Chuck MacLean Homestead Fence

It went great. Chuck gave me a very detailed estimate using a spread that listed the materials he would need down to the bolt, and then the cost of his labor. I called Menard's in Lincoln and ordered all the materials needed and paid for them. For $75, Chuck picked them up and brought them to Table Rock, which is 70 miles away. He also went to two other businesses in Lincoln to pick up a few things that Menard's did not carry, which he did not charge extra for. Bottom line -- he made not a penny on the materials. Chuck then installed the fences. His fee was simple. $5.50 a foot to install the fence and $15 for installation of each gate. I think there was a small fee for mileage as well; he lives in Wymore, which is a bit of a distance. At $5.50 a foot, he was a smidge higher than HomeAdvisor said was the going rate. However, overall, Chuck's estimate was substantially lower than the only other fence company that would come to me to give an estimate. The other company did not break out their costs, just gave me the bottom line cost, so I don't know where the difference was. Maybe their fee was the same or more, or maybe they were making money off the materials, or charging more mileage for coming the 70 miles from Lincoln, I don't know. He brought a small bobcat that he used to get started. Some of the fence line was pretty uneven and he leveled it out. He dug most of the posts by hand. He spent time getting our gates to be just right -- took a lot of pride in that, which was well deserved. Ever tried dealing with a crummy gate in a chain link fence? Ye. ou'll know this was an important point. He ran lines tight to where the fence and posts would be and had me come confirm things were good before he started digging. He worked with a level, and was otherwise meticulous. He said that's why he likes to charge a flat rate for installation, so he can take the time to do the job right without worrying about it. The project took longer than expected, but we had no deadline. He said he can't put the long hours in that he used to when he was younger, so came on multiple days. We had quite a bit of rain, which delayed things in the course of the project so the days were not always consecutive. But he worked steadily and carefully. There was an issue with a sidewalk with a ramp and the swinging of a gate but he came up with an elegant solution. I add that he is a very nice, gentle soul! I learned a few things when we chatted after the job was done. He says he has been doing fences for 18 years; his wife helped him, but died a few years ago. Before that he spent about 30 years working for the Department of Agriculture, including as a conservation agent. His kids have turned out well, it seems, one being a retired Lt. Colonel in the Airforce, another a lawyer, another -- don't remember... Anyway, he is a man who is happy with his life and proud of his work. We are VERY happy with our new fences, and it was a pleasure knowing Chuck. I had called three people for references before hiring him and they gave glowing reports. I have to add mine.