Free written scope consultation - allowances, timeline, and change-order rules on paper before a single trade is scheduled
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AfterFast, Reliable Fence Installation Across Novato
Fence installation in Novato typically runs $3,500 to $9,000 for a standard residential lot, with most projects completed in two to five days once materials arrive. That’s the number to plan around, whether you’re fencing a 1960s tract home in Ignacio or a newer build near Hamilton. We’re Barrett & Sons Construction, and we’ve been putting fences in the ground across Marin County since Tom Barrett founded the company in 1998. The difference with us is simple: the same person who signs your contract is the one you’ll see walking the line before the first post hole gets dug. Call (877) 610-1318 to get your free estimate started.
Here’s what matters in Novato specifically: the ground shifts. The soil up against the hills around San Marin and Black Point moves with the winter rains, and a fence set shallow or without proper concrete footings will lean within three years. We set posts below the clay line, and we do it the same way we’ve done it for nearly three decades: one post at a time, checked for plumb, and walked again before the rails go up.
Why Barrett & Sons Construction Is Novato’s Preferred Fence Installation Company
We work here. Tom Barrett’s name, address, and license number are published, and his sons run the crews that show up in Novato. Customers in 94945, 94947, 94949, and 94998 have called us for everything from a simple side-yard privacy fence to full perimeter redwood installations around hillside lots. Ask anyone on your street, or look up the license number yourself. That’s the kind of trust this town runs on.
Our approach to Novato jobs is unglamorous and predictable: every fence gets a written scope, written change orders if anything shifts, and a 90-Day Done Right Promise on the contract. If a gate sags or a post settles, one call brings us back. No voicemail maze, no out-of-state call center. A live person answers (877) 610-1318 around the clock, and the person who answers actually knows what a fence in Novato has to survive.
We pull permits on every eligible job, which matters more in Novato than some people expect. Fences over a certain height, especially in Wildland-Urban Interface zones up toward Indian Valley and parts of San Marin, trigger review under Marin County’s fire hardening rules. We handle that paper before it becomes your problem.
Our Fence Installation Services in Novato
Wood Fence
Redwood and cedar are the workhorses in Novato, and for good reason. They hold up to the dry summers and the wet winters better than most alternatives, and they look right against the oak-and-grass hillsides that line the north edges of town. We build with pressure-treated posts set in concrete, with rot-resistant rails and pickets. A typical 100-linear-foot redwood fence in Novato runs $3,500 to $7,500, depending on height and gate count. Expect two to four days on site.
Chain Link Fence
Chain link isn’t the prettiest option, but it’s honest, fast, and frequently the right call for the flatter, utility-minded lots around the Black Point corridor and parts of 94945. For a standard 4-foot galvanized fence, most Novato jobs land between $3,500 and $6,000 for a full residential yard. We do commercial-grade chain link too, and we stock locally so we’re not waiting on a distributor in Sacramento.
Vinyl Fence
Vinyl makes sense when you want a clean look with almost zero maintenance. That matters in Novato because the summer sun up here is stronger than what you’d get in Mill Valley or Sausalito, and painted wood fades faster here than people expect. Vinyl fence installation in Novato generally runs $4,000 to $9,000 for a standard lot, including posts set in concrete and aluminum gate frames where needed.
Aluminum Fence
For driveways, pools, and any place you want security without blocking the view, aluminum is the quiet workhorse. We install a lot of it around Hamilton, where the newer homes call for cleaner lines and where deed restrictions sometimes limit material choices. Prices on a Novato aluminum fence typically run $4,500 to $10,000, and we can usually have panels on site within five business days.
We also handle Fence Installation for fence gates, iron fence, privacy fence, fence repair, and commercial fencing through the same crews, same warranty, and same written price discipline.
What happens when you call
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A real person answersNo phone trees - you reach a local pro.
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You get an upfront price rangeHonest numbers before anyone is dispatched.
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A background-checked tech heads outLicensed & insured, dispatched right away.
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You approve before work beginsNothing starts until you say go.
Trusted Brands We Service in Novato
We don’t install mystery materials off a van. When a Novato customer asks for vinyl, we quote real brands you can look up. For vinyl and aluminum, we work with manufacturers whose warranties actually hold up under Marin sun. For wood projects, we source redwood and cedar from local Bay Area suppliers we’ve used for years. If you’re pairing a new fence with a full exterior walkup, we also carry GAF roofing and Schluter waterproofing for adjacent work, which means one set of crews and one set of standards on the whole project.
Common Fence Installation Problems We See in Novato Homes
- Shallow posts in expansive clay. The soil around Ignacio and the lower San Marin valley swells when wet and shrinks when dry. Posts set at 18 inches will lean within two seasons. We go deeper, below the movement line, every time.
- Rot at the post line on 1960s-era fences. Novato’s mid-century homes often still have their original fences, and the post bases are usually long gone. We don’t sister new wood onto rot. The old post comes out, new concrete goes in, and the new section gets a fresh start.
- Wind-thrown gates on ridgeline lots. Homes up around Indian Valley and the higher streets off San Marin Drive catch real wind in the afternoon. A gate hung on two lightweight hinges will bind or blow loose. We use heavier hardware and sway-reinforced frames on exposed sites.
- Fire code surprises on hillside replacements. Novato sits far enough north to put ridge neighborhoods into CAL FIRE’s State Responsibility Area. In those zones, fence replacement near structures may need to account for ignition-resistant materials and defensible-space setbacks. We’ll flag it before you’re committed to a design the county won’t approve.
Pricing for Fence Installation in Novato, CA
Most residential fence installation in Novato lands between $3,500 and $9,000, depending on material, linear footage, terrain, and gate count. Wood with one gate is the lower end of that range. Vinyl and aluminum with multiple gates and a hillside lot push higher. Chain link holds the middle. What moves the number most in Novato is slope and soil, not just footage. A flat 100-foot run in Hamilton is a straightforward job. The same 100 feet climbing through rock and clay up off San Marin Drive is a different day’s work, and we price it honestly with a written quote before anything starts.
We don’t play the phone-quote game where you get one number on the call and another one at the door. Every fence job gets a written line-item price. Every change gets a written change order, before the work happens, not after. If you’d like a second set of eyes on a number you’ve already been given, we offer a free second opinion on any written estimate. Call (877) 610-1318 to schedule yours.
We Also Serve Cities Near Novato
Beyond Novato, our crews regularly work in Lucas Valley-Marinwood, San Rafael, Fairfax, and San Anselmo. If you’re on the edge of 94945 and wondering whether you’re in our service area, you are. We also handle Driveway & Pavers in Novato and Home Additions & ADU in Novato for customers who want one contractor for the whole property, not three.
Serving Novato, CA - Our Local Coverage Area
We’re based in the Novato area and know this community well. Use the map below to see our service coverage - if you’re nearby, we can almost certainly help.
FAQs - Fence Installation in Novato
A typical residential fence installation in Novato runs $3,500 to $9,000, with wood at the lower end, vinyl and aluminum higher, and chain link in between. The biggest cost drivers in Novato are terrain, soil movement, and gate hardware. Call (877) 610-1318 for an exact quote. Estimates are free, and the number we give you in writing is the number on the invoice.
Yes, we serve Hamilton and the entire 94949 ZIP code. Hamilton’s environmental covenant and deed restrictions from the former airfield mean fence work there sometimes needs extra coordination before digging starts. We’re familiar with the parcel-specific requirements, which means fewer surprises for you. Give us a call at (877) 610-1318 and we’ll walk through what applies to your lot.
Most leaning fence repairs in Novato can be scheduled within the same week, and we stock post material locally so we’re not waiting on a distributor. The fix is usually a new post set deeper in concrete, not a temporary prop. Call (877) 610-1318 and describe the lean. We’ll tell you straight what it needs.
No, not without your signature. Our contracts include a written scope and written change orders before anything changes. That’s the whole point of hiring a company that’s been owned by the same family since 1998, not a franchise that swaps crews by ZIP code. If the price changes, it changes in writing, before the work happens.
We pull permits on every eligible fence job in Novato, including height reviews and fire-zone requirements in the WUI areas up toward Indian Valley and San Marin. The permit inspector works for you, not for us, and we like it that way. Estimates are free at (877) 610-1318, and we’ll tell you upfront whether your project needs county sign-off.
Get Your Free Fence Installation Estimate in Novato
You deserve a price you can count on and a contractor whose name is on the truck. Tom Barrett’s phone answers live, day or night, at (877) 610-1318. Tell us what you’re fencing, and we’ll come out, look at the grade, check the soil, and hand you a written number you can take to the bank. We also stand behind every fence with the 90-Day Done Right Promise, and we offer a 10% discount for seniors and veterans, plus $40 off any repair over $200. In Novato, a fence is a promise to your neighbors. Get one that’s done right.
Written by Tom Barrett, Owner at Barrett & Sons Construction, serving Novato since 1998.