You wake up, look out the back window, and your fence is lying in the yard. Take a breath. North Texas storm season brings straight-line winds and downbursts that flatten fences every year, from Fort Worth and Arlington to Plano and Frisco, and a 70 mph downburst just rolled through Tarrant County and knocked out power to thousands. So you are not alone, and here is the good news: what you do in the first day or two matters more than how fast you call someone. The crews will come knocking. Do these five things first, and you will make smarter, cheaper, calmer decisions.
The five steps, at a glance:
- Photograph everything before you touch it.
- Make it safe, but keep any repairs temporary.
- Do the deductible math before you file a claim.
- Sort out the shared fence line with your neighbor.
- Vet anyone you hire before you sign.
Here is why each one matters.
1. Photograph everything before you touch it
Before you drag a single panel out of the yard, get your phone out. Take wide shots that show the whole run, then close-ups of the broken posts, snapped rails, and any spot where the wind clearly did the damage. Get the date stamp on, capture anything that landed on the fence (a limb, a trampoline, your neighbor’s grill), and photograph any damage to what is around it.
This is the single most important step, because your photos are your proof. Once you clean up, that evidence is gone, and an insurance adjuster who shows up next week can only go by what you documented. Five minutes of pictures now can be worth hundreds of dollars later.
2. Make it safe, but keep repairs temporary for now
A fence on the ground is more than an eyesore. It is an open gate. If you have a pool, a dog, or little ones, secure that opening right away with temporary fencing, a section of the old panel propped and braced, or whatever keeps everyone in and safe until the real fix happens.
Here is the key word: temporary. Do not rebuild anything permanent yet. You still need to document, decide on a claim, and line up the right materials and labor. A quick, safe patch buys you time to do the next three steps right instead of rushing into a repair you regret.
3. Do the deductible math before you file a claim
Wind damage to a fence is often covered under the “other structures” part of a homeowners policy, but covered does not always mean worth claiming. Pull up your policy or call your agent and find your deductible, then get a rough sense of what the repair will cost.
If your fence needs a couple of posts and a handful of pickets, that repair may cost less than your deductible, which means a claim does you no good and can count against you. If a whole run went down, a claim may make real sense. The point is to know the numbers before you file, not after. We are not insurance agents, so treat this as a nudge to check your own policy, not advice on your specific claim.
4. Sort out the shared fence line with your neighbor
Half of the fences that come down in a storm sit on a property line, which means they are not only your problem. Walk next door before the repairs start. In Texas, a fence built on a shared boundary is generally a shared responsibility, so it is worth a friendly conversation about who files, who pays, and whether you tackle it together.
Handle this early and kindly. Neighbors who agree on a plan in the first few days save themselves a lot of friction later, and a fence you rebuild together tends to be a fence you both take care of.
5. Know how to spot a storm chaser before you sign anything
After a big storm, out-of-town crews flood the neighborhood knocking on doors. Some are fine. Many are storm chasers who follow the weather, pressure you to sign on the spot, ask you to hand over your insurance check, and are three states away by the time a post works loose. Slow down. A real company will still be here next year.
Ask a few simple questions before you commit: Are you local, and how long have you been in the Dallas area? Can you show me recent fence work nearby? Are you licensed and insured? Will you put the scope and materials in writing? The one that saves people the most money is this: can I buy my own material and just pay you for the labor? The answer is yes, and it often costs a lot less than a bundled storm-repair price. Our guide on questions to ask before you hire a fence contractor walks through the rest.
The bottom line
A downed fence feels like an emergency, and the pressure to just make it go away is real. The homeowners who come out ahead are the ones who take a beat: document it, make it safe, run the deductible math, talk to the neighbor, and vet who they hire. Do those five things and you rebuild once, correctly, at a fair price.
When you are ready to put it back up, come see us. The BOSS carries first-quality cedar (including pre-stained), pressure-treated pine, posts, rails, brackets, concrete, gates, and stain, and we can pre-stain your fence in-house so it shows up job-ready. We supply the material and do not install, so you get straight guidance on exactly what you need, and we are glad to point you to trusted local installers who pick up from us every day. Not sure how much material to buy? Start with our guide on how to measure for a fence, then bring us your numbers and we will get you loaded up.
Fence it like a BOSS!
Frequently Asked Questions
What do I do when the wind blows down my fence in Texas? Start by photographing the damage before you move anything, then secure the opening with a temporary fix so pets and kids stay safe. Next, check your homeowners deductible before filing a claim, talk to your neighbor if the fence sits on a shared property line, and carefully vet any contractor before you sign. Handling those five steps first, in that order, leads to a smarter and less expensive repair.
What should I do first when a storm knocks down my fence? Photograph the damage before you clean anything up, then secure the opening with a temporary fix so pets and kids stay safe. After that, check your insurance deductible before filing a claim, talk to your neighbor if the fence is on a shared line, and carefully vet anyone you hire before you sign. Doing these five things first leads to a smarter, cheaper repair.
Does homeowners insurance cover a fence damaged by wind? Fences are often covered under the “other structures” portion of a homeowners policy, but coverage is subject to your deductible and policy terms. Document the damage with photos, then check your policy or call your agent to confirm what is covered before you file. If the repair costs less than your deductible, a claim may not be worth it.
Should I file an insurance claim for a damaged fence? Do the math first. Compare the estimated repair cost to your deductible. A small repair, like a couple of posts and some pickets, often costs less than the deductible, so a claim would not help. A large section down may justify a claim. Know your numbers before you file.
Who is responsible for a shared fence between neighbors in Texas? A fence built on a shared property line is generally a shared responsibility in Texas. It is best to talk with your neighbor early about who files, who pays, and whether you handle the repair together, so everyone is on the same page before work starts.
How do I avoid a storm-chasing contractor? Be cautious of out-of-town crews who knock on doors after a storm, pressure you to sign immediately, or ask you to hand over your insurance check. Ask whether they are local, licensed, and insured, ask to see recent nearby work, and get the scope and materials in writing. A reputable local company will still be around next year.
Can I buy my own fence material and hire someone just to install it? Yes. You can buy your own first-quality cedar or pressure-treated pine, posts, rails, and hardware, and hire a contractor for labor only. This often costs less than a bundled storm-repair quote. The BOSS supplies the material, can pre-stain it in-house, and can recommend trusted installers.
The BOSS · 10850 Harry Hines Blvd., Suite 100, Dallas, TX 75220