fees. If it is not on the quote, it may show up later.
6. Look for the permit line. Who pulls it, whether the fee is included, and what happens if the jurisdiction requires drawings. If the quote is silent, ask.
7. Look for the 811 locate. California law requires notifying USA North 811 at least 2 working days before digging. The quote or contract should say the contractor will call it in.
8. Read the payment terms. Deposit amount, progress payments if any, and final payment on completion. Never pay in full before the work is done.
9. Check the exclusions and the expiration. What the quote does not cover (grading, sprinkler repair, stain, HOA fees) and how long the price holds.

A worked example of two "identical" bids

Line	Bid A	Bid B	What it means
Footage / height / material	150 ft · 6 ft · vinyl privacy	150 ft · 6 ft · vinyl privacy	Same fence on paper
Posts	8 ft on center, 30 in deep, concrete	Not stated	B may be shallower or dry-set — ask
Gates	1 × 4 ft walk gate, self-closing hinges	"Gate included"	B's width and hardware are unknown
Demolition	Tear-out and haul-away of existing wood fence	Not stated	B may bill it later or expect you to do it
Permit	"Not required at this height per city; will confirm"	Not stated	A has thought about it
811 locate	Contractor will call in	Not stated	Ask B directly
Payment	Deposit, balance on completion	Full payment on start	B's terms are a problem regardless of price

Bid B might still be the better deal once the blanks are filled in. The point is that until they are, the two prices are not comparable, and the lower one is not the lower one.

Benchmarks for reading the number

Once a quote is broken out per foot, these sourced national benchmarks give it context. They are not Visalia or Tulare–Kings County averages; no local pricing study exists yet.