Fence repair and gates in Ocala

Plenty of fence calls aren't for a new fence at all. A post snaps at the ground line, a gate drags across the driveway, a summer storm lays a panel flat, or a section went up crooked and never looked right. Repairs are usually quicker and cheaper than replacement, if the rest of the fence is sound.

Common repairs in Ocala

• Leaning or broken posts. Usually rot at the ground line, or a hole that was too shallow in loose sand.
• Sagging gates. Heavy gates pull their hinge post over time. A new post, a heavier hinge or an anti-sag kit fixes most of them.
• Storm damage. Wind takes privacy panels like sails. Matching boards or vinyl panels can be tricky on an older fence.
• Loose pickets and rails. Rusted fasteners or split rails.
• Pool gates that don't latch. Florida's pool barrier statute requires gates that close and latch by themselves, so this one shouldn't wait.

Repair or replace?

If more than a few posts are soft, replacement usually wins: new boards on old posts don't last. If the posts are solid and the damage is local, a repair keeps the rest of the fence in service. Ask for the quote to say which posts were checked.

Cost signals

Angi lists removal of an old fence at roughly $3 to $5 per linear foot, and gates anywhere from under $150 to about $2,000 depending on size and type. A single post or gate adjustment is usually priced as a small job.

One rule for replacement posts

Setting a new post means digging. Florida's one-call law exempts a homeowner's own digging only to 10 inches, so replacing posts counts as excavation that needs a Sunshine 811 ticket.