Western red cedar, without hesitation. It has natural oils that resist moisture and insects, it takes stain evenly, and it's been the right call for Pacific Northwest fencing for decades. We don't substitute pressure-treated pine — it's cheaper, but it doesn't hold up the same way in our climate, and it can off-gas chemicals that affect landscaping along the fence line. If budget is a real constraint, we'll talk through options honestly rather than quietly downgrade the materials.

Two reasons. First, horizontal installation is more labor-intensive — every board has to be level, and the margin for error is smaller because the lines are so visible. Second, horizontal fencing typically uses thicker, higher-grade lumber because the boards span wider and need to resist bowing. You're paying for a fence that's harder to build well. Contractors who price it the same as a vertical fence usually aren't building it the same way.

In most Seattle residential zones, fences under 6 feet don't require a permit. Over 6 feet, or in certain setback areas, you'll need one. Rules vary by municipality — Kent, Bellevue, Renton, and Kirkland each have their own requirements. We know the local codes for the areas we serve and will flag anything that needs a permit before we start. Pulling a permit without knowing the rules is how projects get stopped mid-build.

Boards that bow or cup within the first two years. Posts with any lean, especially on the uphill side of a slope. Inconsistent gaps between boards. Rust bleeding from hardware through the wood. These are symptoms of installation shortcuts — under-set posts, green lumber, hardware that wasn't stainless or hot-dipped galvanized. They're also exactly what our warranty covers, because we don't build that way in the first place.

Clean it annually — a low-pressure wash removes the moss and algae that build up on north-facing surfaces in our climate. Apply a quality penetrating oil or sealant every two to three years, ideally in late summer during a dry stretch. Check the base of your posts each spring; that's where moisture damage shows up first. A well-maintained cedar fence in Seattle should hold its look for 20-30 years. We'll walk you through a specific maintenance plan at your final walkthrough based on your fence's orientation and exposure.

Yes — but it requires a real approach, not a workaround. There are two methods: stepped panels, where the fence drops in visible increments that follow the grade, and racked panels, where the boards follow the slope continuously for a cleaner line. Which one is right depends on the grade, the design, and what the fence needs to accomplish. We'll look at your lot and give you a recommendation. A lot of contractors default to one approach regardless of fit. We don't.

Most residential horizontal fence installations are completed in 2-4 days. Commercial runs or projects with significant slope, multiple gates, or custom ironwork take longer. You'll get a firm timeline in your quote — and we mean firm. We've built a reputation in this area on showing up when we say we will and finishing when we say we will.

The crew. Most fence companies at our price point are scheduling subcontractors — crews they don't directly employ, working multiple jobs, with inconsistent training and no personal stake in your project. We employ our team directly. They weld and fabricate in-house, they've worked together on hundreds of projects, and they know that the warranty we offer comes out of our pocket — so they build it right the first time. That's not a marketing line. It's the reason our clients in commercial construction, the petroleum industry, and King County public projects keep calling us back.