If a storm took down part of your fence, take photos of the damage and its cause before you move anything, then call your insurer and a fence company. In Modesto fences mostly go over in winter storms, when the soil is soaked and soft, and in strong north winds in spring and fall.
Half my fence blew down. Who can fix it fast and what will it cost?
Send us a photo and the rough length and we will tell you how soon we can get there. A section that blew down because the posts broke at the ground is a major repair, $900 to $2,500 in the national 2026 figures. After a valley-wide wind event every fence company is busy, so the sooner you call, the sooner you are on the schedule.
My dogs are in the yard and the fence is open to the road. What can be done right away?
The gap can be closed the same visit with a temporary panel, and standing posts on either side can be braced. Tell us when you call that dogs are in the yard, or that a pool is now open to the street, and we treat it as urgent. The permanent repair follows once materials are in hand.
Is there an extra charge for emergency or weekend fence repair?
It depends on the company, so ask before anyone comes out. Some charge more after hours and some do not offer it. A temporary closure now and the full repair during the normal week is usually the cheaper route.
Does homeowners insurance cover a fence knocked down by a storm or a tree?
Sometimes. A fence is often covered under the other structures part of a homeowners policy, but coverage depends on what caused the damage, your deductible and the policy wording. Rot and age are generally treated differently from wind or a fallen tree. Your insurer or agent is the only one who can answer for your policy. We provide a written estimate to send them.
My neighbor's tree fell on my fence. Whose insurance pays?
In most cases your own policy covers your own fence, even though the tree stood next door. It can be different if the tree was plainly dead or the neighbor had been warned about it. Your insurer will tell you. For a fence on the shared line, see the note on Civil Code section 841 below.
The insurer offered much less than the repair quote because the fence is old. Now what?
Ask for the calculation in writing. Some policies pay the depreciated value of an old fence and not the cost of a new one. Send the adjuster an itemized estimate so the two figures can be compared line by line. If the gap remains, replacing only the sections that came down is often what the payment will cover.
The storm knocked the fence down and my neighbor says it is mine. Who pays?
For a fence on the boundary, California law does not leave it to either owner alone. Civil Code section 841 presumes adjoining owners are equally responsible for the reasonable cost of maintaining or replacing the fence between them, unless they have agreed otherwise in writing. If the two of you disagree about where the boundary is, a licensed land surveyor settles that. See our shared fence page for the notice the law requires.
Call (209) 231-7679 or text us photos of the damage.