Usually not: on a Fort Worth fence quote, staining and sealing are commonly priced as a separate line from installation, so ask for the stain, the coats and both sides in writing. Our free on-site quote is measured in your yard and names the picket grade, so you see what the price covers before work starts.
Most Fort Worth homeowners holding a wood fence quote face the same gap. One line says installation, and nobody wrote down the stain. Two quotes that differ on grade, footage or finish are two prices for two different fences, and the cheaper one may simply cover less.
Fort Worth fence quotes usually price staining as a separate line
Usually no. Fort Worth fence contractors commonly quote staining and sealing separately from installation, and some new pickets arrive factory pre-stained instead. A quote that says “complete fence installation” does not by itself mean the wood is stained, so the stain has to be named on the quote.
Top Rail Fence Fort Worth states specifically that staining and sealing are quoted separately from fence installation. i30 Builders says new pickets may come factory pre-stained, while staining an existing fence is separately quoted. Those are two different situations, and a quote that does not say which one applies leaves you guessing.
The safest habit on a new cedar fence is to treat the phrase “complete fence installation” as silent on stain. If the finish matters to you, the stain gets its own words on the paper.
On our side, a salesperson meets you on site, measures the linear footage, and confirms the fence type and picket grade. We name the picket grade, #1 to #3, in writing on the quote. A grade, a footage and a fence type are things you can hold against any other bid.
What a Fort Worth fence staining quote should spell out
A staining line should name the stain material and brand, and say whether both sides of the fence are stained. It should also say whether cleaning and preparation are included. If any of those is missing, the line cannot be compared with another contractor’s.
The same list covers the labor to apply the stain, the number of coats, and whether sealing is included. A bare “staining” line with a single price hides all of them.
The Texas Attorney General’s guide, How to Avoid Home Improvement Scams, gives the general rule for any written estimate: “Get the bids in writing, and look for detail about exactly what will be done. Depending on the nature of the work, you may wish to specify the kinds (grade or thickness) of materials that will be used.” The guide also says a written contract should spell out the cost of special orders and materials, and should include everything the salesperson or contractor promised.
A stain line that names the product, the sides and the coats meets that standard. A line that says only “stain included” does not.
Ask Fort Worth fence builders to quote staining with a new cedar fence
On a new cedar privacy fence, ask the contractor to put staining in the original quote. Asking at the start puts the finish on the same page as the pickets, the footage and the grade.
The reason to ask early is that you then see the full price of the finished fence in one document. Added later, staining becomes its own job with its own quote, and you compare it against nothing. If a contractor says the pickets arrive pre-stained, ask that the quote say so, as i30 Builders describes for new pickets.
Staining an existing Fort Worth fence is quoted as its own job
Staining a fence that is already standing is priced separately from building one. i30 Builders and Top Rail Fence Fort Worth both describe staining as a separate quote, and the prep on an older fence is the reason the price moves.
Preserva Products, a stain maker, states in its Preserva Seal Product Application Guide: “All other previous stains and sealers must be completely removed by stripping or sanding.” That is extra labor before the first coat goes on, and a quote should say whether it is counted.
Preserva Products’ Stain Project Guide publishes this procedure for preparing and staining an existing wood fence:
- Clean wood with Preserva Products Renewer & Cleaner or a soap and water solution.
- Allow wood to dry overnight.
- Blend together all containers when using more than one container.
- Stir, ensuring that all pigment on the bottom of the can has been dispersed.
- Stir every 15 minutes during use.
- Stain a small area and allow to dry to test for color satisfaction and overall appearance.
- Apply to vertical surfaces (fences and siding) with a pump sprayer and/or a stain brush.
- Back brush any runs to ensure even application.
- Do not place oil soaked rags or tools into the trash.
- Immerse oil soaked rags in water, lay out to dry in an open area away from all heat and sources of ignition.
- Clean reusable tools (brushes & pump sprayers) with mineral spirits.
Count the steps before you accept a single lump-sum line. Cleaning, an overnight dry, testing a small area and cleanup are all labor.
What does a wood fence cost per foot in Texas?
HomeGuide, in 2026, writes: “A wooden fence costs $20 to $50 per linear foot installed, depending on the size, type, and wood variety.” That is a national figure rather than a Texas-specific one, and it gives you a frame for weighing any quote.
We do not publish a per-foot price. Johnson Fence prices every project by custom quote after a free on-site estimate, and there is no fixed price list. Each quote is priced per linear foot, so the price follows the footage measured on site and the picket grade you pick from #1 through #3.
The price on wood is where we put our weight. Johnson is Master Halco’s largest-volume customer and a top customer of Solid Wood, buys wood pickets at a price competitors cannot get, and passes that through. You pay less for the same spec, rather than less for a thinner one. That is the same cedar fence for less, because we buy the wood for less.
