Storm-Damaged Fence in Baton Rouge: What to Do First

When wind or a falling limb takes down part of a fence, the first hours are about safety and keeping the yard secure, not about the fence itself. The repair can wait a day. Here is the order that keeps you, your pets, and any insurance conversation in good shape.

First: safety

Treat any downed power line as live and keep clear of it, and once it is safe, take photos and video of the damage before anything is cleaned up.

• Look up before you walk the fence line. Limbs that are cracked or hanging can still fall.
• Do not move a fence section, limb, or debris that is touching or near a power line. Report the line to the utility.
• Watch for nails, screws, and broken boards in the grass, and for chain link fabric that has sprung loose.

Second: pets and kids

A fence with a gap is no longer keeping anything in. Until it is fixed, walk dogs on a leash, keep kids out of the damaged area, and let a neighbor know if the gap opens onto their yard. A temporary barrier — a pen, a spare panel, even a row of patio furniture across a small gap — buys time, but treat it as temporary.

Third: document the damage

Once it is safe, take photos and video before anything is cleaned up:

• Wide shots of the whole fence line, including the parts that are still standing.
• Close-ups of each broken post, panel, and gate.
• Whatever caused the damage — the limb, the tree, the debris.
• The date and time, and a rough count of how many feet are down.

Keep pieces that are still in good shape — undamaged boards, panels, and hardware can help with matching later.

Insurance: ask your carrier

Whether a policy covers fence damage depends on the policy — ask your carrier. Before you call, have your policy number, your photos, and a description of what was damaged. Ask your carrier what they need from you — a written repair quote, photos, an inspection — before any permanent repair.

Fourth: get a written quote

When you call for the repair, describe the damage as specifically as you can: how many feet are down or leaning, how many posts are broken, which gates are affected, and the material. That helps the installer plan the visit and bring the right materials.

A storm repair should be quoted like any other fence job, with these lines broken out:

1. 1Footage & layoutTotal linear feet, fence height, and where the line runs — drawn or described so you can check it.
2. 2Old-fence removal & haul-offTaking down and hauling away the existing fence, priced on its own line — or stated as not included.
3. 3Materials & postsFence material and style, post type and spacing, and how posts are set.
4. 4Gates & hardwareEach gate's width and type, plus hinges, latches, and any hardware upgrades.

For storm damage, the removal line matters more than usual: it should cover the broken pieces and any debris that came down with them. Ask your installer who pulls the permit.

Repair or replace after a storm?

A storm can make the decision for you, or it can be the push to replace a fence that was already tired. If the damage is one section of an otherwise solid fence, repair it. If the storm took down a fence that was already leaning in other places, price the replacement too. Using published ranges, a 48-foot run of wood privacy works out to about $720 to $1,440 and of chain link to about $480 to $960. The repair-or-replace guide walks through the decision.

Expect a wait after a big storm

After a storm that hits a whole area, many people call at once, and scheduling can take longer than usual. Getting your request in with clear details and photos ready is the best way to get on the schedule. In the meantime, keep the temporary barrier in place and keep checking it.

How a storm-repair request moves

Call (225) 351-2857 or send the form with what was damaged, roughly how many feet, the material, and whether anything is still on the fence. Your request goes to one local installer, who looks at the damage and puts the repair quote in writing. The quote, the contract, and the work are between you and that installer. For the common repairs, see fence repair in Baton Rouge.