Ask for three things in writing: the Arizona Registrar of Contractors licence number, a certificate of insurance and an itemized estimate. You can look up the licence yourself on the Registrar's website, roc.az.gov.
The Tucson Fence Company is licensed and insured. Ask us for the licence number and insurance certificate with your estimate.
What should I ask a fence contractor before hiring?
- What is your ROC licence number and classification?
- Who handles the city or county permit and the HOA paperwork, and is that priced in?
- Who files the Arizona 811 ticket?
- How deep are the posts set, and what do you do when you hit caliche?
- Steel or wood posts, and what size and gauge?
- What finish is on the steel, and what grade is the wood or vinyl?
- Is removal of the old fence included?
- How many gates, how wide, and how are they anchored if they hang from a block wall?
- When can you start and how long will it take?
How do I check that a contractor is licensed and insured?
Search the name or number on roc.az.gov. Arizona requires a contractor licence unless the whole job, labor and materials together, is less than $1,000, is casual or minor work and needs no local building permit (A.R.S. 32-1121). That is the handyman exemption, and anyone using it must say 'not a licensed contractor' in their advertising. The Registrar's fencing classifications are R-14 for residential, C-14 for commercial and CR-14 for both. For liability insurance, have the contractor's insurer send the certificate to you.
What should a fence estimate include?
Footage, height, material and grade, post type, size and depth, each gate and its width, tear-out of the old fence, permits, cleanup, payment terms and a start date. If two estimates differ, find what one of them leaves out. For a job over $1,000, Arizona law (A.R.S. 32-1158) requires a written contract that shows the contractor's name, address and licence number, a description of the work, the total price, any advance deposit, the progress payments and an estimated completion date.
Should I get three quotes?
Yes for a full fence or a long run. Comparing three shows the local price level and which companies measured properly. Compare what each one includes before comparing totals.
What deposit is normal?
It varies by company. The Arizona contract statute we checked sets no maximum deposit, but it does require any advance deposit to be written into the contract. A deposit that covers special-order materials is reasonable. Tie later payments to finished stages of work, and pay in a way that leaves a record.
The cheapest quote wants half up front and will not show insurance. Is that a problem?
It is a warning sign. Asking for half up front is not illegal in Arizona, but together with no proof of insurance it suggests the bidder may be unlicensed. An unlicensed contractor leaves you outside the Registrar's complaint process and the Residential Contractors' Recovery Fund, which only apply to licensed contractors. Look them up on roc.az.gov before you pay anything.
I paid a deposit and the contractor stopped showing up. What can I do?
Send a dated written request for a start or completion date and keep a copy. If you get no answer, file a complaint with the Arizona Registrar of Contractors. Its complaint page says a complaint against a licensed contractor for remodel or repair work must be filed within two years of the date work was last performed. Keep the contract, your payment records and your messages.
The crew cut my internet line or sprinkler pipe. Who pays?
That depends on the markings and the contract. Utilities mark their own lines after an Arizona 811 request. Drip irrigation, pool lines and yard lighting are private and go unmarked, and Tucson yards are full of them. Point them out before work starts and get it noted on the estimate.
My HOA approved the fence in writing and now wants it moved. What now?
Keep the approval letter and leave the fence where it is for now. The disagreement is between you and the association, and it is a legal matter. Talk to an Arizona lawyer who handles HOA disputes before spending money on changes.
Can I install a fence myself?
Yes. A short, straight run in soft ground is a reasonable project. Caliche is what stops most owners, since a rented auger often cannot get through it. Gates and long runs also go wrong at the posts. You still have to contact Arizona 811 before digging and follow the height and permit rules for your address.
Only a visit to your property gives a real number. The estimate is free. Call (520) 462-4332 or text us a photo of the fence line.