Top 10 DIY Fence Mistakes — And What Each One Costs to Fix
At ACE Fence Company, we have been installing fences in Fort Smith and the River Valley since 1963. Every year, we get calls from homeowners who tried to save money by doing it themselves — and ended up spending significantly more to fix the job.
This guide is not meant to discourage initiative. It is meant to help you understand exactly what can go wrong, what it costs to correct, and why hiring a licensed professional the first time is usually the smarter financial decision.
Not Calling 811 Before Digging
Every year, homeowners across Arkansas strike underground gas lines, water mains, and electrical conduits while digging post holes. In Arkansas, calling 811 to have underground utilities marked is required by law before any excavation. A gas line strike can require emergency shutdown, excavation, and repair by the utility company — not to mention the safety risk to you and your family.
We call 811 on every single job, no exceptions. Our customers never worry about utility strikes because we handle it before the first post hole is dug.
Skipping a Property Survey
Putting a fence even a few inches over your property line is one of the most expensive mistakes a homeowner can make. Neighbors can legally require you to relocate the fence at your own cost. In contentious cases, property line disputes turn into legal proceedings. We've been called in to remove and reinstall fences that were built in the wrong place — it's expensive and completely avoidable.
If you're even slightly unsure where your property line is, get a survey first. We can advise on this during your estimate visit.
Not Pulling a Permit When Required
Fort Smith requires permits for fences over 6 feet in height, and in certain zoning districts, permits may be required at any height. Front-yard fences have stricter height limits. Building without a required permit can result in a stop-work order, fines, and — worst case — a city-ordered demolition of the completed fence. All that work for nothing.
We handle all permitting for every project that requires it. Our team knows Fort Smith's codes, Sebastian County requirements, and the surrounding municipality rules inside and out.
Setting Posts Too Shallow
Post depth is everything. A fence post that isn't buried deep enough will start leaning, shifting, or falling after the first hard freeze, heavy rain, or Arkansas ice storm. The general rule is to bury posts 1/3 of their total length minimum. For a 6-foot privacy fence, that means posts buried at least 24–30 inches deep, set in concrete. Many DIY installations skip the concrete entirely or only go 12–18 inches down.
We set every wood fence post in concrete to a minimum of 24–30 inches deep. Every time, no exceptions, no shortcuts.
Using Wrong Post Spacing
Post spacing matters more than most homeowners realize. Space posts too far apart (beyond 8 feet for wood, 10 feet for chain link) and the fence will sag, bow under wind load, and cause gates to misalign. This is especially critical for horizontal board-on-board fencing, where the boards are essentially pulling horizontally across the span — wider spacing causes dramatic bowing.
We measure precisely and never cut corners on post count. Saving three posts on a 150-foot fence isn't worth what you'll spend fixing it in two years.
Buying Incorrect or Untreated Lumber
Not all lumber from the hardware store is the same. Untreated pine will rot at the ground line within 2–3 years in Arkansas's humidity. Green (wet) lumber will warp and twist as it dries — catastrophic for horizontal board-on-board fences where boards must stay perfectly straight. Many DIYers don't realize the difference between #2 common pine and properly graded cedar, or between ground-contact rated treated posts and above-ground-only treated lumber.
We use pressure-treated ground-contact rated posts and quality cedar or treated pine boards throughout. The right material from day one prevents complete replacement later.
Ignoring Slope and Grade Changes
Arkansas terrain isn't flat. Fort Smith, the River Valley, and surrounding areas have plenty of grade changes that require careful fence layout. When a fence panel is installed level across a sloped yard without proper accommodation, gaps form under the bottom rail — large enough for small animals to enter, security to be compromised, and the fence to look unprofessional. Fixing slope issues after the fact requires significant rework.
We rack panels to follow the slope continuously, or step them down in increments depending on the slope and material. No gaps. No animal entry. Done right the first time.
Installing Gates That Don't Work Properly
A gate is the most mechanically complex part of any fence — and the part most likely to fail on a DIY installation. Gates sag, bind, fail to latch, or swing open on their own when the support posts are undersized (you need minimum 4x4 for swing gates, 6x6 for heavy or double gates), when hinges are improperly placed, or when no diagonal brace is built into the gate frame. A bad gate gets worse over time as it continues to sag.
We build gate frames with diagonal cross-bracing and set support posts deep in concrete — at least 10–12 inches below the standard fence posts. A gate we install will still swing true in 15 years.
Not Planning Gate Locations Before Building
This sounds obvious, but it happens constantly: a homeowner installs the entire fence and then realizes the gate needs to be somewhere other than where they put it — or they forgot to plan a gate at all. Retrofitting a gate into an existing fence after it's built requires removing sections, resetting properly reinforced posts (which means breaking existing concrete footings), and rebuilding. Planning gates before the first post goes in costs almost nothing. Retrofitting costs significantly more.
Before we start any job, we walk the property with the homeowner and confirm every gate location. We mark them on a drawing and quote them accurately.
Underestimating the True Project Cost
The most common DIY mistake isn't a construction error — it's a math error. Homeowners budget for boards and posts, then forget: concrete mix, post caps, rail brackets, gate hardware, hinges and latches, auger rental ($100–$180/day), stain and sealer, extra materials for waste and cuts, and disposal of the old fence. When everything is tallied, a true DIY fence often costs 60–80% of what a professional installation would cost — but without the warranty, the code compliance, the experience, or the professional result.
Get a free ACE Fence estimate before buying a single board. Our estimates are free, accurate, and come from 62 years of doing this in Fort Smith. You might be surprised how affordable professional installation actually is.
Related Services
Wood Fencing
Professional installation with correct post depths, ground-contact lumber, and code compliance — none of the DIY pitfalls.
View Service →Chain Link Fencing
Durable, budget-friendly fencing installed right the first time — proper post spacing, tensioning, and concrete footings included.
View Service →Fence Repair
Already ran into one of these problems? We fix leaning posts, sagging gates, and other common DIY installation mistakes.
View Service →Before You Start That DIY Fence Project — Call ACE First
Get a free professional estimate from ACE Fence before spending a dollar at the lumber yard. Our estimates are free, accurate, and come from 62 years of doing this in Fort Smith. You might be surprised how affordable professional installation actually is — especially when you factor in what the mistakes above would cost to fix.
ACE Fence Company Inc. | 11418 Old Hwy 71, Fort Smith, AR 72916 | Since 1963