Frequently Asked Questions!

: 440-323-7581

: 230 Oberlin Rd, Elyria, OH 44035


What Do I Need For a Ballpark Quote?

First you will need to know approximately what your total footage is. You will want to know the height of fence you are looking for. If it's wood you are interested in, it's helpful for us to know the design you like best, and whether or not you want a space between the boards or solid. Lastly, it's important to keep in mind that our company has no interest in competing on the basis of cost using low quality materials and workmanship. Elyria Fence insists on building the best product that we can with the highest quality materials available. There are currently no companies in Northern Ohio that provide the designs that we build. There are also no companies currently in Northern Ohio that use the high quality of wood nor the species of wood that we use. It would be impossible to receive an apples to apples quote between us, and any other companies in Northern Ohio. We also highly recommend that you look up each company through the Better Business Bureau and also Angie's List. Be mindful that many companies go out of business (taking customer deposits with them) just to open back up under a new name. Be sure to search under their old aliases for a proper review of their business practices. Of course, we would be more than happy to come to your home, and give you an accurate installed price. Our estimators are extremely knowledgeable, and will bring photos of previous work we've done. They will work with you on a design that best fits your needs and home.

Does Elyria Fence Apply For City Building Permits?

Yes, we do all the work on that end. Each city has different building codes, and your estimator will be very knowledgeable on each of them. We are licensed and bonded in most cities, and have a good working relationship with the building departments. Every city is different, but on average it takes approximately two weeks to four weeks for us to receive your permit.

Do I need a survey? Who takes caring of marking the underground?

Our estimators will help you determine if you need a survey. If it's best to go ahead with it we will be happy to make recommendations of reputable surveyors. We also call all of the underground utility companies. This ensures the safety of all of our employees, and prevents any inconvenience for our customers due to lack of electricity, etc.

Once My Wood Fence Is Up Do I Need To Seal It?

We always recommend that everyone use a high quality (not the lowest price) wood sealant on their fence. White Cedar is the best option for a wood fence, and you can expect years of enjoyment out of it. However, if you protect it the fence will last even longer. Elyria Fence also recommends staining your fence right away if it's possible. It's best to contact your local paint store for an expert opinion. We have had positive feedback from our customers that have used Sikkens and Benjamin Moore. Keep in mind that in terms of a stain/water repellent you get what you pay for. A good stain/water repellent is a good investment. Not only will the stain work harder for you, but it will need to be done less often. Click here to visit our blog for additional information on staining and the available products.

Does Elyria Fence Sell Material Only

If you are in our local area we will happily supply you with the loose boards, frame, posts, etc for you to build a fence or gate yourself. All of the products that we offer are available in material only packages to our local area. Of course, all of our fences are custom-built. Therefore, there are no prefabricated panels in stock. Outside of January and February our shop is too busy to build panels for a DIY project. We do not ship any of our products. For the most part, vinyl fences, vinyl railings, ornmental aluminum fences and railings are set up on territories. You can contact those manufacturers, and they should be able to put you in touch with a local dealer if you are outside of our local area.

What areas do you work in?

Don't be fooled by our name - Elyria Fence has been pleased to offer our fences, lattice fence, pergolas, trellises, garden arches, and arches for installation in the following Ohio cities for 89 years: Akron, Amherst, Ashland, Avon, Avon Lake, Bainbridge, Bath, Bay Village, Beachwood,Bedford Heights, Belden, Bellevue, Berea, Berlin Heights, Birmingham, Boston Heights, Bratenahl, Brecksville, Broadview Heights, Brooklyn/Old Brooklyn, Brookpark, Brunswick, Carlisle Township, Cleveland, , Columbia Station, Copley, Creston, , Eaton, Elyria, Fairview Park, Fairlawn, Friendsville, Garfield Heights, Gates Mills, Grafton, Hinckley, Homerville, Huron, Hudson, Independence, Kelly's Island, Kipton, LaGrange, Lakeside Marblehead, Lakewood, LaPorte, Litchfield, Lodi, Lorain, Lyndhurst, Macedonia, Maple Heights, Medina, Milan, Monroeville, New London, New Russia Township, Northfield, North Olmsted, North Ridgeville, North Royalton, Norwalk, Oakwood, Oberlin, Ohio City, Olmsted Falls, Parma, Penfield Township, Peninsula, Pepper Pike, Pittsfield, Polk, Richfield, , Rittman, Rochester, Rocky River, Sagamore Hills, Salem, Sandusky, Seville, Shaker Heights, Sharon Center, Sheffield, Sheffield Lake, Sheffield Township, Sheffield Village, Solon, South Amherst, Spencer, Strongsville, Stow, Tremont, University Heights, Valley City, Valley View, Vermilion, Wadsworth, Wakeman, Wellington, Westlake, West Salem, Woodmere.

Is There A Long Wait To Have My Job Installed?

At the moment, we are recomending to ALL customers - if you need a early summer installation, please, please, please arrange your estimate NOW. We pride ourselves on the quality of our work. Thankfully, this places our company in high demand. Help us to provide you with excellent customer service by planning way in advance on your installation schedule. Our waiting list for installations will vary throughout the year. Of course, the spring & summer months are the busiest therefore the wait will be a bit longer. All of our installers are trained in the "Elyria Fence Way" for installations. We have eighty-five years of experience, and we are a small company that prides itself on each and every job we install. We want our customers to be happy with the fence they receive, and therefore refuse to rush through any job. Our customers receive a high-quality, handcrafted, custom-built product that is not available anywhere else. We survive on word of mouth advertising, and therefore our customers' happiness is of the utmost importance. Our customers' installations are handled on a first come first serve basis. Therefore we highly recommend that everyone plan ahead for that upcoming party or any other upcoming plans. The more notice you give us, the easier it is for us to accommodate your plans. The best time of year to purchase a fence or deck with little wait is in the winter months. Elyria Fence has the equipment to allow us to work year around, and the wait will be shorter for the customer. We are definitely all living in an "instant" world. We do not have the ability to provide anyone with an instant fence. Due to the fact that we are one of the few companies in the United States that still builds things from scratch so to speak we have high demand. If you need an "instant fence" we are probably not the right company for you. All good contractors are behind. Depending on the season we are in we can be anywhere from 3 weeks behind to 15 weeks behind. We appreciate our customer's patience, and assure you we are worth the wait!

Can I have an installation date?

We do the best we can to accommodate all of our customers. However, it is nearly impossible for us to give an exact installation date. There are so many factors that come into play that are behind the scenes of your individual installation. First and foremost, if it's raining we can not run a lot of our equipment due to electrical cords, etc. If we are in a drought, the ground is extremely hard, and therefore the digging of the holes is much slower. If you have purchased vinyl or ornamental aluminum we have to wait for the manufacturer to ship that to us. In the height of the season it can take 6-8 weeks just to get your material in for those products. None of these issues are predictable. Even for the most seasoned busineses. In this industry, like any business, there is a statement that is common, "If it can go wrong, it will go wrong." All of these things and more can change installation dates. When you place the deposit on your fence we will be able to give you an estimated time frame of the weekly waiting list. Our scheduler or your estimator, will call a day or two before to make sure the date is ok with the customer. If you think you may have a conflict with a vacation or anything else that you foresee please let us know. We will make sure to work the schedule date around your availability.

If you are so behind just hire more installers!

We hear this a lot. We would love to hire additional carpenters and installers. This is an issue that has plagued nearly every industry for several years. There is a massive shortage within the trades. We are willing to train the young carpenters coming out of vocational school, but many young people do not choose the skilled trades as a career. In addition, like many companies and industries - we struggle to find candidates willing to work full-time that have a valid driver's license and/or that can pass a drug test. As a company we are responsible for sending professional installers to your home that will potentially be on your property for several days. It is our job to not just supply you with a beautifully crafted product, but to also place drug-free skilled individuals onto your property. We would prefer to run behind than to sacrifice quality and reputation to be a little quicker!

Does Elyria Fence use concrete when setting posts?

Yes! We will happily go into detail on the unique way that we set our footers during the estimate. Through the decades of working in Northern Ohio we have learned long ago what works, and what doesn't work. We definitely concrete every post in with the exception of split rail.

I would like to install a Wisteria Vine. What type of arbor or pergola will I need?

Wisteria Vines are a very unique flower to grow. They are quite heavy, and very wide. It requires a very special structure to support it. Minimally, the arbor or pergola will need to be 4' deep. They grow very long, and will require a structure that will be longer than the typical arbor or pergola. Lastly, it's best to use a 6x6 post for your structure. This will provide years of strength for your Wisteria. With proper planning and care you will enjoy your vine for years and years with no issue or problems from the structure supporting it!

I am planning to landscape around my future fence, should the landscaping go in before the fence work?

If you have the ability to put your landscaper off - always do the fence first. Remember that for our installers to install your fence we have to be able to walk in the area, dig holes (which can produce a lot of excess dirt), place the post in, and fill the hole with concrete. It would be impossible for us to guarantee that there will be no plant damage. Whether our installer accidentally steps on a flower, or possibly a post hole is going right into your prized tulips - these are things that are often not avoidable for us. Always arrange your fence before the landscapers. It will ensure a much more pleasant installlation for you, and your landscaper will appreciate the plan as well!

I've already landscaped the area, and I've decided to add a fence. How will that affect my newly planted flowers?

Our installers do their very best to not leave a mess in yards or landscape beds. It's important, though, to be realistic. If we have installers setting posts and nailing fence in the middle of a bunch of flowers - there will probably be some flowers that get stepped on. They make every attempt to avoid damage, but it's very difficult. Plus, posts will need to be set in the midst of the flowers. Some flowers will be necessary casualties simply due to digging a hole, and pouring in the concrete. We prefer to set our posts at even widths apart. It makes the panels all the same length, and is considerably more attractive. There will certainly be scenarios that line a post up with the location of a current flower. We will make every attempt to avoid damage to current flowers and other plantings, but we cannot be responsible for possible damage to current plantings that are in line with the fence that's been ordered.

Are your products American Made?

Absolutely! As a company we firmly believe that it's our responsibility to stay loyal to the country that we love so much. Every product that our company sells, and installs is manufactured in the United States. It's unfortunate that many companies are advertising that their products are American Made, and yet the reality is that they are only assembled in the United States out of poor quality imported materials. We can genuinely say that everything we offer was manufactured in America out of American product. Our Ornamental Aluminum fences are manufactured in Michigan out of American aluminum. Our vinyl fences and railings are manufactured in Indiana out of vinyl product that originated from Nebraska. Our chain link fences (vinyl coated and aluminized) are all constructed out of American steel, and the wood that we use for our amazing and unique wooden fences is harvested out of Michigan. We're proud of this country, and there is no real reason to look outside the USA for products. Well... unless your intention is to offer something of poor quality in order to save a couple of dollars!