Frequently Asked Questions

Fill out our online estimate form or email us at info@vineyardfence.com. For a new fence installation the estimate is free. We set up a time to visit, take measurements, talk through what you want, and send you a written estimate, usually within a few days. A repair works differently: it starts with a $175 diagnostic visit, credited toward the work if you go ahead. That covers coming out, finding the problem and working out which parts to order.

Most residential fence installations take 1 to 3 days depending on the scope. A standard yard fence might be done in a day. Larger properties, rocky soil, or complex layouts can take longer. We'll give you a timeline with your estimate.

No, we don't build gates ourselves. You can pick one of the ready-made cedar or vinyl designs on our Gates page, and we confirm the size and hang it for you. If you want something one-off, have a carpenter build it and we'll hang it so it swings true and lasts. The fence itself we build and install start to finish.

Yes, especially for removals and demolition. We do take fences out, but the line has to be reasonably clear and easy to get to before we arrive. If brush, vines or saplings have grown through the panels or mesh, or there's poison ivy or poison sumac on the fence, the property owner needs to have that cleared first by a landscaper, brush-cutting service, or tree company. We're a fence crew and don't do land clearing. We remove the fence but not the growth in it, so we don't cut brush, pull vines out of the mesh, or deal with poison ivy or poison sumac. A clear line also keeps your estimate accurate and the job on schedule. If we can't reach the line when we show up, we may have to reschedule.

A fence over 6 feet usually needs a building permit: the state building code requires one above 7 feet, and towns on the Vineyard can ask for one sooner and set their own rules on height and placement. Fences around a pool area are part of the pool permit, whatever the height. If the fence line is near a wetland, pond or the shore, the Conservation Commission may need to look at it first. If your property is in a historic district (parts of Edgartown, Vineyard Haven's William Street area, Oak Bluffs' Cottage City and Copeland areas, and the center of West Tisbury), the Historic District Commission may also need to approve your fence. Before every job we check with the town, including the Historic District Commission and the Conservation Commission where they cover your property, and work starts once anything required is in place.

We serve all of Martha's Vineyard: Edgartown, Oak Bluffs, Vineyard Haven (Tisbury), West Tisbury, Chilmark, Aquinnah, and yes, Chappaquiddick too. We handle the Chappy ferry logistics ourselves. See our service areas page for more details.

Martha's Vineyard has several historic districts where the Historic District Commission (HDC) must approve exterior changes, including fences. They include parts of Edgartown, Vineyard Haven's William Street area, Oak Bluffs' Cottage City district and the center of West Tisbury. In most of them a fence that can be seen from a public street or the water needs a certificate first, and it is separate from the building permit. Some towns also limit fences along old roads and special ways, near stone walls, or in open views, and Aquinnah reviews most fences near a road. If your property is in one of these districts, we can help work out what's required and build within the guidelines. That usually means traditional materials and styles, which is what we build anyway.

In the island's salt air, aluminum lasts longest. It won't rust, rot or corrode. White cedar is our most popular wood because it resists rot on its own and weathers to the silver-gray you see all over the Vineyard. Split rail with locust posts holds up well too, since locust is one of the most rot-resistant woods there is. We'll help you pick a material that suits your property and budget.

We use pressure-treated posts for in-ground structural support because they resist rot where it matters most, below grade. For the parts you see (rails, pickets, boards), we use white cedar or red cedar, which resist rot naturally, look better and don't leach chemicals. That way you get a solid post in the ground and cedar you'll actually like looking at.

A lot of it comes from off-island. The local yards don't always stock what a job needs, and when they do, the supply can be thin or the posts come in bent or picked over. So we often order from suppliers off-island and have the material delivered to the Vineyard. That takes a little longer and adds some cost, but your fence gets built from good stock instead of whatever happens to be on the shelf. It's also why lead times vary, especially for special hardware and pool-gate parts, so it helps to get started early.

Yes, cedar weathers to silver-gray within 6 to 12 months on the island. Most MV homeowners leave it as-is.

White cedar is our standard. It resists rot naturally and suits the island climate. The posts that go in the ground are pressure-treated so they last.

For residential pools (private homes), the Massachusetts building code (780 CMR, which follows the International Swimming Pool and Spa Code) calls for a barrier at least 48 inches (4 feet) tall. Gates must be self-closing, self-latching, and open outward (away from the pool). Gate latches must be at least 54 inches above ground. No openings wider than 4 inches. No climbable horizontal elements within 45 inches of the ground on the exterior side. Cedar, aluminum and mesh fences all qualify, since there's no material restriction for residential pools. Your town's building department reviews the barrier as part of the pool permit and has the final word.

Note: The stricter 6-foot height requirement you may see online (105 CMR 435) applies to public and semi-public pools (hotels, apartment complexes, swim clubs), not private residential pools. Learn more on our pool areas page.

Possibly, if it meets current code. The fence must be at least 48 inches tall, with no openings over 4 inches and no climbable horizontal elements on the pool side within 45 inches of the ground. The critical part is usually the gate: it must be self-closing, self-latching, open outward from the pool, and have the latch at least 54 inches above ground. Your building department has the final word on whether it passes.

No. We build fences around the whole property, and that fence can take in the pool area. We do not build stand-alone pool enclosures, and we do not promise that a fence will pass a pool inspection, so check what your building department needs first.

It depends on the dog and the fence. For a dog that digs, we staple mesh along the fence and set it a few inches into the ground, deeper than the bottom of the fence. Bottom-rail inserts close gaps, and drive-in ground barriers add another layer. We also work out the right height for your dog's breed and how well it jumps. Our dog-proofing page goes into more detail.

Yes, we often add dig guards, base reinforcements, and gate modifications to existing fences. We'll look at your current fence and suggest the upgrades that will keep your pets in for the least cost.

Cats are trickier than dogs because they can climb. We can add fence-top extensions or roller bars that prevent cats from getting over the top. Tell us what you're dealing with and we'll work out what fits.

Yes, that's something we do. We bury mesh around decks, sheds and porches in an L shape so skunks and other small animals can't dig their way in underneath. It takes much more digging and labor than a barrier for a dog, but it is the effective way to keep them out. See our wildlife barrier page for details.

No. Our barriers only block the way in and don't harm the animals. If animals are already living under the structure, a licensed wildlife control professional has to clear them out first, which you arrange. We don't remove animals. Once the space is empty, we put in the permanent barrier.

For gardens, yes. We install mesh deer fencing that keeps deer out of gardens and landscaped areas, usually 7 or 8 feet tall. MassWildlife estimates more than 100 deer per square mile on the Islands where hunting is closed, against a statewide goal of 12 to 18, so gardens without protection don't last long. MassWildlife and UMass Extension recommend at least 8 feet. The state building code requires a permit for a fence over 7 feet, and towns can set their own rules, so we check the requirements for your property before settling on a height. Our deer fence page has more.

Outdoor work is always weather permitting. If heavy rain or a storm comes through on the scheduled day, we let you know, call the day off and set a new date with you.

It depends on the fence type, how many linear feet you need, and the ground it goes in. Island prices also carry the cost of getting materials over on the ferry. Request an estimate or email info@vineyardfence.com and we'll give you a straight quote.

Payment comes in stages: a deposit at signing (one-third of the price, or the cost of the materials we order for your job if that is more), a payment when the crew begins work, and the balance at completion.

We stand behind our work. If something we built isn't right in the first months after the job, tell us and we'll come back and fix it. Damage from storms, falling trees or limbs, animals or vehicles isn't covered, and we repair it as new work. We're a small crew building our name on this island, and we don't disappear after the last post goes in.

When a building permit is needed, we apply for it. Some approvals, like a Historic District Commission certificate, are in the property owner's name, and we help you with those. Either way, we check before every job and start once everything is in place.

Yes, it's the law (M.G.L. c. 82, §§ 40 to 40E). Massachusetts requires a Dig Safe call before any excavation on any property, public or private, with no exemption for depth, hole size, or hand digging. We premark the dig area and call 811 at least 72 business hours before we break ground. The member utilities (Eversource for electric, plus telecom and cable companies) mark their lines at no cost, and the ticket is valid for 30 days.

We call Dig Safe (811) before every job, as Massachusetts law requires. Dig Safe notifies electric, telephone, and cable companies, who come out and mark their lines before we touch the ground.

Dig Safe does not cover private underground lines, such as septic systems, irrigation lines, propane runs, private electrical to a shed or garage, pool plumbing, or invisible fence wire. Utility companies don't own these lines, so 811 has no record of them. On Martha's Vineyard, municipal water and sewer may also fall outside Dig Safe.

Before we dig, we require every property owner to confirm the location of any private underground lines and mark them. Your plumber, electrician, propane company, or irrigation contractor can usually tell you exactly where their work runs. If you're unsure, a private utility locator service can map what's underground before we arrive.

If a private line is not disclosed to us before excavation begins, we cannot be held responsible for damage to it. We take every precaution with what we can see, but we can't dig around what we don't know is there. We also reserve the right to halt work if we observe anything unmarked or uncertain until the property owner can confirm its location. See our full pre-dig disclosure for the complete list of what Dig Safe does and doesn't cover.

White cedar is the island standard. It resists rot naturally and weathers to silver-gray. Aluminum lasts longest because it can't rust, rot or corrode.

In most cases, yes. We can match or closely match existing fence styles, stain colors, and post spacing. We'll look at your current fence and show you the closest match we can get.

Yes. We take out old fences, with or without a new installation, and haul them away for disposal. The one condition is access: the fence line has to be reasonably clear and reachable before we start. If brush, vines or saplings have grown through the panels or mesh, or there's poison ivy or poison sumac on the fence, that growth has to be cleared first by a landscaper, brush-cutting service, or tree company. We take out the fence but not the growth in it, so we don't cut brush, pull vines out of the mesh, or deal with poison ivy or poison sumac.

Most old posts are set in concrete. We can dig those footings out and haul the concrete away for disposal, which costs a bit more, or leave them in the ground, which is cheaper. If a new fence is going in the same post holes, the old concrete has to come out either way. Digging it out is then part of the project price, and hauling it off is a separate charge we spell out in your estimate.

We install fences year-round. In a mild winter we can dig posts without trouble. When the ground freezes hard, usually mid-January through February, we hold off rather than force a job in poor conditions. If your timeline falls in that window, we'll let you know upfront what to expect and schedule the work as soon as conditions allow.