Fence quotes priced by the run, signed before you order posts

Price by run, not by yard

One number for the whole backyard, and the neighbor's side run turned out to be twenty feet longer than you thought.

Break the fence into runs, each with its length in linear feet, the height and the style: privacy, picket, split rail, chain link, vinyl or aluminum. Terminal posts, corner posts and gates are where the money is, so give gates their own line with width and hardware.

Tear-out and haul-away of the old fence deserve a separate line too. Homeowners often assume removal is free, and a competitor who leaves it off will look cheaper until the old fence is still lying in the yard.

Before the first post hole: what the quote should settle

• ✓Who calls 811 for utility marking, and how long you wait for the marks.
• ✓Who confirms the boundary: a survey, pins the homeowner shows you, or the homeowner's instruction.
• ✓HOA approval and any permit, and who applies.
• ✓Which side faces out, and how the fence follows a slope: stepped or racked.
• ✓What happens with rock, roots, buried concrete or sprinkler lines.
• ✓Where the gate swings and whether it must clear a mower.

Where fence quotes lose money

• Ordering before a deposit is agreed Cedar, vinyl and aluminum are bought for one job. Put your deposit rule on the quote so it is signed before the order goes in.
• Gates priced like fence A gate takes longer than a panel and needs heavier posts and hardware. Price it separately.
• No slope allowance Racking or stepping on a grade adds labor and material. Say which method and price it in.
• Validity dates left off Lumber prices move. Give each quote an end date.
• Silence on concrete cure time Customers want to know when the dog can go out. Tell them.

Spring rush and frozen ground

Fence demand peaks in spring and early summer, when everyone wants the yard closed in before the pool opens or the new dog arrives. Quotes that sit unsigned in April become installs you cannot fit in until July. Winter brings frozen ground in the north and longer lead times on vinyl and aluminum everywhere.

A quote the homeowner can open and sign tonight, with your lead time written on it, keeps your spring calendar honest. Once signed, the install goes on the schedule with the crew and the auger or skid steer it needs, so the whole team can see which crew has the auger that day.

Invoices, and the storm call two years later

When the last picket is up, send the invoice as a link. The homeowner stays in your client list with the quote they signed, so when a storm takes out a section, you can see the exact style, height and stain and quote the repair in minutes.

Fence quoting questions

Who is responsible for knowing where the property line is?

Put the answer in your terms. Most fence contractors build where the homeowner points or to a survey the homeowner provides, and say plainly that they do not locate boundaries. That one sentence prevents the most expensive fence disputes.

How do I price a fence when the yard has rock or roots?

Price the job for normal digging and add a clause that says what happens if a post hole hits rock, old concrete or large roots: you stop, explain, and agree on the extra before you continue.

Can the homeowner add staining after seeing the price?

Yes. Put staining, post caps or a second gate on the quote as optional lines in Scopie. The homeowner ticks what they want on the quote page, sees the new total, and signs.

Does Scopie lay out the fence on a map or count posts and panels?

No. There is no fence drawing or material takeoff in Scopie. You measure and price the run yourself; Scopie handles the quote, the signature, the install date and the invoice.