What to Look for When Choosing a Fence Company: A Pre-Quote Checklist

A fence is an investment made once and used for many years. This is why choosing the company that produces and installs it matters as much as the fence itself. Two fences that look the same can give very different results within a few years because of material thickness, coating quality, post and foundation work and care in installation. In this article we cover what to look for when choosing a fence company in the form of a checklist. Our aim is to help you ask the right questions at the quotation stage and compare quotes soundly.

1. Manufacturer or Reseller?

Companies serving the fence sector can have different structures: manufacturers selling their own products, companies selling and installing other manufacturers' products, and teams that only do installation. Each model has its own advantages; what matters is knowing who you are working with.

Questions to ask

• Who manufactures the products?
• Can products be made to measure?
• Does the company's own team do the installation, or a subcontractor?
• Is it possible to visit the production facility?

TGO Çit Sistemleri manufactures at its own facility in Erenler, Sakarya, and offers made-to-measure production and professional installation. For information about our company, you can visit our about page.

2. Certificates and Quality Processes

Quality management system certificates and product certificates show that the company runs its production processes according to certain standards.

What should you look for?

• A quality management system certificate (for example ISO 9001)
• Documents showing that products comply with the relevant standards (for example TSE, CE)
• Quality control steps applied at the production stages

It is helpful to ask whether the certificates are current and which products they cover. For information about TGO Çit Sistemleri's quality certificates and production processes, you can review our quality page.

3. Clarity of Material Information

A reliable company shares the technical specifications of its products openly. Asking for measurable information instead of general phrases such as “quality material” lets you make a sound comparison.

Technical information to ask about

• Profile, slat or wire thickness
• Coating type (hot-dip galvanizing, electro-galvanizing, electrostatic powder coating, PVC)
• Paint type and, if any, brand
• Post section, wall thickness and coating
• Material of the fittings

For example, the product page of our louvre fence model states that it uses 1.4 – 1.6 mm box profile, 1.0 – 1.2 mm slats and Jotun electrostatic powder coating. You can find the differences between coating types in our article on the difference between galvanizing and electrostatic powder coating, and the meanings of technical terms in our glossary of fence technical terms.

4. Is a Site Survey Carried Out?

A per-metre price given over the phone may not reflect the real conditions of your project. Ground structure, slope, wall condition, number of corners, gate points and utility lines directly affect the quote. A company that carries out an on-site survey can prepare a more realistic quote having seen these conditions.

What to watch for during the survey

• Does the team take measurements carefully?
• Do they examine the ground, slope and wall condition?
• Do they assess gate positions and opening areas together with you?
• Do they answer your questions clearly and understandably?
• Do they offer you different options?

TGO Çit Sistemleri offers a free on-site survey. To prepare for the survey, you can use our guide on how to measure for a fence.

5. Transparency of the Quote

A well-prepared quote shows clearly what you are buying. Listing the items separately alongside the total amount makes it easier to compare different quotes.

What a quote should include

• The system, model and colour to be used
• Length and height by section
• Material thicknesses and coating type
• Post type, number and fixing method
• Gates, motors and accessories
• Whether installation is included
• Removal of the old fence and waste disposal
• Warranty period and coverage
• Validity period of the quote and payment terms

A low quote is not always an advantage

When you receive a noticeably low quote, it is important to ask where the difference comes from. Differences such as thinner material, a different coating, fewer posts or installation not being included can have consequences that are not visible at first but are felt in the long term. For the importance of post and foundation items, see our article on choosing fence posts and foundations.

6. References and Completed Projects

Seeing projects the company has completed gives a concrete idea of the quality of its work.

• Ask for photos of similar projects.
• If possible, see a completed project on site.
• Ask about the current condition of projects completed a few years ago; this shows how the products perform over time.
• Review the work the company shares on its social media accounts.

7. Installation Team and Workmanship

A quality product may not perform as expected with careless installation. Some points to watch at the installation stage are:

• Posts are placed upright, in line and at the correct spacing
• No load is applied before the foundation concrete has set sufficiently
• Cuts, holes and weld points are touched up
• Gates open and close smoothly and are correctly adjusted
• The work area is left clean

We explain the general principles of the installation process with examples in our article on louvre fence railing installation.

8. Warranty and After-Sales Support

A warranty is an indicator of the company's confidence in its product and workmanship. But the warranty coverage matters as much as the warranty period.

Questions to ask

• What is the warranty period and what does it cover?
• Does the warranty relate to the product, the installation or both?
• What situations fall outside the warranty?
• How do you reach the company when a problem arises?
• Is service support provided for automatic gates and motors?

TGO Çit Sistemleri products are covered by a 10-year warranty. You can contact us for detailed information about the warranty terms.

9. Communication and Process Management

A company's communication during the survey and quotation stage gives a hint about the experience you will have throughout the project. Timely and clear answers to your questions, an understandable quote and being kept informed at every stage are important signs of a smooth project.

10. Product Range and an Integrated Solution

A fence project is often about more than the fence alone. Pedestrian and vehicle gates, automatic gate motors, barriers, top security elements and accessories are part of the project. Obtaining all these products from a single company makes things easier in terms of both compatibility and after-sales support.

The advantage of compatibility

When the fence, gates and accessories come from the same manufacturer and the same coating system, colour and visual unity are easier. With products bought from different companies, tone differences can arise even if they carry the same colour name.

A single point of contact

When a problem occurs, having the fence, gate and motor from different companies can make it difficult to determine responsibility. Working with a single point of contact allows problems to be solved faster.

TGO Çit Sistemleri's product range includes louvre fence, panel fence, chain-link, plastic wrought-iron style fence, barbed and razor wire, gate models and automatic gate motors. You can review all products on our products page.

Warning Signs to Watch For

If you encounter the following situations during the quotation and discussion process, it is helpful to ask for more information before making your decision:

• No clear information is given about material thickness and coating type
• A firm price and a firm installation date are given without an on-site survey
• The quote is not provided in writing or the items are not listed
• Warranty terms are only stated verbally
• No examples of previous projects can be shown
• Pressure is put on you to decide quickly

These signs do not always mean there is a problem; but they are a reminder that you have the right to ask for clarity in order to make a sound decision.

Summary Checklist

Heading	Check
Production	Who manufactures the products, is made-to-measure production available?
Certificates	Are the quality and product certificates current?
Material	Is thickness and coating information clear?
Survey	Is an on-site survey carried out?
Quote	Are the items listed separately?
References	Can completed projects be seen?
Installation	Is installation done by the company's own team?
Warranty	Are the period and coverage clear?
Support	Is there a clear after-sales contact channel?

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the most important criterion when choosing a fence company?

Rather than a single criterion, several criteria need to be assessed together. A sound decision can be made when clarity of material information, an on-site survey, a transparent quote, installation quality and warranty coverage are considered together. Deciding on price alone can lead to unexpected costs in the long term.

Is getting a price over the phone enough?

A per-metre price given over the phone can give a general idea; but it may not reflect the real conditions of your project, such as ground, slope, walls, corners and gates. For this reason, before making a final decision, we recommend having an on-site survey carried out and getting a written quote with the items clearly listed.

How should I compare different quotes?

You should compare quotes not only by total amount but by items such as material thickness, coating type, number and type of posts, gates, whether installation is included and warranty coverage. If a quote does not list its items, asking the company for details lets you make a sound comparison.

Does it make sense to visit the company's production facility?

Yes, if possible it is a useful step. Visiting the production facility lets you see the products, colour options and production processes in person. You can also meet the company face to face and ask your questions more comfortably. You can visit our factory in Erenler by appointment.

What should a warranty cover?

We recommend asking whether the warranty covers both the product and the workmanship, what the warranty period is and which situations fall outside it. For electromechanical products such as automatic gates and motors, warranty and service conditions should be assessed separately. Having the warranty terms stated in writing prevents misunderstandings that might arise later.

You can take this list with you to quote meetings and ask every company the same questions so that you can compare the answers side by side. Asking different companies the same questions clearly reveals where the quotes differ. For example, if one company explains the post section and coating type in detail while another uses only general phrases, this difference can play an important role in your decision. In the same way, questions such as who will do the installation, whether removal of the old fence is included in the quote and whom you will contact after the sale also let you see the real difference between quotes. Recording the answers you get in short notes helps you avoid mixing up which information belongs to which company after you have spoken to several.

Finally, before deciding, ask yourself this question: will this company answer me in five years' time when I have a question about my fence? The answer to this question is often more decisive than price.

One of the most important signs of working with the right company is a patient and open attitude to your questions. Having a technical subject explained in plain language when you do not understand it, having the decision left to you and being presented with different options together with their pros and cons form the basis of a reliable working relationship.

Choosing the right company is the first step in choosing the right fence. With this checklist you can assess fence company quotes more consciously and complete a project you will be happy with for years. If you would like a free survey and a transparent quote for your project, get in touch with us.