What a fence service agreement is for
Wood fences need care to last: gates sag, boards split, stain fades. A care agreement with a yearly inspection, gate adjustments and a staining cycle keeps the fence you built looking good and keeps you in front of the customer. Commercial properties and HOAs value it for the long fence lines they maintain.
What to put on a fence service agreement
- Fence covered and its length.
- Yearly inspection and gate adjustment.
- Repairs included and at what rate.
- Staining or sealing cycle.
- Exclusions like storm or vehicle damage.
- Price, billing, renewal and cancellation.
A worked example
The privacy fence customer wants the gate kept swinging right and the fence stained on a cycle.
| Line | Qty | Unit | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| Yearly inspection and gate adjustment | 1 | visit | Your price |
| Minor board replacement allowance | 2 | hour | Your price |
| Stain fence, on the agreed cycle | 150 | ft | Your price |
Say how often the stain is included. It is a starting template and not legal advice, so look up your state's rules on renewals before using it widely.
Line items fence contractors use
| Line item | Unit | How to write it |
|---|---|---|
| Wood privacy fence, installed | ft | Height, picket style and post spacing. |
| Vinyl privacy fence, installed | ft | Height, color and style. |
| Chain link fence, installed | ft | Height, gauge and coating. |
| Aluminum or steel ornamental fence | ft | Height and style; pool code if it encloses a pool. |
| Walk gate | each | Width and hardware. |
| Double drive gate | each | Width; say whether it needs a drop rod or wheel. |
| Remove and haul away old fence | ft | Including old posts and concrete footings if pulled. |
| Post set in concrete | each | Depth per local code or your standard. |
| Rock or root drilling surcharge | each | Per post hole that hits rock or roots. |
| Grade change or stepping | ft | Sloped yards that need stepped or racked panels. |
| Stain or seal wood fence | ft | After the wood dries, often weeks later. |
| Permit and survey review | each | Many towns require a permit; the property line is the owner's to confirm. |
| Fence repair, replace boards or posts | hour | Repairs priced by time and materials. |
Terms and deposit language for fence
- Deposit. A deposit at signing orders materials and holds the install date. Some states cap deposits on fence and other home improvement work, so look up yours.
- Payment. Balance due when the fence is complete and the gates swing and latch.
- Warranty. Say how long you cover workmanship, such as posts and gates, and that materials carry the maker's warranty. Wood movement and checking are natural, not defects.
- The property owner is responsible for the property line location; you install where the owner or survey marks it.
- Utilities are located before digging; private lines like sprinklers or invisible dog fences are the owner's to mark.
- HOA approval, if needed, is the owner's to get before install.
How to fill it in
- Fill in the customer and the start and end dates.
- List what each visit includes and how many visits a year.
- Add your price per line; the plan shows a yearly total, and a monthly figure if billed monthly.
- Fill in what is not covered and the renewal and cancellation terms.
- Check your state's rules, then print it for signatures.
Free tools for fence
The same service agreement for other trades: appliance repair, auto detailing, carpet cleaning, chimney, house cleaning, commercial cleaning, concrete, drywall, electrical, flooring, garage door, general contractor, gutter, handyman, hvac, irrigation, junk removal, landscaping, lawn care, locksmith, moving, painting, pest control, plumbing, pool service, pressure washing, remodeling, roofing, septic, snow removal, solar, tree service, waterproofing, window cleaning.
More for fence contractors: how fence contractors run on Koira.