A fence looks like the simplest thing in the world — some posts, some pickets, done by Friday. Then a year goes by, the cedar's gone gray and warped, a post has heaved out of the clay, the gate sags, and your neighbor's asking why the "good side" is facing your yard. Almost none of that is bad luck. It's questions that never got asked.
We supply fence material to half of Dallas — the pros and the do-it-yourselfers both — so we've seen what makes a fence last twenty years and what makes one lean in three. And let's be honest for a second: a fence is a real chunk of money, it's the first thing people see when they pull up to your house, and it comes with a neighbor attached. That's a lot riding on getting it right, and it's easy to feel a little overwhelmed before you even start. I get it. But it truly doesn't have to be stressful — that's the whole reason for this list. We don't install, so we've got no reason to tell you anything but the truth. Here's what we'd want our own family asking before they signed anything.
Bring it to every bid. The way a contractor answers these tells you as much as the number at the bottom of the estimate. And if you don't have a fence builder you trust yet, just ask us — we keep a list of folks we've come to trust over the years and we're glad to point you their way. They don't work for us and we don't make a penny whether you use them or not. We just want this to be easy for you.
Materials & design
1. Can my existing metal posts be reused, or do they need to be replaced?
If you've got sound steel posts already set in concrete, you may be able to build right off them and save real money. But "sound" is the key word — ask them to check for rust at the base and any lean before they promise anything. Reusing good posts is smart; building on failing ones just buys you a redo.
2. Should I go with pre-stained pickets, or stain the fence after it's built?
Here's where we'll show our hand a little, because it just makes so much sense: The BOSS pre-stains our pickets in-house, and pre-stained is almost always the smarter way to go. The pickets come coated on every side — including the edges and the back a brush can never reach once the fence is standing — so the wood is protected exactly where it needs it most, and you skip a whole hot weekend of staining. And here's the part nobody thinks about until it's too late: there's no overspray drifting onto your brick, your patio, or your neighbor's car, and no stain killing the landscaping you've babied all summer. Stain-after does give you a perfectly uniform look and lets you pick the exact color at the very end, so ask your contractor which they'd recommend and why. But for most folks, pre-stained wins on just about every front that matters.
3. Two rails or three?
Rails are the horizontal backbone. Two is fine for a short fence in a calm spot. But for anything six feet or taller — or anywhere the wind really gets going — three rails keep the pickets from bowing and cupping over time. If someone quotes you a tall privacy fence on two rails, ask why.
4. Board-on-board or side-by-side — what do I actually get from each?
This one's worth slowing down for. Side-by-side sets pickets right next to each other; it's the lower-cost build, but as cedar dries and shrinks, little gaps open up and you lose some privacy. Board-on-board overlaps the pickets so there's no gap even after the wood moves — true, lasting privacy, and a heftier look. It costs more because it uses more pickets. If privacy is the whole point of the fence, board-on-board is usually worth it.
5. Cedar, pine, or composite — what holds up best in Texas heat?
Each has a place. Cedar naturally resists rot and bugs and takes our sun well, which is why it's the Dallas standard. Treated pine costs less up front. Composite costs the most but shrugs off weather for decades. Ask your contractor to walk you through the trade-offs for your yard and budget, not just quote you their default.
6. What picket top do you recommend — dog-ear, flat-top, or a cap rail?
Mostly a look-and-budget call, but it changes the whole feel of the fence. A cap rail across the top gives a finished, custom look and adds a little strength; dog-ear is the classic, economical choice. Worth deciding on purpose instead of by default.
The build (this is where fences live or die)
7. How deep do the post holes go, and do you set them in concrete?
Depth is everything in our soil. Shallow posts heave and lean. Ask for their spec — a good rule is roughly a third of the post in the ground, set in concrete, below the frost and moisture line. If they're vague about depth, keep interviewing.
8. How far apart are the posts spaced?
Eight feet on center is standard. In windy, open spots, closer is stronger. Wider than eight and you're asking the rails to sag. A quick question that separates careful builders from fast ones.
9. How do you handle my sloped yard — stair-step the panels or rack them to the grade?
On a slope, a fence either steps down in sections (stair-stepping, leaving little triangles at the bottom) or follows the ground at an angle (racking). Both work; they just look different and suit different yards. You want a contractor who has a plan for your grade, not one who'll figure it out with the pickets already in hand.
10. Will you call 811 to locate my utility lines before you dig?
This isn't optional — it's the law, and it keeps somebody from putting a post auger through a gas or fiber line. Any legitimate contractor calls 811 before digging. If they shrug at this, that's your answer about how they operate.
11. Who's responsible if a post heaves out of the clay next spring?
Dallas clay swells when it's wet and shrinks when it's dry, and it will push on a poorly set post. Ask, plainly, what their warranty covers if a post moves. A builder who sets posts right isn't afraid of this question.
The neighborly stuff (and the details that get skipped)
12. This is a shared fence line — will you talk to my neighbor, or is that on me?
Some contractors will knock on the neighbor's door and coordinate the line, the cost split, and the schedule. Some leave all of that to you. Either way is fine — you just want to know before it becomes an awkward Saturday conversation you didn't expect to be having.
13. Which side faces out — the "good-neighbor" question?
Traditionally the smooth, finished side faces the street and your neighbor, with the rails on your side. Some folks build a board-on-board that looks the same from both sides. Decide on purpose; it's a common source of hurt feelings between otherwise friendly neighbors.
14. Do I need a permit, and will you pull it?
Height limits and permit rules vary by city and HOA around the metroplex. A pro knows the local rules and handles the paperwork. Ask so you're not the one getting a stop-work notice.
15. What about the gate — how wide, what hardware, and how do you keep it from sagging?
Gates are the first thing to fail on a cheap fence. Ask about width (can your mower get through?), the hinges and latch, and whether they use an anti-sag brace or cable. A good gate still swings clean in year five.
16. Will you haul away my old fence?
Tear-out and disposal are real work. Know whether it's included or you're renting a trailer.
17. Do you stain or seal it, and when?
If you didn't go pre-stained, ask about timing. New cedar often needs a few weeks to dry out before it'll take a sealer properly — seal it too soon and it won't hold. A contractor who knows this is a contractor who's done it right before.
18. Will you protect my existing landscaping while you work?
Setting a fence means digging post holes, dragging lumber, and mixing concrete — and all of that happens right through your flower beds and grass if nobody's paying attention. Ask how they'll protect your plants, your sod, and your sprinkler heads, and where they plan to pile the dirt and mix the concrete. A crew that has a real answer for this is a crew that remembers you're the one who has to live in this yard long after they've packed up and driven off.
The bottom line
A fence is one of those things you only want to pay for once. Ask these questions, hire the contractor who answers them like they've been there, and start by choosing material that's built for Texas weather.
That's our lane. The BOSS stocks cedar pickets — including pre-stained — plus rails, posts, and everything else the fence needs, all at outlet pricing, whether you're hiring it out or building it yourself this weekend. Come see us on Harry Hines, and fence it like a boss.
The BOSS — Builders Outlet Super Store · 10850 Harry Hines Blvd., Suite 100, Dallas, TX 75220