A new approach to mending fences

THE WOODLANDS, Texas -- The Woodlands is a beautiful community, and its buried utility lines and abundant greenspace are timeless. As it transitions from new builds to more mature houses, however, homeowners' decaying cedar fences are showing their age. If you look out your windows and find rotting wood marring your view, it's time to take a few easy steps to replace your eyesore with a better fence that will provide lasting utility.

1. Find a Good Fence Company

Chances are good that if your fence is in disrepair, so are fences all around the neighborhood. Put on your walking shoes and take a quick, easy survey of nearby fences. Fence companies provide handy miniature signs so you can put a company name to a fence you like. Don't be afraid to ring a doorbell or two to ask neighborhood homeowners what the fence-replacement process was like, asking for tips and referrals.

"Word of mouth is the best guide," says Tim Long, owner of Texas Fence Co. "Look at the fences in your neighborhood and reach out to your community."

Once you have a few companies on your list, have a few come out and give you an estimate. Estimates should be free, and with each vendor you will learn more about your lot, the available materials and the company you trust the most. Think twice about the lowest and highest bids, gauging what you hear from neighbors with the work vendors say they will provide. The Internet provides Better Business Bureau rankings and online reviews can alert you to pitfalls and praiseworthy outfits.

2. Research Your Fence Options

In the past 15 to 20 years, fences have come a long way. The Woodlands maintains strict community standards, but consumers will find superior options to upgrade untreated cedar fences that have rot working up from the damp Southeast Texas ground. Today, reputable companies suggest treated pine rot boards that run across the bottom of a fence. The rot board can hold up to contact with ground moisture in a way that an untreated cedar fence picket won't. Local companies should understand the unique ecosystem in The Woodlands and know which solutions work best.

3. Get Cozy With Your Neighbors

Good fences make good neighbors, but when it comes to fence repair and replacement, good neighbors can help ease the cost and complexity of building a new fence. A good fence company will be able to come out, provide an estimate that breaks down the costs based on footage and other line items, and give a homeowner the information he or she needs to approach the neighbors with confidence.

"Some neighbors will split it and some don't care if the fence falls down," Long says. "It's important to get out there and talk through the situation. What works well is when people come together for a meeting on a Saturday morning to discuss the shared fence."

In situations with intimate lot sizes, Long has seen homes that share fence-lines with as many or six or seven neighbors. Donuts and coffee might be a good investment in creating a friendly discussion, followed by all those estimates you gathered. The more information and options you are able to provide, the better chance you have of sharing costs with your neighbors and avoiding conflict over construction.

Neighbor agreement is key to the ease of the project—Long has seen discord hold up a fence over half an inch of backyard. Loose dogs, calls to police and all the headaches of disagreement can be headed off with cooperation at the beginning of the project. In the end, the goal is to have a gorgeous new fence framing all the involved homes, increasing curb appeal, freshening up the backyard and setting off a home's perimeter.

"You can have a really nice backyard," Long says. "But all people see is an old grey ugly fence."