Fence contractors seem to be a dime a dozen, there are many, as it doesn’t take much to be one.  But good installers are not so common.  So how do you find the good ones?  Here are a few tips to recognize the good from the not so good.

1)    Not always the best indicator but a good indicator nonetheless is how long has the company been in business.  The longer the time, generally, the better the install.  But this is not always the case, how do you know your job isn’t training day for a new hire or that the company is extremely busy and sends out an under qualified person on your project.  When discussing your project with the sales representative or estimator, ask them, how they qualify an installer for a project and what mechanisms they have in place to ensure that your project will be a success.  If anything, asking these questions will likely get you a better qualified installer assigned to your job.

2)    Many states have contractor’s license requirements and the contractor’s office for your state can often provide information about complaints from others in the past.  You can also contact the Better Business Bureau in your area and they may have information available.  I recently came across a report from the Better Business Bureau about a fence contractor that had 38 complaints.  This was for a company that had been in business for over 10 years and appeared to be reputable.  As a consumer, you may choose to still use a contractor after finding information out like this but I would definitely discuss the findings with your sales representative and get assurances that they will take care of you.

3)    My best recommendation for a contractor is referrals.  If the company is larger, you could ask who the installer will be for your project and ask for referrals where he or she had installed for another homeowner.  If the contractor can provide a handful of references and they check out, I feel more confident in the contractor I am choosing.  I also am a fan of a vinyl fence contractor that carries pictures of projects they have actually installed and not just a manufactures brochure and literature.  Referrals from past projects can be very helpful when finding the right contractor.

I hope that you found this information helpful, there are many other ways to weed out the bad vinyl fencing contractors but these tips will definitely help.  Remember; don’t be afraid to ask the hard questions about quality control procedures and who will be installing your project.  The time spent before you sign the contract is well worth the effort.  Don’t believe me, ask someone who has experienced a bad installation and you’ll likely change your mind.