If you’re on the fence about a fence replacement, this guide can help
If your fence is in rough shape, it’s time to repair or replace the fence. Your fence frames your property—and you wouldn’t want to frame a gorgeous photograph in a broken picture frame. That said, sometimes things aren’t worth fixing. Replacing a fence (or at least replacing a portion of your fence) can be more cost-effective than major repairs—it just depends on the type of fence and the extent of the damage.
Typically, a well-installed fence won’t collapse out of nowhere unless there’s direct damage (think: a particularly rough storm or you accidentally back your car into your fence). Most of the time, wear and tear will develop over time. You’ll start to notice a few visual signs:
Sinking, sagging, bending, or warping
Posts that are leaning to one side
Cracks, holes, dents, and bumps
Discoloration
Peeling paint or stain
Splintered wood or signs of dry rot
Mold, mildew, or visible fungus
Signs of a termites or other insects
Rust and corrosion
Loose panel clips, fencing staples, or other fasteners
There are two types of fence damage: acute damage and chronic damage. Acute damage is the stuff that’s one and done. For example, a tree branch falls on your fence and damages the panels. Chronic damage is damage that has a continuing source. For example, termites or wood rot.
Generally, you can repair a fence with minor acute damage, but some of these repairs may only serve as a temporary fix. Chronic damage is harder to repair unless you fix the underlying cause.
Natural wood isn’t as durable as synthetic materials. It’s particularly vulnerable to moisture, insects, UV rays, and general environmental factors like the weather. You may notice issues like:
Discoloration or peeling paint and stain
Minor cracks, holes, or splinters
Mold and mildew
Warping
In general, you can restore an old wooden fence as long as the damage is superficial. You can fill minor cracks and holes with wood filler or putty and cover up discoloration with a fresh coat of paint or stain. You may need to address an underlying issue—like excess moisture or termites—or repairs won’t make a meaningful difference.
Vinyl fences are remarkably durable. Cracking is typically the main issue. While you can use a vinyl fence repair kit to fix minor holes and cracks temporarily, it’s usually best to replace the damaged picket or panel.
Metal fences, including aluminum, chain link, and wrought iron, tend to suffer from the same types of issues:
Sticky or sagging gates
Leaning or uprooted posts
Bent or dented rails
Rust and corrosion
You can make minor repairs like replacing damaged gate hinges or sanding off and resealing mild rust and corrosion. If rails are only slightly bent, you might even be able to hammer them back into place. You can also reset leaning posts in concrete if the post isn’t damaged or DIY fix a sagging gate.
Anything beyond minor damage points to a fence replacement. However, you don’t always need to replace the entire fence. Most of the time, you can swap out a post, picket, or panel. Keep in mind that color-matching is difficult. You might need to paint your fence to cover up the replacement part.
There are several reasons you might replace your fence or part of it.
Sometimes, you can cut off a small portion of the rot to prevent it from spreading to the rest of the panel, but this will create a hole in your fence. If more than 30% of a post or panel is rotten, replacing the affected area before it spreads further is best.
This sort of structural problem typically points to damaged or poorly installed fence posts. If several posts are leaning, you may want to replace the whole fence. If it’s only a couple, you can remove the old fence posts and install new fence posts. While fence post repair kits do come with braces to reinforce damaged posts, this is just a temporary solution.
Posts are the skeleton of your fence. As long as your posts are solid, you can replace a couple of missing or split fence boards or “pickets” without replacing your entire fence. However, if your posts and boards have issues, you might want to opt for a full replacement.
You’re probably overdue for a replacement if the majority of your fence has severe damage, extreme wear, or is falling down. The average fence only lasts 15 to 20 years, but the lifespan could be even shorter if your fence is made from untreated wood.
It is possible to get rid of an insect infestation before it causes severe damage, but once the damage occurs, you typically can’t repair the wood. If more than 30% of a post, picket, or board has damage from a wood-eating type of insect, make sure the infestation is exterminated and replace the affected area.
You should replace fencing that doesn’t work as intended. If your privacy fence leaves little to your neighbor’s imagination, replace it with a fence that better blocks the view.
Although it may seem more cost-effective to always choose repairing vs. replacing a fence, your fence’s age must be part of the calculation. If only a section of the fence is falling apart because of age now, you need to remember that the rest of the fence’s materials are just as old and likely will deteriorate and need repairs soon.
Fencing pros often use a 20% rule. If you are needing to repair 20% or more of an aging fence, the long-term cost benefit probably lies in replacing the fence instead of repairing it. Rather than spending money on constant repairs on different sections, it’s likely more cost-effective to perform a full replacement.
One other potential problem with deciding to repair or replace a fence that’s old is that it may be unclear who owns the fence. Previous property owners likely built the fence, so you and your neighbor now need to figure out where it lies.
You may receive more benefits from the fence, but after you learn how to read a property survey for a fence, you may discover the fence is on your neighbor’s property. This changes who’s responsible for repairs.
Should the fence that benefits you belong to your neighbor, your neighbor could refuse to replace it, tear it down, or leave it in disrepair. You then may need to explore building your own replacement fence on your property, if desired, ensuring that you clearly own it.
Fence materials have different ranges of quality. You might have started your backyard design idea on a budget, but you can always upgrade later down the line with a fence replacement.
The cost of repairing versus replacing a fence isn’t all that different. Most fence repairs cost between $10 and $30 per linear foot, while most fence installations cost between $6 and $50 per linear foot. In other words, which one is better really depends on the extent of the job.
The typical repair costs $300 to $900—but that can add up as your fence starts to age. If you know you’ll need multiple repairs in the near future, it might be worth it to get a new fence. Typically, a new fence costs somewhere between $1,750 and $4,430. If you are replacing an existing fence, you may have a fence removal cost of up to $5 per linear foot if you hire a pro.
Most homeowners can make minor repairs with DIY fence kits. For anything else, you might want to hire a fence contractor.
When trying to determine who to hire to build a fence, any trustworthy fence contractor should have a general contractor’s license and carry general liability insurance. They may also belong to a trade group like the American Fence Association. To get the best price, make sure you get quotes from three fence companies near you, and always check references.
Kyle Schurman contributed to this piece.
Determining whether you need a permit for fence repairs can be tricky. Your local regulations and laws may allow certain types of repairs, like replacing a sagging post or fixing a broken section, without permits. Major repairs, like fixing multiple aging sections, may require a permit. Your local government’s website may have some answers to this question in website sections discussing zoning or building inspections. Otherwise, a local fence repair pro can often help you determine whether you need permits.
Do you need a permit to build a fence if you are simply replacing an existing fence? Whether you need a permit in this case depends on your local laws and regulations. Most municipalities consider a fence replacement project as being equal to building a new fence, so you likely will need a permit. Check with your local building inspection department or zoning department to see if you need a permit. If you hire a local fence contractor, this pro can take care of obtaining all permits for you.
If the fence is on one neighbor’s property, that person is responsible for repairs, regardless of who benefits from the fence more. The other neighbor must keep trees and other obstacles from crossing the property line and affecting the fence. If the fence is directly on the property line, though, who owns a shared fence? Many states have laws that address this issue. Typically, the two property owners would share responsibilities and costs for fence maintenance and repair. You may need a property line survey to precisely determine ownership and responsibility.
