Should I hire a fence company or a deck builder for my yard?

Hire for the hardest part of the job. If the project includes a deck, a deck builder should lead it: a deck is a structure with footings, beams and a ledger on the house, and it goes through a building permit and inspections. If the project is only a fence, a fence company is the natural choice, because a fence usually needs zoning approval rather than a building permit, and fence crews deal with lot lines, gates and slopes every day. Plenty of businesses do both; what matters is that the one you hire has done your kind of job, in your county, many times.

Why decks and fences are different jobs

A deck is permitted structural work. Virginia's building code requires a permit before work on any structural component.^[1] Loudoun County, for example, requires a building permit and a zoning permit for all decks,^[2] and inspects the footing holes before concrete is placed, the framing before decking goes on, and the finished deck.^[2] The most common reasons Loudoun inspectors reject a deck include fasteners that are not corrosion-resistant in pressure-treated lumber, a ledger board not attached to approved material on the house, and stair risers that vary more than the code allows.^[2] A builder who passes those inspections routinely is worth paying for. What building a deck involves walks through the stages, and whether you need a deck permit covers the paperwork.

A fence is mostly a zoning job. The state code exempts fences of any height from a building permit unless the fence is required for pedestrian safety or is a swimming pool barrier.^[1] Local zoning still sets the rules: Prince William County requires zoning approval for all fences,^[4] Virginia Beach requires a zoning permit for a fence within 30 feet of a public right-of-way,^[5] and Fairfax County limits front-yard fences to four feet on most lots.^[3] A good fence company knows these rules for the places it works and sets posts on the right side of the line. Whether you need a permit for a fence has the details.

Which to call

• Deck only, or deck plus fence: a deck builder. Ask whether they build the fence themselves or bring in a fence crew.
• Fence only: a fence company.
• A fence on a deck, or deck railings: the deck builder. Handrail and guardrail details are part of the plans Loudoun County asks for with a deck permit.^[2]
• A fence on a slope, on a retaining wall, or around a pool: a contractor used to permitted work. Fairfax County requires a building permit for retaining walls with more than three feet of unbalanced fill.^[3]
• Repairs: for a sagging gate or a few leaning posts, a fence company; for soft deck boards, a wobbly railing or a ledger pulling away, a deck builder.

Check the licence before the price

Virginia licenses contractors by the size of the job: Class C covers single contracts over $1,000 and under $30,000, Class B $30,000 up to $150,000, and Class A $150,000 or more.^[6] Specialties sit on top of the class. Under the Board for Contractors' rules, the home improvement specialty (HIC) does not include "new construction functions beyond the existing building structure other than decks, patios, driveways, and utility out buildings that do not require a permit per the USBC."^[7] Some single-trade businesses hold a narrower licence: the miscellaneous specialty (MSC) is limited to a single activity.^[7] If you cannot tell whether a licence covers your job, call DPOR before you sign.

The building department checks too. Before a building permit is issued, the applicant must show the building official proof of a contractor's licence or file a statement that it is not subject to licensing.^[1] DPOR warns that a licence number in an advertisement or on a business card does not by itself mean the licence is valid,^[9] so look it up yourself. How to check if a contractor is licensed in Virginia shows how.

Get it in writing

DPOR advises getting at least three written bids on identical plans and specifications.^[9] Once you choose, Virginia's contractor regulations require a written contract for residential work, signed by both sides before work starts or payment is taken.^[8] It must state when work begins and the estimated completion date, the total cost, the payment schedule including the down payment, the materials and work, the contractor's licence number and class, and that the contractor will comply with local permit, inspection and zoning requirements.^[8]

On money, DPOR's rule of thumb is a deposit of no more than 10% of the total price or $1,000, whichever is less.^[9] On permits, DPOR warns that the permit holder becomes the general contractor and takes on responsibility for the job,^[9] so a contractor who asks you to pull the permit yourself is shifting risk onto you. And before anyone digs a post hole or footing, Virginia law requires a locate request before any excavation;^[10] ask for the ticket number.

Stop and call a pro if

These are the points where a yard project needs a licensed contractor who handles permitted work, not a handyman or a fence crew working alone:

• The deck attaches to the house, sits more than a step or two off the ground, has stairs, or will carry a hot tub.
• An existing deck has soft framing, rusted connectors or a ledger pulling away from the wall.
• The fence is a pool barrier, runs along or on top of a retaining wall, or crosses an easement.
• Anyone proposes digging before a Virginia 811 ticket is in place.

Browse deck and fence businesses, deck building businesses, fence installers, or exterior businesses around Blacksburg, and see all exterior answers. To get quotes, describe your deck or fence project once and licensed local businesses reply with written prices.