A fence company can start with a truck, a trailer, a post hole digger and someone who has hung gates before. Every job follows the same path: measure, price, permit, call 811, set posts, hang panels, hang gates. Getting each step in writing is what keeps a fence company out of disputes.
- Fence work can fall under contractor licensing above a dollar amount. Many cities require a fence permit.
- Call 811 before every dig. It is free.
- The customer is responsible for knowing the property line. Put that in writing.
- Price by the linear foot plus gates, removal and hard digging.
1. Decide what you will offer
| Material | Who wants it | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Wood privacy | Homeowners | Most common residential |
| Vinyl | Homeowners, HOAs | Low upkeep, higher material cost |
| Chain link | Homeowners, commercial | Fast to build |
| Aluminum and ornamental | Pools, front yards | Pool code may apply |
| Repairs and gates | Anyone | Short jobs, quick money |
Pool fences have their own rules in many places: height, gaps and self-closing gates. Check the local code before you quote one.
2. Check the license and permits
Some states cover fence building under a contractor license, especially above a dollar amount, and many cities require a permit for new fences and set height limits and setbacks. HOAs often have their own rules and approval process. Our general contractor licensing guide shows how each state treats contractor work; your city's permit office covers the rest.
3. Call 811 and settle the property line
811 calls itself the free national before-you-dig service, and says anyone who plans to dig should contact it before digging so buried utilities are marked. Every post hole is a dig. Make the ticket part of every job.
811 marks utilities, not property lines. Ask the customer for their survey or have them confirm where the line is, and write in your contract that the customer is responsible for the location. A fence a foot over the line is a fence you may be asked to move.
4. Register the business and set up taxes
The SBA lists the launch steps in this order: pick a location, choose a structure, choose a name, register, get federal and state tax ID numbers, apply for licenses and permits, open a business bank account, and get insurance. For a fence company working out of a truck, the location is usually your home address and the area you will serve.
- Structure. A sole proprietorship is the simplest. An LLC keeps the business separate on paper. Ask an accountant which fits your state and your plans.
- Tax ID. The IRS gives out an employer identification number (EIN) online, and says you never have to pay a fee for one. Websites that charge for an EIN are not the IRS.
- Self-employment tax. The IRS lists the self-employment tax rate as 15.3%: 12.4% for Social Security and 2.9% for Medicare. Income tax comes on top, so set money aside from every job.
- Bank account. Open it before the first payment lands, so every dollar in and out is easy to find at tax time.
5. Pick a name customers can say and find
Your name goes on the truck, the invoices, the Google profile and the yard signs, so pick it once. The free fencing name generator gives 36 ideas for your town and style, each with a domain idea, and lists the checks to run before you commit: your state's business name search, a federal trademark search and the domain itself.
6. Get insured before the first job
The SBA describes general liability insurance as cover for financial loss from bodily injury, property damage, medical expenses and defending lawsuits. It says businesses with employees are required to carry workers' compensation, unemployment and disability insurance, and some states ask for more.
Hitting a buried line, a fence on the wrong side of the line, and damage to a lawn or sprinkler system are the usual claims. Ask your agent about general liability, commercial auto for the truck and trailer, and equipment cover.
7. Gear up and add up your startup costs
No total here on purpose. What you spend depends on what you already own, new or used, and how much work you plan to take on. Price your own list with a local supplier, then put the numbers in the startup cost table of the free business plan generator, which adds them up for you.
- A truck and a trailer for material
- A post hole digger or auger, plus a digging bar and shovels
- A string line, levels and a measuring wheel
- Saws, a nail gun and compressor, drills and drivers
- Concrete mixing tools and a wheelbarrow
Material is bought per job, so a deposit covers it. The startup spend is the truck, trailer and digging gear. Rent a power auger until you use one weekly.
8. Set your prices
Price by the linear foot for each fence type, then add gates, old fence removal, slopes, rocky digging and permits as their own lines. Measure from above with the free fence linear feet calculator, and see how the pieces add up in the fence cost calculator. Mark up material with the markup calculator.
9. Find your first customers
- The neighbors. A new fence is seen by the whole street. Koira mails nearby homes with the photo.
- Pool builders and landscapers. Their jobs often need a fence.
- A price on your website. Instant quotes give a first price from your list.
- Follow up. Koira nudges open estimates.
10. Get paid and keep the customer
Take a deposit that covers material when the estimate is signed. Collect the balance when the gate swings, with pay at the door. Offer financing on larger fences.
11. Grow past one truck
Add a second crew once material ordering and permits run like a checklist. Read how fence companies run on Koira.
Sources
- SBA: Launch your business (the launch steps), checked October 8, 2026
- SBA: Get business insurance, checked October 8, 2026
- IRS: Get an employer identification number, checked October 8, 2026
- IRS: Self-employment tax (Social Security and Medicare taxes), checked October 8, 2026
- 811: What is 811, checked October 8, 2026
Last checked October 8, 2026. This page is general information, not legal or tax advice. Rules change and differ by state and city, so confirm with the agency named before you act.