A fence installer digs post holes, sets posts, and hangs the wood, vinyl, aluminum or chain-link fence and gates a fence company sells. Working on a small crew, they keep long runs straight and even across sloped yards and leave every gate swinging freely and latching.
By the HireBus team · Updated · Pay data: BLS, May 2025
Median pay, other specialty trade contractors · BLS, May 2025
Responsible for installing fences, gates, and related structures under supervision, ensuring quality workmanship and adherence to safety and building code standards.
2. Essential Duties and Responsibilities
Install residential and commercial fences and gates efficiently under supervision.
Ensure proper alignment, measurement, and secure installation using industry-approved tools and techniques.
Follow established safety protocols and local building codes on every project.
Assist with the setup and maintenance of related tools, equipment, and materials.
3. Key Tasks / Daily Activities
Review installation plans and verify material availability on site.
Measure, cut, and secure fencing components and posts with precision.
Communicate directly with customers regarding installation progress and address any onsite requests.
Maintain a clean and organized work area to promote safety and efficiency.
4. Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)
Installation Accuracy Rate: 98%.
Customer Satisfaction Rating: >4.8 stars.
Project Completion Rate: 95% on schedule.
Safety Compliance: Zero safety violations per quarter.
5. Required Qualifications and Skills
High school diploma or equivalent.
1-2 years experience in fence installation or a related field.
Basic carpentry skills with the ability to read blueprints and technical drawings.
Strong attention to detail and adherence to safety protocols.
6. Preferred Experience
Experience in the home services or construction industries.
Proficiency with a variety of fence types and installation techniques.
Prior work experience in a team-based environment.
Familiarity with local building codes and safety regulations.
7. Physical Requirements
Ability to lift up to 50 lbs.
Prolonged periods of standing, bending, and climbing throughout the workday.
Comfortable working outdoors in varying weather conditions.
Good manual dexterity and physical stamina to perform installation tasks.
8. Work Environment and Schedule
Typical work hours: 8-hour shifts, Monday through Friday.
Occasional overtime required during peak installation seasons.
On-site work in both residential and commercial settings.
Minimal local travel required to service various job sites.
9. Compensation and Benefits
Hourly rate: $20-$25 per hour, based on experience.
Performance-based bonuses available.
Health, Dental, and Vision insurance benefits.
401k plan with company match and additional fringe benefits.
10. Company Culture and Overview
We are a dedicated team that values transparency, quality craftsmanship, and continuous improvement.
Our culture emphasizes growth, professional development, and working together to exceed customer expectations.
We foster an inclusive and supportive environment where every team member's contribution is celebrated.
Our commitment to innovation and sustainable practices drives our success and community involvement.
11. How to Apply
If you meet the above criteria and want to be part of a growth-oriented company focused on customer satisfaction, please send your resume to [INSERT EMAIL HERE] or apply online at [INSERT WEBSITE LINK HERE].
Need help filling this role? HireBus posts the ad, Iris interviews every applicant by phone before you do, and you decide who to hire. Start hiring now
A fence crew may dig dozens of holes on one job, each into ground nobody on the crew has seen before. The rest of the work is holding a long line straight over a yard that isn't flat.
Call 811 and wait for the marks
811 is the free national call-before-you-dig service. After a request, utilities mark their buried lines with paint or flags, and the crew confirms every one has responded before digging. State laws generally bar power digging within 18 to 24 inches of a mark, and the details vary by state, so installers hand dig post holes near a marked line. Source: 811 Before You Dig: For professionals.
The lines 811 won't mark
In Virginia, utilities mark their lines only to the meter or a similar end point. Sprinkler pipes, invisible pet fences, yard lighting, propane lines and power run to a shed are private, so the utilities 811 notifies won't mark them, and fence lines often cross them. Installers ask the homeowner what's buried and look for sprinkler heads and light fixtures. For anything unclear, the company can hire a private locator before the auger goes in. Source: Virginia 811: Public vs. private utilities.
An auger fights back
One maker's earth auger manual warns that kickback can happen without warning when the bit snags, stalls or binds, and it can throw the auger and the operator in any direction. It says to keep both hands on the handles and the bit below waist level, and never to force the auger. Two-person and skid steer augers come with their own manuals, so train on the ones your crews run. Source: Powermate gasoline earth auger operator's manual (PEA43.1).
Straight lines over crooked ground
Yards slope, dip and bend. Installers pull a string line, set the corner and end posts first, then fill in, checking each post for plumb and height. On a slope, panels are stepped or racked to follow the grade, and that choice changes how the fence looks from the street. One post set wrong shows in every panel after it.
Gates are where callbacks start
A fence can stand for years and still bother the homeowner if the gate drags or won't latch. Installers set gate posts to your heavier spec, hang the gate square, brace wood gates against sag, and open and close each one several times before the truck leaves.
How much fence installers make
The closest BLS group for fence installers is fence erectors. Fence erectors who work for other specialty trade contractors earned a median of $23.14 an hour ($48,140 a year) in May 2025, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. That’s about the same as the $47,980 median for fence erectors in all industries. About 19,730 of the 24,480 fence erectors in that survey work for other specialty trade contractors.
Hourly with a performance bonus in the template. BLS counts fence erectors as their own occupation, so these figures come from fence crews rather than general construction laborers.
Other specialty trade contractors
$48,140$48,140 median Middle half $40,980–$59,450 10th–90th $36,030–$71,080
All industries
$47,980$47,980 median Middle half $40,400–$58,610 10th–90th $35,810–$70,010
$30k$40k$50k$60k$70k$80k
10th–90th percentileMiddle halfMedianAnnual pay, May 2025. Source: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics.
Annual pay by percentile
Group
10th
25th
Median
75th
90th
Other specialty trade contractors
$36,030
$40,980
$48,140
$59,450
$71,080
All industries
$35,810
$40,400
$47,980
$58,610
$70,010
BLS doesn’t publish pay for fence contractors on their own. These figures cover other specialty trade contractors, which include them. Post a real range for your market in the ad.
The pay line in the template above is an example from our Role Blueprint. Set yours from these figures and what local companies pay.
Skills to hire for, and what you can teach
Hire for these
Digs and sets posts plumb, in line and at the right height
Handles a gas auger with control in rocky or root-filled soil
Measures and cuts rails, pickets and panels with little waste
Hangs gates that swing freely and latch every time
Works steadily on a crew and leaves the yard clean
Teach these on the job
Each fence material you sell, one at a time
Stretching chain-link fabric and tying it to the frame
Stepping or racking panels on slopes
Reading locate marks and your 811 ticket steps
Mixing and setting post concrete to your spec
Expect a gas or hydraulic auger, post-hole diggers, a digging bar, string line, post level, circular and miter saws, a drill driver and a chain-link stretcher, plus bags of post concrete on most jobs. Tell applicants which materials you install most and whether the crew runs a skid steer with an auger attachment.
Fence installer interview questions
Two of the 6 questions we'd ask, and what a strong answer sounds like. Ask every candidate the same questions, and rate each answer on your own before you compare notes.
Situational · Unmarked lines
While digging a post hole, you hit a wire that wasn't marked. What do you do?
A strong answer: Stops, keeps clear, tells the lead right away; it could be electric, a pet fence or lighting, so nobody cuts or pulls it until it's identified.
Behavioral · Owning mistakes
Tell me about a time you had to redo part of a fence. What happened?
A strong answer: Owns it, names the cause such as a post set out of plumb or wrong spacing, and what they check now before concrete sets.
Track these per installer and per crew through one busy season first. Then set targets your best crews already reach.
Installation Accuracy Rate
Check a sample of finished jobs against the layout: post spacing, plumb, height, line and gate swing. Divide items passed by items checked, and note which item fails most.
Customer Satisfaction Rating
What homeowners say after the job, in your survey and online reviews, for every fence this installer helped build, read monthly. Watch for comments on lawn damage, leftover concrete and how the gates work.
Project Completion Rate
Each month, compare jobs scheduled with jobs completed that same day. Separate delays from late locates, rock, weather and late material so the installer is judged on what they control.
Safety Compliance
Violations found on site checks each quarter, such as cutting without eye protection, an open hole left unguarded, or digging before the marks were in. Count near misses as well.
Career path
Laborer / helperMixes concrete, carries panels and cleans up the line.
Fence installerSets posts and hangs fence and gates on a crew.
Someone with any outdoor construction background can set posts with help in the first week. Hanging gates, stretching chain link and working slopes take longer, often most of a season. Pair each new installer with a master installer and add one material at a time.
How much does a fence installer make?
Fence erectors who work for other specialty trade contractors earned a median of $23.14 an hour ($48,140 a year) in May 2025, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The middle half earned between $40,980 and $59,450 a year. Pay also depends on your local market, experience and overtime.
Is a fence installer the same as a laborer?
No. A laborer carries material, mixes concrete and cleans up. An installer sets posts to a line, cuts rails and pickets to fit and hangs gates, and can finish a straight run without someone checking each post. Many installers start as laborers and move up once they can hold a line on their own.
What should a fence installer check before digging?
That the locate ticket covers the address and every utility has marked or responded, that the homeowner has pointed out private lines, and that the stakes or paint for the fence match the signed layout. If any of those is missing, they call the office before the first hole.
Do fence installers work in winter?
In mild climates, often yes. Where the ground freezes, digging slows or stops, and many fence companies shift to repairs, gate work and jobs where posts can still go in. If winter hours drop, say so when you make the offer.
Should fence installers talk with customers?
A little. Homeowners are often home and ask where a gate will swing or when the crew will finish. Installers should answer simple questions politely and pass anything about price, the property line or changes to the master installer or the office.
