Broward County Certificate of Competency 20-F-21966-X
Fence Installation & Repair in Fort Lauderdale, FL
Fence Installation & Repair for homes in Fort Lauderdale and the rest of Broward County. Free estimate.
All of Broward County sits inside the High-Velocity Hurricane Zone, so a fence in Fort Lauderdale is not just a property line — it is a structure that has to be designed for the highest design wind pressures in the state. Posts, footings, panel attachment and gate hardware all carry wind load, and Broward's May-through-October rainy season brings near-daily afternoon thunderstorms that routinely topple wood and vinyl fence sections across the county. Add year-round humidity that drives rot and corrosion, and a fence here ages differently than one built inland or up north.
We install and repair privacy, pool and decorative fences in wood, vinyl, aluminum and chain link, plus driveway and walk gates. We handle the permit application with the survey the city typically asks for, schedule the inspections, and see the permit closed out. Cat 5 Home Shield holds Broward County Certificate of Competency 20-F-21966-X, which covers fence work, and we serve Broward County only. Estimates are free.
Fort Lauderdale is known as the 'Venice of America' for its hundreds of miles of canals and Intracoastal frontage, and that waterfront exposure matters for fencing. Constant salt spray off the Atlantic and the canals corrodes metal hardware far faster than inland — hinges, latches, gate operators and fasteners often need attention years earlier than manufacturers' averages. Much of the single-family stock here is mid-century: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year (2022) data puts the median year built at 1972, so many fences, gates and footings on these 1950s–1970s block-and-stucco lots were installed long before current HVHZ provisions, and most homes in the city are owner-occupied, meaning the decision usually sits with the person living there rather than a distant landlord.
Problems to watch for in Fort Lauderdale
Wind damage to panels and gates
Severe thunderstorms and tropical systems between June 1 and November 30 regularly push over wood and vinyl sections across Broward. Failures usually start at the post footing or at the panel-to-post attachment, not in the middle of a board.
Corroded hardware near the water
On canal-front and Intracoastal lots in Fort Lauderdale, salt air attacks hinges, latches, fasteners and gate motors well before the fence itself wears out. Hardware selection and periodic rinsing matter more here than in dry climates.
Rot and termites in wood fences
Year-round humidity keeps wood posts damp at and below grade, which invites rot and termite activity. A fence can look sound from the street while the buried portion of the post has already given way.
Pool barriers that no longer comply
Florida Building Code pool barrier requirements and Florida's residential pool safety law cover barrier height, no-climb spacing, and gates that are self-closing and self-latching and swing outward away from the pool. Older gates often lose their self-closing action as hardware corrodes.
Height, setback and corner visibility issues
Zoning review looks at height limits that differ between front, side and rear yards, setbacks, corner visibility and easements. Replacing a fence in the same spot does not automatically make it compliant — verify with the city's building department.
Sagging or dragging driveway gates
Wide driveway gates carry real wind load and real weight, and humidity plus salt air accelerates wear on hinges and rollers. Misalignment is usually a symptom of post movement or hardware failure rather than the gate itself.
HOA and association rules
A very large share of Broward properties are condominiums, townhomes or HOA-governed communities, and board approval is commonly required in addition to the permit. That approval typically needs to be in hand before work begins.
What we do
- New fence installationPrivacy, pool and decorative fencing in wood, vinyl, aluminum or chain link, laid out to the survey and set with footings sized for HVHZ wind load design under the Florida Building Code.
- Pool barrier fencing and gatesBarriers and gates built to the Florida Building Code pool barrier provisions, including no-climb spacing and self-closing, self-latching gates that open outward away from the pool.
- Driveway and walk gatesGate framing, posts and hardware chosen with Fort Lauderdale's salt-air corrosion in mind, aligned so the gate swings and latches correctly under load.
- Repairs and section replacementPost resets, panel and picket replacement, rot and termite damage repair, and hardware replacement after storm or corrosion damage.
- Permit application with surveyWe prepare and submit the permit package, including the survey the building and zoning department typically requests, and supply product approval documentation where aluminum or vinyl fencing requires Florida Product Approval or a Miami-Dade NOA.
- Inspections and closeoutWe schedule the required inspections and follow the job through until the permit is closed out, so the record on the property is clean.
Permits, codes and licensing in Fort Lauderdale
Florida does not issue a statewide fence contractor license as a standard CILB classification; fence work is most often licensed or registered at the county or municipal level, and larger or structural work such as masonry walls may call for a state-licensed contractor. Contractor qualification in Broward runs through the Broward County Central Examining Boards, with the Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation (DBPR) and its Construction Industry Licensing Board at the state level, and code administration overseen by the Broward County Board of Rules and Appeals. A permit is typically required for new fences and walls and for substantial replacement, with zoning review for height, setbacks, corner visibility and easements; permits come from the municipal building and zoning department, and a survey is often requested. Because HVHZ wind load provisions apply countywide and some fence products need Florida Product Approval or a Miami-Dade NOA, confirm the specifics of your project with the city's building department before ordering material. Cat 5 Home Shield works under Broward County Certificate of Competency 20-F-21966-X for fence work.
Fence Installation & Repair work is done under Broward County Certificate of Competency 20-F-21966-X.
When to call
Fencing work runs year-round in Fort Lauderdale, but it is easiest during the November–April dry season, which also overlaps the snowbird months when seasonal residents return and open up homes that sat closed. Demand rises in spring and again after hurricanes and severe thunderstorms, so if a fence or gate is already leaning, scheduling during the drier stretch avoids competing with post-storm repair work. Call (954) 906-1715 or request a quote with the form on this page for a free estimate.
We take fencing work across Fort Lauderdale, including Victoria Park, Rio Vista, Coral Ridge, Las Olas Isles, Colee Hammock, Sailboat Bend, Flagler Village, Imperial Point, Poinsettia Heights, Tarpon River, Croissant Park and Galt Ocean Mile.
Fencing in Fort Lauderdale: questions we hear
- Do I need a permit for a fence in Fort Lauderdale?
- A permit is typically required for new fences and walls and for substantial replacement, and zoning review covers height, setbacks, corner visibility and easements. A survey is often requested with the application. Verify the specifics for your address with the city's building department.
- Does the High-Velocity Hurricane Zone change how a fence is built?
- Yes. All of Broward County is in the HVHZ, so fence and wall structures are designed for the highest design wind pressures in the state under Florida Building Code provisions. Some aluminum and vinyl fence products also need Florida Product Approval or a Miami-Dade NOA.
- My home is on a canal. Will the fence hardware hold up?
- Salt spray off the Atlantic and Fort Lauderdale's canals corrodes hinges, latches and fasteners faster than inland, and gate hardware often needs service earlier than manufacturers' averages suggest. Hardware selection and routine rinsing help, and we can replace corroded components during a repair visit.
- What are the rules for a pool fence?
- Florida Building Code pool barrier requirements and Florida's residential pool safety law address barrier height, no-climb spacing, and gates that are self-closing and self-latching and open outward away from the pool. We build to those provisions and confirm details with the building department during permitting.
- Do you work outside Broward County?
- No. Cat 5 Home Shield serves Broward County, Florida only. A Miami-Dade NOA may appear on a fence product's paperwork, but that is a product approval, not a service area.
Fencing in nearby cities
Get a free fencing estimate in Fort Lauderdale
Tell us what's going on. We'll get back to you to set up a visit.
Prefer to talk?
(954) 906-1715