Q1. Should I stain or paint my wood fence?

Yes. We strongly recommend treating any wood fence with stain or paint to protect your investment from the sun and moisture.

For best results:
A. - Wait a period of thirty (30) to sixty (60) days after installation to apply any paint or stain. This will allow moisture and the mill glaze to evaporate and burn off of the wood.
B. - Apply stain/paint with a professional sprayer. Cheaper sprayers will also get the job done fairly well. Brushing requires the most amounts of paint/stain and labor and will pale in comparison to spraying for finished look.
C. - Stain can only be applied once. A second coat will not penetrate the first coat.
D. - Temperature of the wood to be stained is very crucial. Summer time can make the surface temperatures of a wood fence hot enough to flash the stain. It will gel on contact and not soak into the wood.
E. - Stain recommendations. We do not endorse any one product, but the darker a stain is the better UV protection for your fence. The sun is the cause of graying and actually destroys the cells of wood. Keep in mind that a stain will lighten up a full shade of color after a year, so use a stain one shade darker than your preference.

Q2. Does Bear Fence paint or stain fences?

No.

Q3. What is that white stuff on the fence from my sprinklers?

Mineral deposits and chlorine from our hard-water in San Diego. Sprinklers will not only wash stain off fences, but also put these deposits over any existing paint or stain. The best solution for this situation is to dig up around the sprinklers and put a T-coupling where each sprinkler head hits the fence and put it the necessary length from the fence.

Q4. Do you install concrete fences (retaining walls)?

No. But we can install a fence on top of a concrete wall after it has been constructed.

Q5. Are you insured?

Yes. We are bonded and insured. We meet or exceed all California state regulations for insurance. Our employees, vehicles and work are all covered by our insurance policies.

Q6. What does "Trimming excluded" mean on my proposal (invoice)?

If we have to trim trees, bushes or anything that may interfere with us performing the installation of the fence, there will be a charge for the trimming that is done by our employees. If there is anything that might interfere with installation of the fence, your estimator will notify you then and ask if you would like a bid on removal of the obstruction or that it must be cleared prior to the start date of your job.

Q7. Is removal of my old fence included?

It is included in the price of your proposal, only if the removal option yes is stated on the right side of your proposal (invoice).

Q8. Can I have a fence taller than six (6) foot?

Permits are usually required for fences over six (6) feet tall, but there can also be other limitations and requirements. Laws and regulations are very specific to different parts of town in the same city and do change. The only way to be sure for your fence is to call the city in which you live.
Here is a link to the City of San Diego web site regarding fences:

http://clerkdoc.sannet.gov/legtrain/mc/MuniCodeChapter14/Ch14Art02Division03

and a link to the County of San Diego Department of Land Use web site:

http://www.sdcounty.ca.gov/dplu/index.html

Q8. Why is the price of the gate in addition to the per foot price of the fence?

We still need to charge for the materials of the fence and the setting of the posts. The charge for the gate is for the hardware and the labor to make the gate.