Why the Cheapest Fence Quote Usually Costs You More Later

When homeowners start getting fence quotes, the lowest price often looks like the smartest option. On paper, the fences may even appear similar. Same height. Same material. Same layout.

But in real life, the cheapest fence quote almost always ends up costing more — because the problems don’t show up on day one. They show up months later, or a year or two down the road, when the fence starts leaning, gates stop working, and boards begin coming loose.

At that point, many homeowners aren’t calling the original installer. They’re calling a repair company to fix what went wrong.

What Usually Goes Wrong First

When we’re called out to fix fences built by low-cost installers, the issues are usually the same:

• Fence boards not nailed correctly

• Gates that don’t open or close properly

• Fence posts that weren’t set deep enough

• Crooked fence lines and poor alignment

• Overall sloppy workmanship

In most cases, it’s not a single small mistake — it’s a pattern of shortcuts taken during installation.

The fence might look acceptable at first glance, but structurally it was never built to last.

The Most Common Corners Cheap Installers Cut

Low quotes don’t come from nowhere. They’re usually made possible by cutting corners somewhere in the build.

1. Shallow Post Holes

Fence posts are the foundation of the entire fence system. When post holes aren’t dug deep enough, the fence has no real stability. Over time, the posts shift, lean, and pull the rest of the fence out of alignment.

This is one of the most common failures we see — and one of the hardest to fix without rebuilding sections of the fence.

2. Poor Board Attachment

Boards that aren’t properly fastened start to loosen, warp, or fall off. Sometimes they’re under-nailed. Sometimes fasteners are poorly placed. Either way, the fence loses strength and appearance quickly.

3. Rushed Installation

Cheap crews move fast. They have to. The lower the price, the more jobs they need to complete in a day.

That leads to:

• Crooked runs

• Uneven spacing

• Sloppy gate construction

• Little to no attention to detail

The fence goes up, but it’s not built carefully.

Gates Are Where Cheap Work Shows the Fastest

Most fence problems show up eventually, but gates show problems almost immediately.

The issue usually isn’t the gate hardware. It’s how the gate is built.

Poorly constructed gates:

• Sag quickly

• Drag on the ground

• Don’t latch correctly

• Put stress on posts

A gate needs proper framing, alignment, and support. When that’s rushed or ignored, no amount of hardware can fix it long-term.

Crooked Lines and Poor Alignment Aren’t Cosmetic Problems

A crooked fence isn’t just an eyesore — it’s a sign the fence wasn’t laid out or installed properly.

Poor alignment often means:

• Posts weren’t set plumb

• String lines weren’t followed

• Sections were forced into place

Once a fence is out of alignment, stress builds across the structure. Over time, that leads to leaning, gaps, and failure.

What Homeowners Usually “Save” Up Front

Here’s the part most homeowners don’t realize:

The difference between a solid fence and a cheap one is often only a few hundred dollars.

That small upfront savings usually comes at the cost of:

• Proper post depth

• Careful layout

• Correct board installation

• Well-built gates

And when the fence starts failing, those savings disappear fast.

What It Costs Later to Fix Cheap Work

When homeowners call us to fix issues from a low-cost install, the repair is rarely simple.

Often, it involves:

• Replacing failed posts

• Rebuilding gates from scratch

• Straightening or replacing sections

• Correcting alignment issues

In many cases, the cost to repair or partially rebuild the fence ends up being significantly more than what a properly built fence would have cost in the first place.

When Going Cheap Is (Rarely) Acceptable

There are very limited situations where a cheaper fence might make sense:

• Temporary fencing

• Short-term rental properties

• Situations where longevity truly doesn’t matter

For a primary residence — especially where appearance, function, and durability matter — going cheap almost never works out.

Why Fence Quality Matters More Than the Material

Many homeowners focus heavily on material: wood vs vinyl vs metal. But in reality, installation quality matters more than the material itself.

A well-built fence lasts because:

• Posts are set correctly

• Boards are installed properly

• Gates are framed and supported

• The entire fence is aligned and secure

A poorly built fence fails because those fundamentals were ignored.

The Bottom Line

A fence isn’t expensive because it’s wood or metal — it’s expensive because of the quality of work.

The cheapest quote usually means:

• Faster work

• Fewer steps

• Less attention to detail

And that almost always leads to repairs, frustration, and added costs later.

When choosing a fence contractor, the goal isn’t to pay the least. It’s to pay once.