Questions to Ask Before Building a Deck or Fence
Before signing a deck or fence contract, confirm the footing depth against your local frost line, the property line method, what the all-in price includes, and who calls 811. A complete deck runs $13,000 to $38,000, averaging $20,000; a typical fence runs $2,700 to $12,000.
What Should You Ask Before Building a Deck or Fence?
A complete deck runs $13,000 to $38,000, averaging $20,000, and a typical 150-foot fence $2,700 to $12,000, so confirm the footing depth against your local frost line, how the property line will be established, what the all-in price includes, and who calls 811. These questions surface the issues most likely to affect long-term satisfaction with a deck or fence installation — ask them before you sign, and get the answers into the written contract rather than leaving them in verbal discussion.
Questions About the Deck
How Deep Will You Pour the Footings?
Deck footings must extend below the frost line to prevent heaving — the seasonal freeze-thaw movement that shifts and cracks a deck that is not anchored deep enough. Frost depth varies by climate, from about 12 inches in southern states to 36 to 48 inches in northern ones.
Ask directly: how deep will you pour the footings, and does that meet or exceed the frost line for this area? A contractor who pours shallow footings is building a deck that will move over its first few winters. The footing specification belongs in the written contract. (For more on this, see Deck Building Mistakes to Avoid.)
What Is Included in the Price?
Confirm in writing whether each of these is in the quote:
- The permit fee.
- Stairs.
- Railing and post caps.
- Ledger flashing, which is what keeps water out of the house at the point the deck attaches.
- Final cleanup and haul-away of debris.
Each of these has a real cost that may or may not be reflected in the number you were quoted. A bid that looks competitive is often just excluding more from scope. Ask for an all-in quote covering every component of the finished installation, and require the material specification in writing.
Ledger flashing deserves particular attention on an attached deck. The ledger is the board that fastens the deck to the house, and the flashing over it is what keeps water from running behind the siding and into the framing. It is inexpensive to install correctly during construction and expensive to remedy afterward, so confirm it is named in the scope rather than assumed.
Questions About the Fence
How Will You Confirm the Property Line?
Ask how the contractor will locate the property line before setting posts. The right answer references a visible survey stake, the recorded plat description, or a recommendation to get a property survey if the boundary is uncertain. A contractor who says “we go by where the old fence was” or “we eyeball it” is assuming the line rather than confirming it, and an assumption that turns out wrong can mean removing and repositioning the fence at your expense. (For more on this, see How to Find the Best Deck and Fence Contractor.)
An old fence line is particularly unreliable as a reference, because it may itself have been set by assumption decades ago. If there is any doubt about the boundary, a survey before posts go in the ground costs far less than relocating a finished fence, and it also gives you documentation if a neighbor raises the question later.
What About Post Removal, Gates, and Hardware?
If you are replacing an existing fence, confirm whether removal and disposal of the old posts is included. Confirm the gate count and the specific gate hardware being installed, since hardware quality is where cheap fences show their age first. Ask what warranty covers the posts and hardware.
Who Calls 811 Before Digging?
811 is the national call-before-you-dig number, and calling it before digging any holes is a legal requirement in all 50 states. It dispatches utility locating services that mark buried gas, water line, electric, fiber, and cable runs before excavation begins. The service is free and typically takes 2 to 3 business days. Before any digging begins, call 811 — the free national before-you-dig service — to have underground utilities located and marked.
Hitting a buried utility during footing or post installation is dangerous, and the liability falls on whoever digs without calling first. Ask whether the contractor calls 811 before beginning any excavation. The answer should be unambiguously yes. Some contractors handle it as part of their standard pre-construction process; others expect the homeowner to initiate it. Confirm who is responsible before work begins.
The 2 to 3 business day turnaround also matters for scheduling. If the locate request is not filed until the crew is standing in your yard, the dig waits. A contractor who builds the 811 request into the pre-construction timeline is one who has run this sequence before.
Deck and Fence Cost at a Glance
| Project | Installed cost |
|---|---|
| Wood deck, pressure-treated | $40 to $70 per square foot |
| Composite deck | $55 to $100 per square foot |
| Fence, chain-link through wood and vinyl | $18 to $80 per linear foot |
Cost figures on this page were checked against published pricing on August 23, 2026. How we source cost data.
Overall range: $13,000 to $38,000, averaging $20,000 for a complete 16 by 20 foot deck, with a typical 150-foot fence at $2,700 to $12,000. Pressure-treated wood is the budget option; composite costs more upfront and is low-maintenance and durable.
Warranties and Contract Terms
Ask what each warranty covers and for how long:
Installation labor: 1 to 3 years from the contractor, against structural defects, fastener failures, and railing loosening.
Composite decking material: 15 to 50 years on the product against fade and stain, valid only if installation follows manufacturer guidelines.
Fence posts and hardware: 1 to 5 years from the contractor.
Gate hardware: varies by manufacturer, typically 1 to 2 years on premium hardware.
Beyond the warranty, get at least two or three quotes from licensed, insured, local contractors. Multiple quotes reveal the market rate, expose scope differences between bidders, and let you assess communication quality before committing. Verify current general liability insurance and workers compensation coverage before work starts.
Get the full scope in writing — materials, labor scope, timeline, permits, cleanup, disposal, and warranty terms. For any project over $500, written scope is non-negotiable. Tie payments to milestones: a deposit at signing, a payment at material delivery or project start, and final payment at completion after a walkthrough confirms satisfaction. A contractor who requires full payment before work begins is a red flag in any trade.
Frequently Asked Questions
The footing depth specification and whether it meets the local frost line, an all-in price confirmation covering permit, stairs, railing, post caps, ledger flashing, and cleanup, the material specification in writing, who calls 811 before digging, and the warranty on installation labor.
How the contractor will confirm the property line, using a survey stake, the plat, or a recommended survey. Also whether removal of existing posts is included, the gate count and hardware specification, who calls 811 before post digging, and the warranty on posts and hardware.
Below the local frost line, which runs about 12 inches in southern states and 36 to 48 inches in northern climates. Footings poured above the frost line let seasonal freeze-thaw movement shift and crack the deck within its first few winters. Get the depth into the written contract.
Yes. Calling 811, the national call-before-you-dig hotline, before digging any holes is a legal requirement in all 50 states. It dispatches locators who mark buried gas, water, electric, fiber, and cable lines. The service is free and takes 2 to 3 business days. Digging without it creates a safety hazard and financial liability.
A complete deck runs $13,000 to $38,000, averaging $20,000 for a 16 by 20 foot deck, and a typical 150-foot fence runs $2,700 to $12,000. A pressure-treated wood deck runs $40 to $70 per square foot installed with footings, framing, railings, and steps, composite decking runs $55 to $100 per square foot, and fencing runs $18 to $80 per linear foot depending on material.
Contractor labor warranties run 1 to 3 years against structural defects, fastener failures, and railing loosening. Composite decking carries a 15 to 50-year product warranty against fade and stain if installed to manufacturer guidelines. Fence posts and hardware are typically warranted 1 to 5 years, and gate hardware 1 to 2 years.
Confirm your property line with a survey if it is in question, then have a direct conversation about fence location and design, including material, height, and which side faces which direction. Most disputes resolve with clear communication. If a neighbor's fence sits on your property, send written notice requesting relocation with a reasonable timeline before pursuing legal remedies, and check local fence ordinances first.