How do I collect an unpaid fence installation invoice?
How to collect an unpaid fence installation invoice
Published May 14, 2026
Short answer
Fence installation has one unique dispute pattern: the customer or a neighbor claims the fence was installed on the wrong property line after it is already in the ground. Protect yourself by asking customers to pull their property survey before work starts. A 40-50% deposit is appropriate given material costs. If an invoice goes past due, call on day 3 -- fence disputes that are allowed to sit for weeks rarely resolve without a site visit and sometimes a partial rework.
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Connect your booksProperty line disputes are the fence industry's most persistent billing problem. A neighbor objects that the fence is six inches into their yard. The customer tells you to move it. You tell them that is not what was agreed and you need to be paid first. This situation is avoidable if you document the agreed fence line with photographs before digging, and ideally note whether the customer had a current survey. Most experienced fence contractors require a customer to acknowledge in writing that they are responsible for the property line location.
HOA disputes are the second pattern. A customer gets a fence installed, then discovers their HOA prohibits the style or height. This is the customer's due diligence responsibility, not yours -- but you need documentation that you delivered what was agreed upon. A signed proposal with the fence height, style, and material is your proof that you built what was purchased.
Deposits on fence jobs should be 40-50% given that materials (posts, panels, hardware, concrete) are often 50-60% of the total job cost. You cannot re-use fence posts once set and cannot return concrete. Get the deposit before materials are ordered, not before they are delivered.
When an invoice goes past due, call on day 3. Most fence customers are slow payers, not non-payers. Lead with the job: 'I wanted to check in on the fence installation on Maple Street and make sure everything looked as expected. The balance is $2,100 -- would you like to settle that today?' If there is a property line concern, surface it on this call and schedule a site visit. Addressing it at day 3 is far less expensive than addressing it at day 60.
For invoices that go past 30 days with no response, a mechanic's lien on the property is available in most states. The fence is an improvement to real property, which qualifies. Filing deadlines are typically 60-120 days from last day of work, so do not let disputes sit unresolved beyond 30 days.