Repair
Chain link fence repair
Most chain link fences don't need replacing. They need the part that failed put right. Tell us what happened and we'll tell you which one you're looking at.
What we fix
Storm and tree damage. Leaning or pushed over posts. Fabric that has been stretched, torn or pulled off its tension bands. Bent top rail. Gates that drag, won't latch, or have dropped on their hinges. Sections taken out by a vehicle.
We'll also replace a run partially. If forty feet of a two hundred foot fence is the problem, that's the forty feet we quote.
The honest part
When a repair is the wrong answer
Fabric, rail, bands and hardware are consumable parts. Posts are not. If the posts are sound, a repair is almost always the better spend, and we'll say so.
If the posts have moved, that changes. Hanging new fabric on a line that's already leaning buys you a tidier version of the same problem. At that point you're choosing between resetting posts and rebuilding the run, and we'd rather have that conversation before you spend anything than after.
That's a smaller job for us either way. We'd still rather you knew.
Questions
Chain link, answered
Is it worth repairing, or should I just replace it?
Usually worth repairing, if the posts are still sound. Fabric, top rail, tension bands and gate hardware are all replaceable parts, and replacing a section costs a fraction of a new run.
The honest exception is when the posts themselves have gone. If the line posts are leaning because the footings have failed, you are paying to hang new fabric on something that is already moving. We will tell you when that is the case, even though the replacement is the smaller job for us to quote.
A tree came down on my fence. What now?
Take photographs before anything is moved, including wide shots that show where the tree fell. If you are going to claim on insurance, the adjuster will want them and they are hard to recreate afterwards.
Then call. We can usually tell from a few photos whether it is a section repair or a longer run, and we can make a damaged fence safe before the full repair is scheduled.
Why do chain link posts lean here in the first place?
Same reason wood fences move here. Depth and footing width have to suit the soil, and Tallahassee is split by the Cody Escarpment. North of it you are in Orangeburg fine sandy loam. South, toward SouthWood and Woodville, you are into Ortega and Kershaw sands, which are loose and drain fast.
Loose sand needs deeper embedment and a wider footing to develop the same resistance. A post set to a depth that would be fine on the north side of town can move on the south side.
Can you match my existing fence?
Usually. Chain link comes in a few common heights, mesh sizes and gauges, and older galvanized fabric weathers to a grey that new fabric takes a while to reach.
We will tell you before we start if a repair is going to be visible. Some people would rather have a visible patch than pay to redo a whole run, and that is a reasonable call to make with the information in front of you.
Send us a photo of the damage
Text a couple of pictures and roughly how many feet are affected. That is usually enough for us to tell you whether it is a repair or a rebuild before anyone comes out.