Tamko Fence Installation: The Fort Myers Owner’s Guide
A full Tamko fence installation in Fort Myers typically runs between $3,500 and $9,000, depending on linear footage, style, and site conditions. We stock Tamko-compatible materials locally and can usually have a new fence completed within a few days once the project starts. Most homeowners call us because the old fence is leaning, panels have blown out during a summer storm, or the bottom rails have started rotting from constant ground contact in our humidity.
Tamko builds fencing designed to handle tough weather, but nothing lasts forever in Southwest Florida. The combination of tropical moisture, sandy soil that shifts with the water table, and direct UV exposure means even a well-built fence will eventually need replacing. We see it in neighborhoods all over Fort Myers, from the older lots in Dean Park to the newer developments out toward Gateway. The good news is Tamko’s engineered wood and composite lines give you options that hold up far better than untreated pine in our climate.
We are an independent, locally owned contractor, not a division of Tamko. That matters because we’re free to recommend the exact Tamko product line that fits your property, not the one a manufacturer wants to push. Derek Hollenbeck has been working with fencing materials across Lee County for over two decades, and Groundwork Construction Co. brings that experience to every job.
Which Tamko Models This Applies To
We install and work with the full Tamko fence product line available in the Fort Myers market. That includes the Envision composite fencing system, the Engineered Wood Privacy line, and their traditional wood fence pickets and posts. The most common compatibility issue we run into is mixing old non-Tamko posts with new Tamko panels. Tamko’s Envision line uses a proprietary rail-and-bracket system. If your existing posts are not set at the exact spacing Tamko requires, panels will not seat correctly, and you will end up with sagging or gaps. Always measure post spacing center-to-center before ordering materials. It saves a lot of frustration.
On the wood side, Tamko specifies 0.40 pressure-treated retention for their pine products, which is higher than what you find on the shelf at a big-box store. That extra treatment matters in Fort Myers, where fence posts sit in damp soil nearly year-round. When we quote a Tamko fence, we match the correct retention level. DIY installs often skip this detail and end up with posts rotting out in three or four years.
For the Envision composite system, we stock latches, post caps, and bottom rails on the truck. If a gate stop or a mid-rail bracket breaks, we can usually swap it same-visit. Full panel replacements for the composite line are special-order, but we handle that and keep you updated on the timeline.
Signs Your Tamko Fence Installation Is Failing
- Leaning posts that wobble at the base. This usually means the post has rotted below ground level. In Fort Myers, where the water table sits high during rainy season, posts set without proper gravel drainage or concrete footers will shift and decay faster than expected. Once a post moves, the connected panels pull on adjacent posts and the problem cascades.
- Splitting or warping fence pickets. Tamko wood pickets are kiln-dried and treated, but constant sun exposure and the cycle of afternoon thunderstorms followed by intense heat causes the wood to expand and contract. Over time, pickets crack vertically or cup away from the rails. You will see daylight through gaps that were not there when the fence went up.
- Fence panels that blew out during a storm. A fence that fails in wind was already compromised. Typically the fasteners rusted through or the rail ends rotted where they meet the post. We see this pattern a lot after a tropical storm passes through Fort Myers. The wind finds the weak point and the whole section goes down.
- Gate sagging or dragging on the ground. Gate frames on Tamko wood fences use heavier hardware than the panel sections, but the screws holding the hinges can pull out of soft wood over time. Composite gates are heavier and will sag if the hinge-side post is even slightly out of plumb. A dragging gate puts stress on the latch and the post, speeding up failure.
- Discolored or chalky composite rails. Tamko Envision is UV-stabilized, but after 10-plus years of direct Florida sun, darker colors can show fading. This is cosmetic and does not affect structural integrity, but if the surface has turned chalky and transfers color to your hand, the protective cap layer is breaking down.
Replacement Cost & What’s Included
A new Tamko fence in Fort Myers runs $3,500 to $9,000 installed, with most standard backyard privacy fences landing in the $5,000 to $7,000 range. The spread comes down to linear feet, the specific Tamko line you choose, gate count, and whether we need to pull and replace old concrete footers. Envision composite runs toward the higher end. Engineered wood sits solidly in the middle. A basic pressure-treated pine fence with Tamko pickets lands at the lower end.
Our price includes everything: removal and disposal of the old fence, new Tamko materials, concrete for the posts, all hardware, and labor. No markups hidden in a change order after we start digging. We quote upfront pricing. The number you see is the number you pay. Every job is covered by our 730-Day Done Right Promise. If something is not right, we make it right, period.
For larger projects over $10,000, we offer $1,000 off and 0% financing for 18 months. That can matter on a long fence run or if you are also tackling driveway pavers or a patio at the same time.
DIY or Call Us?
Fence installation is not inherently dangerous the way a garage-door spring or electrical panel is, but it is physically demanding and easy to get wrong in ways that shorten the fence’s life by years. The two biggest mistakes we see on DIY Tamko fence jobs in Fort Myers: setting posts at the wrong depth, and skipping the gravel base at the bottom of the hole. A post set 18 inches deep in our sandy soil without drainage will start leaning within two seasons. A proper post hole here goes 24 to 30 inches deep with 6 inches of gravel at the bottom so water does not pool against the wood.
You can absolutely measure your property line and confirm where the fence needs to go. You can check for underground utilities by calling 811, which is free. Where DIY turns expensive is when an old concrete footer has to be jackhammered out, or when the post spacing is off by an inch and your Tamko panels do not fit. If you are comfortable digging deep holes in August heat and you have a helper, a small straight-run fence is doable. For anything with gates, corners, or uneven grade, call us at (844) 638-7249. A free estimate costs you nothing, and we will give you a written line-item quote you can think about.
FAQs
A properly installed Tamko pressure-treated pine fence lasts 15 to 20 years in Southwest Florida with occasional cleaning. Envision composite fencing can last 25 years or more. The lifespan depends heavily on post installation depth and drainage. Posts set too shallow or without gravel fail years before the pickets ever show wear.
Yes, as long as the posts are still solid. We can replace individual pickets, rails, or a single blown-out panel. If the posts are rotted or leaning, replacing just the panels is a short-term fix. The bad posts will keep shifting and damage the new materials. Call (844) 638-7249 and we will tell you honestly whether a repair makes sense or if a full replacement is the smarter money.
Most residential fence jobs in Fort Myers take two to three working days from start to finish. Day one is removing the old fence and setting posts in concrete. We let the concrete cure overnight, then day two is rails, pickets or composite panels, and gates. Larger properties or jobs with extensive old concrete removal can add a day. We will give you a firm timeline before we start.
We carry common Tamko Envision hardware, gate latches, post caps, and bottom rails on our service vehicles. If we have what you need for a repair, we can handle it in one trip. Full panels and specialty color-matched components are ordered per job. We handle the ordering and keep you updated on lead times so you are never waiting in the dark.
If your fence is failing and you want a straight answer on what it will cost to fix or replace it with Tamko materials that hold up in Fort Myers, call us at (844) 638-7249. You will get a live person, 24/7, and we will schedule a free estimate at a time that works for you.
Written by Derek Hollenbeck, Owner & General Contractor, Groundwork Construction Co. of Fort Myers, serving Fort Myers and nearby areas.