We Didn't Get the Job. Six Months Later, We Got the Referral.

A few months back, we quoted a fence for a homeowner. Nothing unusual about it. We walked the fence line, talked through the options, and did what we always do: we explained how deep we'd dig the post holes, and why.

We didn't get the job. Another company did. They came in with their quote, and from what the client told us later, they didn't explain anything about the holes at all. Just a price.

That's fine. It happens. You don't win every quote, and you shouldn't.

But here's how the story ended.

Less than six months later

The fence was bowing. Not after a big storm, not after ten years of weather. Within six months, it had started leaning and it wasn't straight anymore.

That's when the client remembered our conversation about the holes. Suddenly, the thing that sounded like a small detail on quote day was the whole story. A fence is only as straight as what's holding it up, and what holds it up is underground, where you'll never see it again once the job's done.

Then the neighbour needed a fence

This is the part that still gets me. The neighbour next door needed a new fence too, and asked the client who they should call.

They didn't recommend the company that built their fence. They recommended us. A company that had never done a single job for them.

The neighbour called, we did the job, and they were happy with the result. And the first client got to watch their neighbour's fence go in the way they wished theirs had.

Why the depth of the holes matters so much

When you look at a finished fence, you see the panels, the colour, the top line. What you don't see is the part doing all the work.

Posts carry everything. Wind load on the panels, the weight of the gate swinging every day, the soil moving as it gets wet and dries out. If the posts aren't in deep enough, or aren't set properly in concrete, the fence has nothing to push back with. It starts to lean. Once it starts, it doesn't stop.

And you can't fix it by tightening a few screws. A fence that's leaning because of shallow posts usually means pulling posts out and doing them again. That costs more than doing it right the first time.

The question to ask on quote day

If you're getting fence quotes, ask every contractor the same thing:

"How deep will you dig the post holes, and what will you set them in?"

Then watch how they answer. A good contractor will tell you straight away, explain why, and tell you if your soil or slope changes things. If someone can't answer, or brushes it off, that tells you something too.

It's not on the brochure. It's not in the photo. But it's the difference between a fence that's still straight in ten years and one that's leaning in six months.

Why we explain it

We explain the depth of our holes on every quote because we'd rather you understand what you're paying for. On every Synergy job, posts are set in concrete. If something on your site needs extra, we tell you at the quote.

Sometimes we still don't get the job, and that's okay. We'd just rather you make the decision knowing the whole story, not find it out six months later.

Want a fence that stays straight? Call us on 07 2141 7748, get a price online or let's have a chat.