Preparing for Your Fence

Video series from Big Jerry's Fencing

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Mark Your Utility Lines Before We Dig

811 vs. Private Utilities

Before having your fence installed, your underground utility lines must be marked so we can safely dig on your property. Big Jerry’s Fencing will request to have your utility lines located through 811 at least two full business days before your installation date. These lines will be marked with temporary spray paint and/or flags. 

811 is a national call-before-you-dig service that will request to have your utility lines located and marked by your local utility companies. 811 protects you and your community! Hitting a buried line while digging can disrupt utility service, cost money to repair, or cause serious injury or death.

It is important to note that the 811 ticket only covers your public utilities. It is the responsibility of the homeowner to locate and mark private utility lines such as irrigation and septic. Please refer to our contract for a list of some of the most common private utilities to be aware of.

All lines marked by a locating service (public lines) have a grace area of 2 feet to each side of the marking. That means the line could be within a 4-foot-wide path. Big Jerry’s Fencing will attempt to span that area when setting our posts. If spanning that area is not possible or practical, Big Jerry’s Fencing will make every effort to hand dig carefully. Please note that the location of any public or private utility line may dictate the placement of a gate or a post.

Finally, please be aware that Big Jerry’s Fencing is not liable for any potential costs associated with the repair of any damaged utility lines. If you have any questions regarding your property's utilities, please contact your local Big Jerry’s Fencing representative.

Marking Your Property Pins

Installation Next Step

To ensure that your fence is correctly installed within your property boundaries, our installers will require that your property pins are visibly marked. If you are uncertain exactly where your property line is, don't hesitate to get in touch with a local property surveying company and request to have your property pins marked or flagged. 

Please note that an above-ground property stake does not always accurately represent the location of your property pins that are below ground. During the home construction process, the above-ground property stakes are often accidentally kicked or moved out of place, effectively eliminating the accuracy of those stakes. A property pin is a metal pin set in the ground and can usually be located with a metal detector. 

The location of the fence placement is ultimately the homeowner’s responsibility. To ensure that you don’t run into property line disputes in the future, it is a best practice to have your property pins accurately marked before installing your fence.

If you have questions or need additional guidance, please reach out to your local Big Jerry’s Fencing representative, and we would be more than happy to assist you.

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HOA Approval

Installation Next Steps

If you live in a neighborhood with a Home Owners Association, or HOA, you will likely need to obtain written approval from them prior to having your fence installed. While submitting the application is relatively simple, this approval process can take some time. We’ve found that most HOAs review fence requests every 30 days, so it is a best practice to get that ball rolling right away so that you don’t experience any unnecessary delays in getting your beautiful new fence installed at your home. 

You should contact your homeowners' association directly to inquire about their application process. Typically, you just need to fill out an application with your information and submit it back to them with the sketch that we provided for you. That sketch will have the proposed layout as well as a picture and description of the fence that you were quoted. 

Please note, that some HOAs require the sketch to be drawn on your property survey. If we haven’t already, we can provide that for you as well. We would need a copy of your property survey from you to get that done. However, we do not offer property surveying services, so if you’re HOA requires this, please a lot enough time to obtain your property survey from a local surveying company. Once that survey has been obtained, send that over to us, and we can update your sketch accordingly as quickly as possible. 

If you have questions or need additional guidance, please reach out to your local Big Jerry’s Fencing representative, and we would be more than happy to get you pointed in the right direction.

Clearing a Path

Installation Next Steps

Big Jerry’s Fencing will require a clear path of at least 2ft wide to be able to install your fence. If you have a wooded or obstructed lot, please take that into account when planning your desired layout. This clear path of two feet must extend through the height of the fence. For instance, if you have a 6ft tall privacy fence installed, we will require a clear path of two feet wide and six feet tall. Our installers are typically equipped to handle minor obstacles such as tree limbs or occasional rocks. 

If you are uncertain about a potential obstacle on your property, don’t hesitate to get in touch with your local Big Jerry’s Fencing representative for further evaluation.

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Custom Sloped Gates

Installation Next Steps

Placing gates in areas with heavy grading or sloping is NOT recommended. Doing so causes gapping under the gate and creates unsightly lines along the top. If it is unavoidable to have a gate in an area like this, we can order a custom sloped gate to be made for an additional charge. 

The fence and gate opening will need to be installed prior to ordering a sloped gate in order to get the correct measurements. A temporary panel can be placed in the gate opening until the custom sized sloped gate arrives and is installed. 

If your property is sloped in the area where you want to have your gate installed, please reach out to your local Big Jerry’s Fencing representative and we would be more than happy to assist you.

Installation Day Walkthrough

Installation Next Steps

In many cases, our customers have contracted Big Jerry’s Fencing to install their fence without us ever coming on-site. Rest assured that our highly-skilled professional installation team wants nothing more than to provide you with a finished product that you will love for years to come. To ensure that happens, on the day of your installation, our installers will meet with you to do a complete onsite walkthrough before getting started on your project. During this walkthrough, our installers will go over details with you regarding the desired location of each fence line, the ideal gate placement, and any other pertinent project specifics. 

If you have questions regarding your walkthrough, such as your scheduled date and time of arrival, please reach out to your local Big Jerry’s Fencing representative for additional details.

Finally, please be aware that Big Jerry’s Fencing is not liable for any potential costs associated with the repair of any damaged utility lines. If you have questions regarding your property's utilities, don’t hesitate to contact your local Big Jerry’s Fencing representative.

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