Carolina Wood Fence

I called CWF on a referral from my realtor.. they met me for an estimate on a home that I was purchasing before my closing date. Mike was wonderful and explained everything to me, which was great as this was my first home purchase. I contacted FIVE other fence companies and no one beat CWF's price for the same materials. As my closing date approached, Mike was in constant contact with me and we even had to overcome a last minute closing problem in order to schedule the material delivery & installation. The day after I closed, Mike's crew showed up on time and completed a huge project in 4-5 hours. My fence is gorgeous and was installed exactly to my specifications before I even moved in. I cannot say enough abut how wonderful this experience was and I would recommend this company to anyone looking for a fence!

The work is great, they did everything they said they would. The workers were cordial, they cleaned up all the trash and when they were finished with the fence, came and got me so I could let our dogs out into their new play yard. They guys watched the dogs run and enjoyed their new freedom almost as much as I did.

I found Mike Spath and Carolina Wood Fence through Angie's List. After reading the reviews, I felt very confident in the services we would receive. We were not disappointed. The finished product is actually beyond our expectations. We LOVE it! First of all, Mike was very timely. We had a situation with our dog in which we needed a fence as soon as possible. Mike worked with us to get us taken care of as soon as he could. Every time he was supposed to arrive, he was on time, professional, and friendly. At the first visit, we were uncertain exactly what product(s) would best serve our needs. Mike made suggestions, pointing out the pros and cons of each. He suggested a wood fence with scalloped tops between posts and showed us pictures on the internet of what he was talking about. We went with his suggestion and it is beautiful! Along the back, next to the woods, we had some pre-existing posts left by the previous owner. Mike inspected the posts and listened to our desire not to obstruct the view of the beautiful wooded area behind our home. He told us the posts were in good condition and suggested using the existing posts to save money. He ran wire fencing along the posts. On the remaining side of the fence (the one that splits off the fenced from the unfenced portion of the back yard, Mike suggested a matching scalloped style, but in a lower height picket fence style. It is awesome. The part of the fence that impresses me the most, however, is the gate. The hardware on the gate is heavy, sturdy, and attractive. I cannot begin to describe how many times in the past I have struggled with gate hardware that is difficult to manipulate. This gate opens and closes with ease, and that is simply awesome to me! Because I am a teacher, Mike gave us the gate for FREE! I can't believe how great my free gate is! To finish off the overall attractiveness of the fence, Mike suggested copper tops for the poles. He told us we could purchase these, or he could purchase them for us. Either way, he and his crew would install them. We went to Lowe's and found the copper tops, but for nearly the same price, we spotted some tops that are black with solar lights in them. We chose these, and it is just so pretty at night. Mike installed our fence on a Monday morning, with materials to be delivered on the prior Saturday. On Saturday morning, a truck arrived from Home Depot. The driver volunteered the following information, "You have the best fence guy there is installing your fence. I have been delivering his materials for over 10 years, and I have NEVER heard a complaint. You will be very pleased." I was impressed with the driver, who skillfully navigated through the trees to the back yard with his fork lift and placed the materials in a perfect location for Mike and his crew to access. On Monday morning, Mike arrived about 7:15am ready to begin. I left for work, but neighbors told me the fence was completed in just a matter of hours. They were very impressed! I would definitely use Mike's services again, and in fact may be contacting him sooner than later to repair a fence at a house I own and rent. I have already recommended him to my friends and family! Thanks Mike!!

Mike Spath and Mike and a coworker arrived on time and finished the job in just a few hours. The fence looks great. Mike was very professional and gave me some nice ideas on how to enclose the yard, eg the wire under my neighbors fence to close off the opening.

Overall, we are happy to finally have a fence. It was a project we saved for during the last 5 years as homeowners, and it feels wonderful to finally let our dogs out and not worry if they see a squirrel because they will be stopped now- by a nice sturdy fence. :) It's a safe place for our children to play, and while we live in an older neighborhood with large lot sizes and privacy, I still worried about strangers coming up our driveway and nosing around our backyard. Mike told us that the crew would arrive at 8, and at 7:15 we got the call that they were here! Being our only day off together to sleep in, make a family breakfast, etc. it was a surprise!! But, we were glad they got an early start and they finished by about 2. We couldn't believe how quickly the project went! The guys worked hard and quickly. We didn't know they would hammer in a metal Carolina Wood Fence sign, and we were disappointed they didn't ask us first because it takes away from the esthetic and it had to be removed to stain it. They used very long nails for a thin sign, and one of the nails broke off inside the picket. It's now a sharp metal piece sticking out and is a safety hazard. There is also a board that wasn't cut correctly, and they didn't try and correct it so the edge is jagged. We e-mailed them about both issues for them to come at their convenience and fix, and we don't expect any hassle from it. The installation crew was very easy to work with. The major issue and disappointment that we have with this company is Mike's recommendation of 5-Minute Stain. He asked us if we had plans to stain it, and we told him that we wanted to stain or paint it. He said don't bother spending hours spreading sloppy stain on the fence, and recommended this "easy to use" spray that he likes. He wrote the name of it on our contract and said it's a great product. Well, we ordered it based on his recommendation and spent $167 on it. Mike's son told us how to best apply it, what accessories to get for our hose, and told us to do it while the wood is nice and fresh. As soon as the crew left, we went to Lowe's and got the hose adaptors and started working on it. Oh my. What an awful product. Despite vigorous shaking, the product was clumpy and separated like it sat on the shelf for years (which it probably did). Product leaked all over the ground, bottle, and us despite a nice tight connection. So, we went inside and looked up the phone number to call for product support. Here's the kicker: there isn't one! It's a complete scam! We googled the company, and it came back with an "F" Better Business Bureau rating. There are dozens of articles on websites like "Rip Off Report" and "Slick Deals" warning consumers about this awful company and product. We are a family raising two children with disabilities (Down syndrome and spina bifida) living on less than $38,000 per year. EVERY dollar matters to us. Imagine our sadness and disappointment that a product a trusted company recommended to us cost us a whole day of my husband's pay. I wish I hadn't listened to his glowing recommendation and had done my own research. But, when the owner of an "A+" BBB rated company tells you to purchase a product to ensure your fence stays nice, then we assumed we were in good hands. We finally received an e-mail reply from "5-Minute Fence" that stated we could only return our product less return shipping and a 15% restocking fee if we had an RMA number. The company refuses to issue us an RMA number because one of the bottles is open. Awesome. $167 will be going to the dump, and that's more than we spend on a week's groceries. Overall, yes, we recommend this company for fencing but be prepared to do some of your own clean-up (we found several nails in the driveway and backyard, some wood pieces, etc.) and stay away from the awful 5-minute fence stain.

Mike and his team were great to work with. They are very friendly, punctual and professional. Mike came out to my house quickly to give a rough estimate on the work (tear down and replace fence) since I have dogs and they had taken down part of the existing fence. Once we worked out the details of replacing the existing fence, we reviewed together the option of adding a second fenced area for the dogs (we didn't move forward based on Mike's advice, which any other company may have jumped all over more work!). We then scheduled time to tear down the fence and put up the new one. Mike split the work out into two days, which wasn't ideal, but I knew Mike was doing me a favor and squeezing me in which was very appreciated. The guys arrived on time both days to do the tear down and replacement. They worked quickly and efficiently and the finished product looks great!! I have even had a few neighbors stop by asking who did the work, and we've given them Mike's number. I would highly recommend this company, and will use them again if I ever need fencing work done.

I was very pleased at how the job turned out initially. There were no major issues in any part of the initial install process working with Carolina Wood Fence. There were a few little details I fixed after they left ( several boards without nails and a few spots where the wire was not attached properly to the split rail boards, but nothing major that I could not fix myself. Communication was very good throughout the initial install. Unfortunately, I had an issue with my front 10 foot gate approximately 6 weeks after the job was completed. I contacted the follow up guy for Carolina wood fence regarding the problem, and explained in detail what was going on. I made several attempts to get them to come over to see the problem, and after several missed appointments by them, the follow up man finally showed up. He explained to me that there should have been another drop bar installed on the side which was causing the issue ( two gate sides did not line up correctly and gate no longer would shut correctly) until the wood dried properly. Even though I had explained several times exactly what the issue was before he finally arrived, he showed up with no extra drop bar to install or any materials to fix the warped boards. He told me I could buy a drop bar for $12 and install it myself, but that might not bring the gate back into line over time. I told him they could buy the bar and install since it was not put on initially like it should have been (his words). I did not believe this would fix the issue however. He suggested that if the fence needed to be redone, there would be a cost. He explained to me that he would be over the following week when in the area with a drop bar and materials to fix the gate if that was the route I decided on, and suggested that I put a couple bricks against the gate so it would line up and possibly bring it back over the week which made this gate unusable. They did not show up as promised and did not call to cancel and reschedule. I have not been contacted by them again regarding the issue. I am through contacting them about the problem. I will fix it myself. It is sad that after spending $4500 on a fence I cannot get them to come back for something that was not installed properly by them (their words), and feel as if I have been blown off. I was going to have more fencing installed within the next 12 months, and have had several people ask me who did my fence; I will make sure I go with another fencing company next time and I will not give Carolina Wood Fence good referrals. The owner of Carolina Wood Fence Contacted me immediately after the install to post a good review on Angie's List, which I initially did. After their poor service after the sale performance, I felt it necessary to do this follow up. - follow up (4/11/12) After being contacted by Carolina Wood Fence follow up man again (after standing me up again), I decided to give them another chance, although I am convinced the only reason they contacted me was because of my post to this site, I was told on the phone that they would be out first thing in the morning to fix the fence correctly. They did not arrive until the afternoon, and when I got home from work and inspected the gate repairs here is what I found; The gate was not fixed - still warped and not shutting properly. They replaced two 2x4" boards with new. The 1x4" face boards were re-used and not lined up properly (now there is a noticeable gap in the middle of the right side so I will have to redo myself). They did not clean up the nails properly that were pulled. There were a handful of nails thrown on top of material inside my recycle container (ready to fall out on the driveway), and I pulled 14 nails out of my grass! I noticed the nails in the grass because one stuck into the bottom of my shoe, as half of them were sticking up. A drop bar was installed but not pipe in the ground, so the bar was just pushed into the ground. I called the guy who did the 'fix' and told him the issues and that I was not happy and very frustrated at his work. He asked me what he could do to fix it, at which point I explained that they had more than their share of chances and that I would fix it myself. As for the owners misleading response below; 1. I was given a business card at the end of the original install by the follow up guy, an employee of Carolina Wood Fence. It has Carolina Wood Fence's name on it. I was told if I had any issues with the fence to call the number on the card - which I did. Why would I call any other number? 2. When the follow up man finally showed up to my house the first time with nothing on hand to actually fix the problem, he called the owner in front of me and had a discussion regarding the problem. I could hear the owner's voice on the other end, so his comments below are misleading - he had knowledge of the situation. He knows that I called one of his workers, the one who does the follow up work for his company. They did not handle the situation properly, and the owner was aware of what the problem was and what needed to be done. My wife and are are just really disappointed that a company cannot just step up and do the right thing, that's all we wanted. As for no warranty on warping, his own employee told me a second drop bar should had been installed to combat initial warping and that it was not done properly at the onset. The owner is not being honest in his comments below. Do yourself a favor and think twice before using these guys. They do not stand behind their work. As far as we are concerned, just another shady business out there and we are letting people know.

Excellent company! Mike came to give me an estimate within 2 days of me calling. I needed the fence put up within 2 weeks since we were moving and needed a fence for the dogs. They were able to work it in to their schedule and get it done before we moved in. Not only was Carolina Wood Fence cheaper than the other two estimates I received, Mike spent time to go over the troublesome areas with me and come up with a plan for how things would work on the patio, around the shed and in the front. The fence looks great and I would definitely recommend these guys, they were all very pleasant and knowledgeable!

Mike came to our home several times in order to help us figure out which fence was right for us. He was able to give us a quote and then come in under that amount for the final price. He worked with us to make sure the fence met our ARB requirements and he was able to give a start date as soon as we got the fence approved by the review board in our neighborhood. He estimated it would take 3 days and he got it finished by noon on the third day. The fence is beautiful and we are very happy.

I would recommend Mike and his crew at Carolina Wood Fence Systems with the highest confidence. His attention to quality, coupled with an amazing response time and customer service is hands down superior to any other fencing contractors we met through Angie’s List. Carolina Wood Fence Systems laid approximately 400 feet of West Virginia Split Rail for us in a challenging environment with many many buried lines. From the time of initial call to the time of completion only took a few days. Actual install only took hours.

Mike came to give me a price within a few days of my contacting him. It was a small job and not too many companies want to do the work on a small job. The price was great and the work was done on time and in a very professional manner. The guys were on time, very friendly and did a super job. I would definitely use them again and I recommend them to anyone needing fence work. Nice group of people.

Experience was very good. I had several bids, but felt most comfortable working with Mike. Mike was very responsive, and accomodating my special request of hand built split rail gates. The work was done fast, and is quality work. No mess either. Mike and team did an excellent job. I have already recommended him to others.

Again, they were professional, polite and did a great job. The good thing about these guys is I trust them on my property and they don't leave behind a mess. I recommend them to anyone in need of fencing!

Carolina Wood Fencing was awesome. Pricing was great and the service was top notch. Mike was great to work with - a very nice guy. We would TOTALLY recommend this company again! - The Dog Knowledge

Also gave us a rough estimate on replacing the whole fence later on. Price seems very reasonable. Would hire again in the future.

Section of fenced-in back yard was pushed down by our dogs, who then escaped. Called Mike, and the very next morning he was out and had the section of our fence replaced. Very quick, very professional, very responsive. Excellent work, exactly what we needed. Highly recommend! Thanks, Mike!

Mike and his crew got us an estimate right away and were able to begin work within a few days. They got the job done quickly and well. The fence they built in our back yard looks great. Everyone at CAROLINA WOOD FENCE was personable and professional. I recommend them and would definitely use them again.

I contacted several fencing companies to get quotes for a fence to span approximately 60 ft. Since it was a small job, some never even returned my call. I requested a quote from Carolina Wood Fence online, and Mike promptly answered my request. He quickly came out to assess the job and give me an estimate, which was very fair. We scheduled a date to complete the work, and they even came earlier than anticipated. This is a family-owned business and they really seem to care about each and every job, even mine, though it was small. I recommend them to anyone needing a fence. They do really great work too! The fence looks great!

We initially contacted 3 fence companies....one never got back to us for a quote, another quoted us over $1500 more than we actually paid with CWF. Mike, Brent and their team of builders are fantastic. They got back to us quickly, answered all our questions and they did exactly what you'd expect from a professional company. We couldn't be happier with the fence that they built for us. The whole experience was great from start to finish.

I was not initially pleased with how the fence met up with our neighbors fence post, but after an e-mail to Mike, he was out here again the next afternoon to make whatever changes he could to make us completely satified. He also switched out the gate hardware to make it easier for my kids to get in and out of the yard on their own - it all works great now.

The owner of Carolina Wood Fence Company, Mike Spath, was a true professional and very punctual with his return phone calls, emails, and onsite visits for the estimate and fence installation. I received three quotes for a split rail fence and two small semi-private sections of fence. Carolina Wood Fence provided me with the best and lowest quote, but it was really Mike's knowledge, professionalism, punctuality, and product that won them the job. Mike worked with me in delaying the fence installation until I could complete the construction of a storage building in my backyard. Mike was also onsite to help install the fence with his very efficient and friendly crew. I just happened to be home the day of the installation and Mike used that opportunity to consult with me several times to insure the most accurate gate locations, property lines, and to confirm my preference on the direction of the gates openings...I would have been perfectly comfortable with the install had I not been working from home that day. The quality of their material (West Virginia Split Rail) is superior.

They were very nice, and their quote was very reasonable. I talked to the owner, and he was very nice and informative. He was on the spot when I called him. He called me back, and we texted each other. I did not use them - I just decided to go with another company. There was nothing wrong except that he was probably a few dollars more than the company that I went with. The estimated price was $2600. I would consider getting another quote from them in the future.

They were professional and did the job well. I called a few days before they went on vacation and had to wait a couple of weeks to get the work done, but they were very upfront about it and I understood. I bid the fence out and they were the best deal.

Carolina Fence was great with communications, set clear expectations and delivered promptly, exactly what was discussed. They are reliable and professional, friendly and easy to work with.

Mike was very prompt and professional. He returned our first call within 24 hours and came out to give us a quote. He had solutions to all or my concerns and gave me several options. The guys came while we were at work and the job was completed before we got home. They did a fantastic job!