Your move-in fence checklist. 5 things to settle before closing.
Moving to Southwest Florida and want your fence up by the time you unpack? 5 steps to handle before your closing date so the fence is done when you walk in.
If you're closing on a new home in Southwest Florida and you want privacy, pet containment, or a pool barrier before you unpack, the fence has to get moving early. Not "once we're settled." Early.
Here's the checklist we wish every new-build and out-of-state buyer had before they signed.
1. Confirm what your HOA allows before you close
Every HOA in SWFL has fence rules: material, height, color, front yard vs back yard, sometimes specific brands. If you're closing on a home in Rotonda West, Lakewood Ranch, Wellen Park, Pelican Bay, or any of the other master-planned communities we work in, we already know the spec by heart. Check our HOA guides for the major communities, or send us the address and we'll tell you what's approved.
2. Get the estimate during the inspection window
The best time to have us walk your future property is during your inspection period. You have access, the seller's fence (if any) is visible, and you can picture gates, pool placement, and pet boundaries on the real lot.
If you're out of state and can't be present, we can visit the property on our own. We walk the lot, call you from the site with any questions we need answered, and email the written estimate after the visit. Most standard estimates go out the same day; more complex layouts or special materials take a little longer.
3. Sign the fence contract the week you sign closing documents
From contract signing to finished fence, timing depends on the county:
- Charlotte County (Port Charlotte, Englewood-east, Punta Gorda area): usually 1 to 2 weeks
- Sarasota County (North Port, Sarasota, Venice): fast, most residential installs don't need a permit
- Lee County (Fort Myers, Bonita Springs, Estero): 2 to 4 weeks for the permit, plus install time
- Cape Coral specifically: 4 to 8 weeks for the permit, plus install time
- Collier County (Naples, Marco Island, Ave Maria): 8 to 12 weeks total, the slowest in SWFL
If you sign the fence contract the week of closing, the install often finishes within a few weeks of move-in for the faster counties. For Collier County, plan to sign the fence contract 2 to 3 months before your target move-in.
4. Permits and HOA packages
We handle the permit for you under our Florida contractor's license when one is required. For HOA-governed communities, we prepare a submission-ready package with site plan, spec sheet, drawing, and color sample that you submit to your HOA board. HOA review times vary: some boards approve on receipt, some only at monthly meetings.
5. Think about gate placement before the landscapers show up
New builds come with fresh sod and baby landscaping. If you wait 6 months to install a fence, we have to work around mature beds and irrigation lines. If we install before or right around landscaping, the gate lands where you actually want it and the irrigation gets mapped around the fence, not on top of it.
The short answer for out-of-state buyers
If you're moving from Illinois, Michigan, New York, or anywhere else to SWFL this season:
- Week -10 to -8 from closing: send us the address, we confirm HOA rules and give a ballpark
- Week -8 to -6: we visit the property without you there, call you from the site, email the written estimate
- Week -6: contract signed, permit filed, HOA package sent to you for submission
- Week -4 to -2: permit clears (faster counties) or HOA approves, materials ordered
- Closing week or shortly after: install happens, depending on the county
Those windows are looser for Collier County (add 4 to 6 weeks) and tighter for Charlotte County (where total timelines can be 1 to 2 weeks).
Book a free estimate from wherever you're moving from. We've handled these remote timelines for snowbirds, new-build buyers, and rental investors across Southwest Florida from Bradenton down to Naples.