Most fence projects don't fail because a contractor made one dramatic error — they fail because small, cheap-looking decisions stack up.
These are the mistakes we see most often on Houston jobs, and the ones we vet every scope against before we start.
1. Post holes that are too shallow
Anything under 30" wont survive Houston clay movement. Bell the bottom for extra hold.
2. Pine posts at grade
Pine rots at ground line in 3–5 years. Cedar or galvanized steel posts last 3–4x longer.
3. Standard screws instead of galvanized
Regular fasteners rust and bleed streaks down the boards within one season.
4. No kickboard along the ground
Picket ends touching soil rot fast. A pressure-treated kickboard doubles fence life.
5. Boards butted tight with no gap
Cedar shrinks. Butt-tight boards cup and split — a 1/8" gap keeps them flat.
How to vet your contractor
Read your fence bid line by line and ask which of these mistakes are being avoided — in writing. A contractor who welcomes the question is the one you want; a contractor who deflects is the one to walk away from.
If you'd like a second set of eyes on a scope of work or an existing bid, we're happy to walk through it with you.
