Fence repair: boards, posts, gates and leaning sections
Most fence damage is a few boards, a loose rail or one post that has gone soft. A repair now is far less work than a section that falls over in the next storm.
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What people call about
- Broken, rotten or missing pickets and boards.
- A rail that has come loose from the post.
- A leaning section, or a post that has rotted at the ground.
- A gate that sags, drags or will not latch.
- Storm damage to a few panels.
Before the handyman arrives
- Call 811 before any digging so buried utility lines are marked. Replacing a post means digging.
- Check your property line, HOA rules and pool-barrier requirements before changing a fence's height or position.
- A pool fence or gate must stay self-closing and self-latching. Mention it if the gate is part of a pool barrier.
What the handyman does
- Damaged boards and pickets replaced and matched as closely as possible.
- Loose rails re-fixed with exterior screws or brackets.
- Leaning posts straightened and braced, or replaced and set in concrete.
- Gates re-hung, with an anti-sag kit, new hinges or a new latch.
- Vinyl panels and chain-link sections repaired with matching parts where available.
South Florida and beyond
In South Florida, wood fences rot at the base quickly in the heat and wet, and hurricane-season winds push weak sections over. Pressure-treated posts set in concrete, and stainless or galvanised fixings, last longest. In freezing climates, frost heave lifts posts instead.
Questions people ask
- Can you replace just a few boards?
- Yes. New boards will be lighter than weathered ones at first, and stain or paint helps them blend in.
- Repair or replace the whole fence?
- If the posts are sound, repairing boards and rails is usually the better choice. If many posts are rotten, a new fence is a fencing contractor's job, and the handyman will say so.
- Do I need a permit to repair a fence?
- Like-for-like repairs usually do not need one, but rules vary by city and county, and HOAs have their own. A new fence or a change in height usually does. Check with your local building department.
Get a handyman out
Free estimate. The price is agreed before the work starts.
Other handyman jobs
- General handyman jobs
- Drywall repair
- TV mounting
- Furniture assembly
- Door repair
- Interior painting
- Pressure washing
- Gutter cleaning
- Caulking and grout
- Shelves and hanging
- Deck repair
- Screen repair
- Faucet and fixture swap
- Weatherproofing
One Call Handyman Repairs arranges the visit; the handyman does the work and gives you the price.