Fence Company in San Francisco, CA · Fully Insured & Bonded Professionals

Fence Company in San Francisco, CA: Installation, Repair & Gates

San Francisco Fence serves homeowners and property managers across San Francisco and the surrounding Bay Area, including Daly City, South San Francisco, San Mateo, and Burlingame. Whether you need a new wood privacy fence, vinyl installation, chain link fencing, or ornamental iron work, we handle the full scope of residential and commercial fence projects. We also repair failing fences, replace damaged posts, install and repair gates, and respond to winter storm damage that brings down fence lines across the region.

The soil and climate here work fences hard. Clay subsoil swells when wet and shrinks when dry, racking posts out of plumb season after season. Winter rain and fog keep wood damp at the ground line, where rot starts and spreads. Wind off the Pacific pushes tall panels, and salt air corrodes unprotected hardware. Most homeowners searching for a fence company near me in San Francisco find us because a fence has leaned, a post has failed, or a gate has come off its hinges. We walk the whole line, test every post, and tell you honestly whether repair will hold or replacement is the better spend. Call (628) 241-1526 for a free estimate.

Why Fences Lean in San Francisco: Clay Soil and Rotted Posts

A leaning fence in San Francisco is almost always a post problem, not a panel problem. The clay soil here expands when it absorbs winter rain and contracts as it dries in summer. Over years, this wet-dry cycle works a fence post back and forth, loosening it in its footing and letting it rack out of plumb. At the same time, moisture collects at the ground line where the post sits in concrete or soil, and wood begins to decay from the bottom up. By the time a homeowner calls, one or more posts have failed while the pickets, rails, and stringers above them are still sound. That is the diagnostic moment: a fence with good boards and failed posts is worth repairing.

We assess a fence line by walking it completely, testing every post for movement and checking whether the post itself has rotted or whether the concrete footing has heaved and released it. A handful of failed posts in an otherwise solid fence means we reset or replace those posts, reset the stringers and pickets, and the fence stands for years more. A fence where the posts have decayed along the whole run, or where the footing has failed across multiple sections, has reached end of life. Repairing it section by section costs more in labor and materials over five years than replacing it once with sound posts set in fresh concrete. We quote both options when both are real, and we explain the math. On rotted wood, we are clear about scope: we replace wood that has decayed due to moisture at the ground line. We do not perform termite inspections, apply chemical treatments, or carry out pest control, which is a separate regulated trade in California. If you have questions about the condition of a specific post, call (628) 241-1526 and we will walk the fence with you. See our Fence Post Repair & Replacement page for more detail, or request a free estimate.

The key to a long fence life here is good drainage and solid posts set deep in concrete. When we repair or replace a fence, we set posts below the frost line (though frost is rare this close to the bay), with concrete footings that shed water away from the wood. Cedar and pressure-treated pine both hold up better when the ground stays dry and the post stays above the wet zone. That foundation work is where the job is won or lost.

Storm Damage Fence Repair in San Francisco

Winter storms bring down fence runs across San Francisco and the surrounding areas. Strong Pacific winds push panels off their posts, snap posts at grade, and topple entire sections on the same line. When that happens, the fence should come back stronger than it was. We provide a free damage assessment, photograph each section, and prepare a written estimate that documents what failed and what the repair or replacement will cost. That estimate is yours to share with your insurance carrier if you choose to file a claim. We help you document the damage clearly so your insurer has what they need to make a coverage decision.

Insurance coverage depends on your policy and your carrier's assessment of the damage. We cannot promise or predict whether a claim will be approved or what portion of the work will be covered. Deductibles, coverage limits, and exclusions vary by policy. Our role is to give you an honest assessment and a detailed estimate so you can make an informed decision about repair or replacement and communicate clearly with your carrier. If you have storm damage to your fence, call us for a damage assessment and written estimate. See Storm Damage Fence Repair for details.

Cedar, Pine, Vinyl or Chain Link: Choosing for This Climate

Choosing a fence material for San Francisco means weighing durability, maintenance, and budget against the climate here. Cedar is beautiful and durable, but it demands maintenance: cleaning and re-staining every two to three years keeps it looking good and extends its life toward twenty years. Pressure-treated pine is a solid budget alternative that holds up well with the same care and costs less upfront. Vinyl fencing requires no staining or sealing, which appeals to homeowners who want to set it and forget it, though vinyl can fade in bright sun and is not the best choice where wind exposure is high or where you want the warmth of wood. Chain link is the toughest fence per dollar, and galvanized or black powder-coated mesh resists rust far longer than bare steel. Gauge and mesh size matter: heavier gauge and tighter mesh cost more but stand up to impact and wind better. Aluminum and ornamental iron are ideal for pool barriers and front-yard security gates because they follow grade on a slope and look refined where privacy is not the goal.

The real cost of a fence is the total of materials, labor, and maintenance over its life. A cedar fence that costs less upfront but needs staining every two years will eventually cost more than a vinyl fence that costs more to install but never needs sealing. We price work by the linear foot, and that estimate includes a site visit because slope, access, tear-out of old fence, gate count, and soil conditions all change the number. Request a free estimate and we will walk your property and quote the material and labor honestly.

Permits, HOA Rules, Property Lines & Pool Barriers

Fence height, setback, corner visibility, and material rules are set by the city or county building department, and they vary across the Bay Area. In most jurisdictions, residential fences are limited to four to six feet in height, with shorter limits near corners and property lines where sight lines matter for traffic safety. Many cities in the area require a building permit before a fence is installed, while others do not. If your property is part of a master-planned community or homeowners association, architectural approval is usually required before work starts, and HOA rules often govern height, material, color, and placement. It is worth checking your deed restrictions and HOA guidelines before you commit to a design. We work from the property line the homeowner identifies, using their existing survey or plat.

Pool fencing is installed to meet the pool barrier codes that apply at your address, with self-closing self-latching hardware on all gates. The local building official makes the final determination of compliance, and no barrier replaces active supervision of children and swimmers. Before we set any posts, we request California 811 utility locates to mark underground lines operated by utility companies. Note that 811 locates cover participating operators only and do not mark private lines such as irrigation or landscape lighting, so let us know if you have those on your property. Requirements vary by city and county across the region, and rules change. Always verify current requirements with the San Francisco building department and your HOA before starting your project. Call (628) 241-1526 or request a free estimate with any questions about permits or compliance for your address.