Repair the fence when the problem sits in one part of it and the posts are still solid. Replace it once the repair would cost around half of a new fence, or when most of the posts have rotted at the soil line.
A simple way to decide
- Repair: the damage is in one place, the posts stay still when pushed, and the boards are not soft.
- Rebuild one side: the posts along one line have gone, but the other sides of the yard are sound.
- Replace everything: the posts are spongy at the ground all the way around, or the repair comes to about half of a new fence.
My fence is about 15 years old, a few posts are rotted and it leans. Posts or whole fence?
Push each post before deciding. A handful of soft posts among firm ones means new posts will give the fence more years. If most of them move, the fence is finished. In San Francisco the fog wets fences from the top down for months, so check the rails and the fasteners too. Rusted nails that no longer hold are a sign the whole fence is tired.
The repair quote is $1,400 and a new fence is $5,200. Which makes sense?
Repair it, provided the posts that are staying are firm. $1,400 is about 27 percent of $5,200, a long way under half. The question to put to the contractor is how many of the posts they are leaving alone are still solid. If those fail in a year or two, the repairs will add up to half a new fence and you will still own the old one.
Half my pickets are rotting and the gate will not close. Fix it section by section?
You can, as long as the posts and rails are solid. Pickets rot from the bottom where they touch soil or planter beds, and here also from the top where fog drips and never dries. Deal with the gate first since that points to a post. After that, replace pickets section by section and pull soil and plants back from the fence.
How long does a wood fence last in San Francisco?
No honest answer is a single number. The species and grade, the post treatment, the fasteners and the exposure all change it. Redwood and cedar heartwood resist rot better than plain softwood. A fence in the fog belt near the ocean has a harder life than one in the sunnier eastern neighborhoods. Posts and fasteners normally fail before the boards.
We measure the line and give you a written quote at no charge. Call (415) 888-9244 or text us a photo of the fence.