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Barrette Fence Installation: The Fort Lauderdale Owner’s Guide
A full Barrette fence installation in Fort Lauderdale typically runs $3,500 to $9,000, depending on the fence line length, post setting method, and whether we’re replacing rotted posts or starting clean. Most Barrette fence jobs we take on are discovered by owners two ways: a gate that suddenly sags into the grass, or a storm that snapped a post clean at the ground line. You’ll usually spot the problem right after a heavy afternoon downpour, when the soil softens and a weakened post finally lets go.
We’re an independent installer, not affiliated with Barrette. But we work with their vinyl and aluminum fence systems regularly across Fort Lauderdale, from Victoria Park to Coral Ridge, and we keep common Barrette post sizes, rails, and gate hardware on the truck so we’re not driving back to a supplier mid-job. If you’re staring at a leaning section of Barrette fence right now, here’s what you actually need to know about fixing it right.
Which Barrette Models This Applies To
Barrette makes two fence systems that dominate the Fort Lauderdale residential market: their vinyl privacy fence (the tongue-and-groove panels, usually 6′ tall) and their aluminum picket fence (the 4′ to 6′ black or bronze decorative line). The vinyl line is the one we replace most often, and it has a compatibility gotcha worth knowing: Barrette vinyl posts are notched for a specific rail profile, and a post from their newer “Barrette Outdoor Living” line won’t always seat a rail from the older “U.S. Fence” series cleanly. If your fence predates about 2015, measure the rail width before assuming a new post will fit.
To identify your exact Barrette part, look for a small manufacturer stamp on the bottom rail or inside the post cap. If that’s faded beyond reading, measure the post wall thickness and the rail channel width. Barrette vinyl posts are typically 5″x5″ for gates and end posts, with 4″x4″ for line posts. For aluminum, check the picket spacing: Barrette’s standard is 3-9/16″ between pickets. Match those numbers and you’re in business. On aftermarket rails and posts, the savings is usually $8 to $15 per piece, which sounds fine until the fit is a quarter-inch off and the gate binds. For visible runs, we recommend OEM Barrette. For buried post sleeves and concrete anchor brackets no one will ever see, quality aftermarket is fine.
Styles & brands we work with
Signs Your Barrette Fence Installation Is Failing
- Gate dragging on the hinge side. The post has rolled forward under the gate’s weight, usually because the original installer set it in less than 18 inches of concrete and Fort Lauderdale’s sandy soil shifts. The gate still works, but it’s grinding its own hardware into the post.
- A fence section leaning like a domino. One post failed and the rails are now levering the neighbors. In older Barrette vinyl runs, the rail tabs snap first, then the whole section starts to sag like a loose tooth.
- Post cap popped off or cracked. Vinyl expands and contracts hard in South Florida heat. A cracked cap lets rainwater into the post, which fills the cavity and breeds exactly the kind of hydrostatic pressure that blows posts at the base.
- White chalky streaks down the panel face. That’s oxidization on older vinyl, accelerated by salt air near the Intracoastal and along Las Olas. It’s cosmetic at first, but it means the surface protection is gone and the panel will get brittle.
- A post that twists when you grab it. If you can rotate the post even a quarter-inch by hand, the concrete footer is cracked below grade. That post is no longer anchored. It’s waiting for the next tropical storm gust.
See the difference
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AfterReplacement Cost & What’s Included
For a Barrette fence installation or repair in Fort Lauderdale, expect $3,500 to $9,000 for a full average yard. On the low end, that’s a straight run of 40 to 60 linear feet with existing posts still sound. On the high end, we’re pulling and resetting 20 plus posts, regrading a slope, and rebuilding a double gate. A single post replacement typically lands between $250 and $600 installed, including new concrete, but that assumes we can match the existing rail profile without rebuilding the adjacent section.
Every quote includes the parts, the concrete, the labor, and a written price before we touch anything. No change orders because we found a “surprise” root ball. The work carries our full warranty: if the fence doesn’t hold up, we come back under the 365-Day Done Right Promise. That means one year of accountability after we pack up and leave, in writing.
DIY or Call Us?
A homeowner can safely clear vegetation off the fence line, look for cracked post caps, and test posts for twist. That’s useful information when you call us. What we’d ask you not to do is attempt a vinyl post replacement yourself if the post is set deeper than 24 inches or if it’s a gate post under load. A gate post that lets go while you’ve got the rail detached is a few hundred pounds of vinyl that wants to fall on you. On the aluminum side, don’t try to bend rails back to straight. Once extruded aluminum is bowed, it’s structurally spent.
Our crews do this specific repair a few times a month across Fort Lauderdale. We bring a post-puller, the right concrete for the soil, and the Barrette-compatible parts. Most single-post jobs are done in under three hours. Call (754) 354-7423 for a free estimate, and we’ll tell you honestly whether it’s a one-post fix or a full run replacement.
FAQs
You can expect 18 to 25 years from a Barrette vinyl fence in Fort Lauderdale, but the posts usually fail before the panels do. Salt air east of US-1 and constant UV exposure are the aggressive factors. The panels might look fine at year 20 while the posts have gone soft at the soil line.
If the rail tabs and panels are intact, we can usually reset the failed post and save the section. Once the rails themselves are cracked or the tabs are broken, that section needs new rails at minimum. We’ll tell you which side of that line you’re on before any money changes hands. Call (754) 354-7423 and we’ll walk you through what you’re seeing over the phone.
A single post replacement is usually done in two to three hours. A full fence line of 60 to 100 feet with multiple posts typically takes two to three days, including concrete cure time before we hang gates. We’ll give you a firm timeline with the written quote.
We stock the common Barrette post sizes, rail profiles, gate hinges, and latch hardware on the truck. For less common match-ups like a specific post cap or a discontinued panel color, we source from our local supplier the same day. You’re not waiting on a homeowner-special order.
Written by Luca Romano, Owner & Lead Contractor, Sawyer Remodel Fort Lauderdale at Sawyer Remodel Fort Lauderdale, serving Fort Lauderdale and nearby areas.
