Why Your Fence Quote Varies Wildly — 7 Reasons LA Contractors Quote Differently
We routinely see clients with three quotes ranging from $12,000 to $24,000 for what they describe as 'the same fence.' They're never quoting the same fence — but the contractors aren't itemizing what's different, so the buyer has no way to compare. Here are the seven specific things that make quotes diverge by 50–100% on the same project.
Written by
Israel Acquino — Founder & General Contractor · CSLB #964664
Reason 1: Material spec
The same 'wood fence' might mean pressure-treated SPF, Western Red Cedar, Garapa, Cumaru, or Ipe. Material cost ranges $3 to $18 per board foot — a 5x spread. Most contractors don't specify the species in the quote. Ask: 'What species and grade exactly?' If the answer is vague, the lowest quote is using the cheapest material.
Reason 2: Post bury depth and footing
Code minimum: 24-inch post bury with concrete footing. Best practice: 30-inch bury with structural concrete on slopes or in high-wind exposures. The difference is roughly $8–$15 per linear foot. Cheaper quotes often skip the deeper bury — works for a few years until the first big windstorm.
Reason 3: Hardware grade
Coastal LA needs 316 marine-grade stainless throughout. Inland LA can use hot-dipped galvanized. The hardware delta between the two on a 200-foot fence is roughly $1,800–$3,400. A coastal contractor quoting hot-dipped galvanized is selling you a fence that will rust within 4–6 years.
Reason 4: Hidden vs visible fastening
Visible (screws and plugs) is cheaper by about $14–$22 per linear foot in labor. Hidden fastening (the dominant aesthetic for premium horizontal fences) is what gives a Cumaru fence the architectural finish quality. If the quote doesn't specify, assume visible — and budget for the upgrade if you want hidden.
Reason 5: Demo and disposal of the existing fence
If you have an existing fence, demo + disposal runs $6–$12 per linear foot depending on what's in the ground. Cheap quotes often exclude this or include a vague 'demo allowance' that overruns. Real demo cost should be a line item with a fixed number, not a 'starting at' line.
Reason 6: Permit and HOA submission
LA city permit (when required) is roughly $300–$900 in fees plus 4–10 hours of contractor coordination time — call it $1,200–$2,400 in the quote. HOA architectural review is another $500–$1,800 in the contractor's coordination time, plus 2–6 weeks of calendar time. Quotes that don't itemize these line items are either skipping the permit (illegal and creates resale problems) or hiding the cost in the per-foot price.
Reason 7: Warranty and crew structure
A fence built by an in-house crew with a lifetime warranty has a different cost basis than one built by a subcontracted crew with a one-year limited warranty. The in-house build runs 15–25% more on day one — but the lifetime warranty is real money if something fails in year 7. Cheaper quotes are almost always subcontracted; the contractor pockets the difference.
Questions homeowners ask