Fence and Gates
Privacy fence, posts, and gates that actually latch. We do this across Monmouth and Ocean County from Ocean Township. Call and we come look before we write the scope.
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Fence and Gates, on one written scope.
Privacy fence, posts, and gates that actually latch.
What’s included on a fence and gates visit.
We inspect the cause, check what else it touched, and leave a written scope with materials and timing. The visit is free and there is no obligation to book the work.
What to know before the visit.
Have ready
Mark the line you want with stakes and string, and have the property pins or a survey handy if the line is anywhere near a boundary, since the fence goes where the survey says and not where the lawn looks. Know where the irrigation, lighting, and gas lines run. Keep the gate swing area clear. The tech first walks the pin line to confirm the fence sits inside the boundary, then digs a test hole to see how deep the sand or fill goes and where the water table sits, then checks the ground at each gate post for space to brace.
- Post depth
- Rails
- Pickets or panels
- Hardware
The visit
Posts go below frost, in line, and the rails are fastened so a panel can be replaced later without dismantling the run. Gates get a brace or a sag cable from day one, and the latch is set for the season instead of shimmed with a wedge.
A leaning run along a Howell property is almost always posts set in loose fill, not 'the wind.' Resetting the posts is the repair. Nailing the pickets tighter is not.
Permit
A fence permit and a height limit are set by the town, so check before the posts go in. In New Jersey, a permit is normally not required in many towns for a fence under the local height limit, but corner lots, front-yard fences, and pool enclosures are treated differently and often do need one. Utility marking is a real step before digging. Nobody can promise a permit will not be needed without knowing the town and the height and location on the lot.
On the Shore
Salt spray and freeze-thaw are what finish a fence here. Wood picks up moisture from humid air and from sandy soil, and freeze-thaw pushes a post in a concrete collar until the collar cracks and holds water at the base. Wind off the bay loads the whole run, so a post set in loose fill starts leaning the first winter. That means deeper footings, stainless or hot-dip fasteners, and panel material chosen for the exposure, not just for the look.
When we leave
Gates get swung through their full arc, checked for drag at the low corner and for latch engagement at both open and closed positions. If there is a sag cable or a diagonal brace, it gets checked for tension and for going the right way. Test holes get backfilled and tamped, the grade gets raked, and every rail and picket fastener gets a final pass after the first heat or cold cycle. You should work the gate a few times after a week of weather and watch the latch corner.
Built with
The usual parts are pressure-treated posts set below the frost line, treated or cedar rails, and cedar or pressure-treated pickets with a cap or dog-ear profile. Vinyl panels go on posts sized to carry them. Hinges, latches, and screws are stainless or hot-dip galvanized. Footings are concrete or compacted stone sized to the fence height and the soil. Sag cables or diagonal braces are standard on any gate over a few feet wide.
Wood or vinyl panels?
Wood if you want to stain and repair a single picket. Vinyl if you want less paint, set on posts that can carry it. We quote the post footing either way.
Do you set posts in concrete?
In most soils, yes. A sandy bay lot sometimes wants a different footing, and we say so on site.
Can you match an existing picket?
We can get the same dog-ear or cap. Weathered cedar next to new cedar will not match in color until the new boards gray.
What about a gate across a slope?
The hinge post stays plumb and the gate follows the grade with a gap you can live with, or we step the run. We do not rack the gate to the slope.
Will you call for utility marks?
Before we dig. A fence is not worth a cut cable.
Do you remove the old posts?
The ones in the way, yes, including the concrete if it stops the new hole. Abandoned concrete left in the ground is how the new post ends up short.
How deep do the gate posts go?
Deeper than the line posts, because the gate loads the hinge post every time it swings. We size the footing to the gate width and the soil we find at the test hole. Shallow footings are why gates sag within a season in sandy ground.
Do you take out the old posts and concrete?
The ones in the way, yes, including any concrete that blocks the new hole. Concrete left in place means the new post sits short or off line. Removed debris leaves with us. We do not leave a pile of creosote posts at the curb.
Can you match my neighbor's fence style?
We can match the profile, the picket width, and the general height if the material is still available. Weathered material next to new material will not match in color for a while, especially cedar, which grays on its own schedule.
When can the gate be used normally?
The footing needs time to set before the gate carries regular use. We tell you the interval for the mix we used. Once it is set, the gate gets worked and the latch rechecked, because a post that moves a little settles the latch.
Other landscaping jobs we handle
Mailboxes
Posts that survive a plow, set so the door still opens.
Power Washing
House, deck, and concrete washed without cutting the surface.
Gate Repair and Hardware
Dragging gates and hinge posts, fixed at the post rather than the hinge.
Drainage and Regrading
Grade, downspouts, and low spots corrected so water leaves the foundation.
Tell us what is wrong. We will tell you what it takes.
(732) 333-7800- Call24 hours a day, 7 days a week
- Shop7 Brook Dr, Ocean Township, NJ 07712
- EmailInfo@wedoitallhandyman.com
- EstimateFree on-site look. Written scope before work starts.
Licensed & insured · NJ HIC # 13VH09886800
Free on-site look · No obligation