Premier Fence

The sales portion of purchasing the fence went very well. Bert, the salesman, was extremely knowledgeable and explained my options as well as the different qualities of materials that we could choose. There were many great product options. He made it very easy. The actual installation of the fence had a few hiccups. The hand-off from what was quoted in the sale to what the workers intended to do what not in alignment, including the lead installation person wanting to attach one side of our gate to the garage even though Bert had told us during the sales process that it was better to attach it to its own post (which is the option that was agreed upon). This matter was straightened up, but it did require them to come back to do one post after all of the other posts had already been placed. The crew also ended up hitting a private power line running from the house to the garage; however, Bert did work with me to cover the cost of that repair. The arbor installed was incorrect...however, the one that did go in was still very nice and I was credited back for the cost difference. From a scheduling standpoint, the first date of service for the posts was clearly communicated, but the follow-up date to finish the fence was left up to the lead on the installation team and it was never communicated clearly to us when they would be back. We were given a tentative date that came and went and had to call to get updated on when they thought they might be back to finish. I honestly wish I could rate Bert separately from the install team...vastly different approach to customer service. All-in-all, though, the fence looks beautiful and is very good quality.

The really good: The estimated price was less than one competitor and about the same as another. Their materials / workmanship is excellent and the end product looks fantastic. They cleaned up the site well and matched into my neighbors' fences nicely. The not so good: Contract indicated that work would be performed within 3 weeks. It actually took them 7 weeks before they got around to it. I communicated this frustration to them when they slipped past the 3 week mark, but it seemed that they had over-committed themselves and could not complete the work close to when they promised. Since I recently moved into the house with a dog, it was a big problem for me to have a delay in the schedule. In fact, their promised schedule is the reason why I hired them over the competition. Unfortunately, there is no recourse when they fail to get the work done on time other than to fire them, which would not get my work done any sooner. I was debating between a 36 and 42" high fence since I wanted the visibility through the fence to be good. The estimator suggested going with the 42" in case we ever have a dog that is a jumper and I accepted his suggestion. Since we had this conversation, I was surprised to find a fence that was well over 48" in several locations. It seems that the estimator and the crew do not work together on these installs. If I could do it over again, I would have been home while they were working on it to make sure I could have stopped this from happening.

Tied into an existing fence and extended it. Used 2 styles of fence in different areas at my request, and installed a gate. | |Very well done.

Our project went very well. We met with three different contractors and felt good about their rep Bert Sorlein. Unlike other places, Bert was not just the sales guy coming in to close the deal. He truly led the project from start to finish. He was our contact person whenever we had any questions and he was always quick with a response. Premier did exactly what they said they would...delivered on time and as promised. As a homeowner, we can't ask for more than that. Neighbors have been kind enough to share their praise of the craftsmanship and curb appeal their work has provided. We'd gladly work with Premier again, but fortunately we won't have to because they've done such a good job. We'd recommend them to family and friends...and encourage them to work with Bert and his team.

We have nothing but praise for the way that Premier fencing, and in particular Ted, and Misty helped us. From the first interaction with Ted, to the final follow up call from Premier fencing the entire experience was 100% positive. The efficiency, care, professionalism, quality and follow through was something that we felt that we could just dream of, but Premier fencing were all of this and then some. I had read a few reviews on the web about Premier fencing and I would like to wholeheartedly recommend them for their attention to detail and care. We really appreciate the whole experience and wish that we had done this sooner. Thank you so much for all that you have done to give us a bit more peace of mind.

It went really well. They arrived promptly, and were able to install it soon after we placed the order. A property line issue developed with our neighbor and Premier pulled out fence posts and re-installed them without adding cost. Their customer service was always pleasant and responsive and the fence looks very nice.

Premier fence was very professional. Overall it was a great experience. I would recommend them to anyone! Their service was fast. The person that came to our house, Bert, was very nice, knowledgeable, and professional. He was able to answer any questions we had and help us pick out the fence that would fit our lifestyle. We really felt comfortable making this decision after talking with him. We have two dogs and a 1 year old and it is so reassuring knowing that they are safe behind our fence. Not only is the fence great for containing our dogs and child, it adds instant curb appeal to our house! The wood picket fence looks perfect with the style of our house. The pricing of Premier fence was very reasonable. We never thought we could afford a fence, but Premier fence brought our dream to a reality.

The services that were provided by Premier were topnotch. It started with timely and professional sales meetings and quotes, and completed with and installation crew that knew what they were doing, showed up on time and cleaned up after they were done. They were willing to answer questions along the way and even came out to inspect the fence and made minor adjustments to the gates after a few months.

For price, Premier Fence came in a lot lower than Midwest, however, Chris, who came out was so very arrogant and unprofessional. He badmouthed Midwest, calling them "the Walmart" of fencing companies. It was such a turn-off that we decided to pay a bit more for Midwest, who actually, after talking to them, got as close to Premier's fence as they could. The decision to not use Premier even though they were lower is that I couldn't find many good reviews on them, they were not BBB accredited, and Chris was so very unprofessional.

4.5 We started contacting them in May about an estimate to fix our fence. It seems their phones work for incoming calls, but not outgoing. We never seemed to hear back from them. In early September we heard from someone who inferred that the person who we had first spoken with didn't work there any more. The next contact was a new person. No one had any record of our being in contact, even though I had a whole string of emails and a log of phone calls. Finally in late September someone looked at the repair and was going to initiate an estimate. Two weeks later, we've heard nothing.

My neighbors mentioned to me that they were replacing their fence and told me that if I was interested in what their fence would look like, I could contact Chris at Premier Fence. That was my first mistake. I should have never reached out to Chris. Live and learn. Chris came over and informed me that as part of my neighbors' project one section of fencing and a gate both completely on my property would be torn down, "but don't worry, your neighbors had me include a estimate of replacement for those." I had another deteriorating gate and fence on the other side of the property that I had wanted replaced, so I figured that as long as Premier was there, I could have that gate and stretch of fence replaced. Chris did the measurements and did an estimate and I was surprised to find out that I was being expected to pay not only for the gate and fence that I wanted replaced, but I was also being expected to pay for the gate and fence that were perfectly fine and were being torn down to accomodate the neighbor's project. To be neighborly, I didn't protest, but instead grit my teeth and grudgingly agreed to pay and I paid half in advance. That was my second mistake. Time went by and I forgot about the whole thing until one day I looked out my bedroom window to a bunch of guys in my back yard (thank goodness I was dressed)! Due to access issues, I had given permission to Premier to use my yard to access my neighbor's property, and it would have been nice if someone would have warned me that the project was starting. As the work came to a close and we did the final walk around, I was very surprised to see that my neighbor's fence no longer followed the property line, but instead angled onto my property. The installation crew told me that they couldn't put the replacement fence where the previous fence had been (following the property line) due to an issue with a retaining wall that Chris hadn't taken into account in bidding the project. In addition to the blatant encroachment onto my already small yard, the fence ended up being only about 20 inches from my house. Due to an electrical box, it wasn't even possible to walk between the fence and my house without turning sideways. The 36-inch gate that had fit between the previous fence and my house obviously wouldn't fit, so it had been cobbled in diagonally. In addition, on the back of the property the replacement fence stopped 7 inches short of the garage and on the piece of fence I'd actually asked to be replaced, the fence was mis-measured and ended 9 inches short. To add insult to injury, the work crew left my yard full of the trees and brush that had been cut down for my neighbor's project. I called Chris to express my concerns and he was very difficult to get ahold of. When I finally got him, his first response was "do you know how much money I've lost on this project?" I assume that he was talking about my neighbor's project, but in any event, that wasn't the right answer. After claiming that I'd approved the placement of the neighbor's fence (of course I hadn't) and being generally unpleasant, he grudgingly agreed to come by and look at it. Time went by and no one came to look or to move the fence, so I called Premier and talked to someone else. They agreed to come look and we set up an appointment. A couple folks from Premier were there as were my neighbor and myself, so the focus ended up being on the encroaching fence and not the other issues. Everyone agreed on a few things (1) that the fence was not on the property line, (2) I hadn't agreed to the encroachment, and (3) the extreme nearness to my house was a serious problem and probably a safely issue. The guys from Premier said that they couldn't move the fence back to the property line because of the retaining wall, so I grudgingly agreed that they could just angle the fence back to get me a few more inches so that it was possible to get between my fence and the house. That was my final mistake. After the horrible experience I had had, I was surprised when I started getting dunning calls from Premier demanding the balance of payment (only about $1000, but seriously???). I called back and expressed my surprise and dismay. I had a good talk with one of their folks (not Chris) in which I expressed that if they moved my neighbor's fence back to the property line, fixed the gaps in the back fences and reimbursed me for the hours I had to spend cutting up the trees and brush they'd left on my property, I would be happy to pay the remainder. He was appropriately apologetic and it was clear that he was laboring under some misunderstandings -- for example, that my neighbor's project was a joint project (it was not, it was their's and their's alone). He told me that he would investigate and call me back the next day. I didn't hear anything, so I figured that they'd decided I'd suffered enough and I wrote the whole thing off as a bad experience but I was glad it was over. After about five weeks of silence, I just received an email from Bert that attached an old hand-jotted drawing that purported to show the property line and claiming that the fence was built entirely on the neighbor's property and demanding payment. Interestingly, I have recent certified survey and based on Bert's email, I was able to show that the fence was 1.6 feet onto my property. It is all very annoying because it was blatantly obvious and everyone agreed that the fence was on my property -- that wasn't even in question. So what I've learned from this is that Premier Fence is apparently the kind of company that will spend five weeks to try to prove a point that isn't even vaguely winnable while failing to address the actual and serious concerns raised all to collect just a little bit more money. Oh yes, and the vinyl fence looks absolutely terrible.

I emailed Premier, and scheduled a time to do an estimate. Chris was prompt, well-informed, and excellent to work with. He did multiple different quote options, talked through all of the details with us, and ensured we had all of the information we needed before we left. Like any good consumers, we had other quotes done as well, from other A-rated Angie's List companies. All quotes were lower than Premier. For the exact same fence, same grade of wood, length, height, style, gates, etc we received a quote from Dan's Fence for nearly $2500 lower than Premier. I did give Premier the option of matching, which Chris said they could do, if I sent him the written quote. I did mention that Dan's uses stainless screws instead of nails in their frame construction, which was different than Premier. He responded that using screws is "not industry standard," but did not explain why. Wanting to ensure that I was well-informed, I sent him this response "Excellent. Can you tell me more about the screws vs. nails? I did some research online, and the only benefit I could find mentioned for using nails was that it’s less costly and easier to install. I want to make sure I make an educated decision." He did not respond for a full day, and then the next day forwarded me an email from his boss that is quoted directly here:"The company that uses screws claims to use them ONLY on the framework, and uses nails for the remainder. Why, if it is such a benefit to the end-user, would they not use screws on the vertical boards as well? It is simply a pitch from a newer fence company - taking shots at the folks who have built long-standing reputations using quality materials. If screws are so beneficial, why not just throw out nails altogether? Why are houses built with nails and not screws – even by the finest custom home builders? Have your client visit the BBB website showing Dan’s A- rating, their listed address as a residential home in Cottage Grove, and their minimal length of time in business. Being that their company address is a home, I would assume they don’t have any inventory. They buy materials locally at a big box and exercise no quality control. They invest nothing into a showroom or facility, and lose nothing but a name if they were to go out of business. There are three companies in the local market that have great reputations, use only nails, and have a lot to lose. I’d rather buy from a company that invests in its people, its building, its service, and its future." I hadn't told them with which other company I was working, and yet they chose to directly attack a competitor. Chris could just have easily shared with me the benefits of using nails, and I would have been completely happy. The fact that their salesman could not answer this question himself, but instead had to ask his boss, makes me question whether there is a benefit to using nails. It is possible that screws are BETTER than the industry standard REQUIREMENT of nails, but Chris could neither confirm nor deny this. The only reason (per the BBB website) that Dan's was an A-, was because of length of time in business. And, as I reminded Chris, by not having a showroom, Dan's was saving themself overhead costs - a savings that is clearly being passed on to me. Lastly, Bert (Chris's boss, who sent the email above) mentions that Dan's is "taking shots at folks who have built long-standing reputations." Let me clarify by saying that Dan's NEVER cut down any of their competitors when talking with me. I haven't yet signed a contract with Dan, but I am DEFINITELY not going to be working with, nor recommending, Premier.

Good follow up and follow through by the salesman. Installation crew was punctual and very hard working. They did a nice job - which was expected based on reports in AngiesList. I would recommend them to others.

The fence looks fine and they showed up on time. We had two structural problems with the fence and Premier refused to work with us to solve these problems. So the experience was frustrating and disappointing.

I contacted Chris to request an idea what it would cost to do wood fencing. We had gotten a quote from him last year for composite fencing but decided not to move forward. The initial estimate was within our budget and Chris came out to do a complete estimate. The actual estimate came out about 40% higher, but was still within our budget. Chris did a great job explaining the options available. The fence was installed 2-3 weeks later. The installer showed up a little early and was waiting in the car until exactly 7am on the first day of install. The installer walked through the installation to make sure everything was to be done correctly. The finished fence looks nice and they did a good job with cleanup - there were no scraps or piles of sawdust. The concrete around each fence post is just above the ground and looks very well done. The only complaint is the fence joins with an existing fence and the 2x4's are a different height on the new portion. We had not realized this would be the case. Currently it's noticeable but we're hoping it will a non issue once we have the fence stained (we plan to do this ourselves).

The sales representative was very informative and thorough, explaining in detail how the fence was constructed, things to look for as we were comparing fences from different companies, pros and cons of different types of fences, etc. He gave us an address list for fences the company had installed in our neighborhood so we could see examples of their work. This company was more expensive than other companies we contacted; we chose them because we were impressed with the quality of the fence and the workmanship of the installations we saw on our neighborhood tour. The proposal was very specific about the details of the project and who was responsible for each detail; i.e. locating the property corners (we learned that our previous fence was actually on our neighbor's property). The installation crew was amazingly fast and effecient. They double checked some of the details with us (ie placement of fenceposts), and cleaned up after themselves. There were bushes and flowers growihg through both sides of the fence; we chose to have the fence installed in the fall when the plants would be dormant. The installers were careful not to destroy the plants, and the bushes have filled in the space that had to be cleared for the installation (see picture). All in all, we're very happy with their work -- and the new fence is a great improvement over the old one. It's especially nice to have gates that actually open and close!

Chris called to setup an appointment shortly after I submitted a request on the website. The appointment was within a week and he arrived on time for the appointment. He took time to go over the options available and discuss options. Unfortunately the prices were higher than we were willing to spend. The price for a composite fence was $26,950 for the fencing & installation.

It was great! It was the best estimate we had, they were accommodating with our installation date request, they were quick and professional.

They were slow in returning calls and showed up at the house without an appointment. I was home and we could do a walk through, but I was startled to find people wandering around my yard. The work was done well and on time, and I liked the team there (and left them to their work). However, they did a poor job cleaning up the site (left cigarette butts, concrete chunks, rows of nails from a nail gun). It took four days for someone in the office to get back to my calls regarding the clean up and by that time I had already done the work b/c kids and dogs use the yard. We negotiated a little bit off the price, but when I received a copy of the invoice, they only paid half and refused to honor their agreement. When I complained, company representatives sent a series of progressively insulting emails about me making stuff up, etc. When I sent proof of communications and dates, they finally said they would honor the full amount. However, that was in October and two months later, I haven't heard from them. I reported them to the BBB, but the BBB isn't sure this falls under their jurisdiction. Final outcome: The BBB informed me that don't handle these types of conflicts (they consider this a disagreement over damages) so there was no resolution through them. At this point I have an email from Premier Fence stating that they would pay me the $50 owed. Since they haven't, my remaining option is small claims court. Another note regarding permits: During discussion about their services, I was emailed that their bid would include taxes and permit costs. I later noted there was no specific mention of the permit on the bid itself and I couldn't find any record of a permit pulled. Thinking I was missing something, I asked about it and was told a permit wasn't necessary for this work since they considered their work a repair. When working with Premier or any vendor, I urge other customers to clarify 1) if a permit is necessary and 2) are you paying for it in your bid when it is not necessary?

They were very punctual and professional. The salesman spent a lot of time listening to what I wanted and making suggestions. We went with the black aluminum fence which is the highest quality they carry. You can't see any of the hardware so it has a clean sleak look. They intsalled it super fast, they did it all in about two hours. Premier Fence might not be the cheapest, but the quality speaks for itself.

I had him come out and gave him some money to come and do it before the winter. So they came back in the spring and I told them I found someone else and he would not give us our down payment back.

Great, we will know what to expect of pricing and choices in wood fencing when we get to that stage of our project.

We were wanting a custom fence. They took the time to help me understand what they would do, and worked with me to find an option that would work with my budget. They were flexible and easy to work with. ($2,500.00)

The service was outstanding. The representative was very helpful and knowledgeable, he had great ideas and suggestions and did not pressure me. My yard has a lot of hills and contour and the crews worked so hard and did a wonderful job installing my fence.

From the first meeting it went well. We met and I had the drawing of the patio, because it wasn't installed yet. Bert walked us through the process and showed us the product book until we found something that we liked. We, of course, chose the most expensive fence and he showed us other options to get the same look but with smaller posts. Saved us about $1500. We scheduled the fence to be installed after the patio and shortly after it was complete the premier crew came out and started to work. Very professional and neat. The fence is fantastic