Repair the fence when the damage sits in one place and the rest of the posts are solid. Replace it once the repair price climbs toward half of a new fence, or once posts are giving way down the whole line.
A simple way to decide
- Repair: damage in one spot, posts firm elsewhere, rails and boards still hard.
- Replace a section: several posts in a row have gone, and the fence on either side is straight.
- Replace it all: posts wobble or feel soft at the ground along the full length, or the repair price is near half of new.
My fence is about 15 years old, a few posts are rotted and it leans. Posts or whole fence?
Push on each post before you choose. If three or four are soft and the others are tight, change those and keep the fence. If most give under your hand, the posts are finished, and a few new ones only delay the bill. Wet clay and snow shoveled against a fence shorten the life of wood where it meets the ground. A fence over 5 feet that is rebuilt in Chicago also needs a permit, so count that in.
The repair quote is $1,400 and a new fence is $5,200. Which makes sense?
Take the repair, provided the posts that stay are sound. $1,400 is about 27 percent of $5,200, a long way under half. What you want to avoid is paying for another repair next spring. Have the contractor test the remaining posts and write down how many passed.
Half my pickets are rotting and the gate will not close. Fix it section by section?
Yes, as long as posts and rails are still good. Pickets rot upward from the bottom where they sit in soil, mulch or piled leaves. Deal with the gate first, since a gate that will not shut usually means its hinge post has moved. After that, replace pickets a run at a time as the budget allows.
How long does a wood fence last in Chicago?
It varies too much to give one figure. The species, how deep the posts go and how the fence is kept all matter. Cedar boards outlive pine boards. A fence that is sealed and held clear of the dirt outlives one that is not. Through our freeze and thaw, the posts wear out ahead of the boards.
The real price comes from a free visit and a written quote. Call (773) 741-0364 or text us a photo of the fence line.