What to Send for a Commercial Fence Bid: Plans, Specs, and Submittals

To get an accurate commercial fence bid, send the full plan set, the project specifications, any addenda, and the basic project details: address, bid due date, and whether the job is prevailing wage. With that package, a fence contractor can find every fence and gate line item, price it, and return commercial fence submittals for approval once the job is awarded.

This guide explains what to include when you send a project out for a fence bid, what submittals are and what goes in them, and what happens between the bid and the final walkthrough. It’s written for general contractors, estimators, project managers, and agency staff.

How Does a Commercial Fence Bid Work?

Most commercial fence projects follow the same path. Our founder, Tim, describes it simply: you send us your plans, we dig through them to find all the fencing, and we send back our submittals and a quote.

Here’s how that plays out from start to finish:

• You send the plans and specs with your bid due date.
• We review every sheet and pull out each fence, gate, and related item.
• We return a quote with each line item broken out, along with submittals when the bid requires them.
• You review the numbers, and if you choose us, you send your contract.
• Submittals go through the design team for approval.
• We order materials once submittals are approved.
• When materials arrive, we set the install date with you, and that date holds.
• After the work is complete and walked, we send closeout documents and final billing.

The first two steps decide how accurate everything after them will be. A complete package means a complete number.

Why Fence Scope Is Easy to Miss

Fence work rarely sits on one sheet. On a typical commercial plan set, the fence line may be drawn on the civil site plan, the details may live on the landscape sheets, gate operators may show up on the electrical drawings, and the materials may be described in the specifications. Bollards or guardrail may appear on yet another sheet.

That’s why we read the whole set instead of only the sheets labeled for fencing. A missed gate detail or an overlooked line of fence on a civil sheet becomes a change order later. Finding it at bid time keeps your budget accurate.

What to Send for a Commercial Fence Bid

The full plan set

Send every sheet if you can, not only the ones you think show fencing. The sheets we look at most are:

• Civil and site plans showing fence lines, gates, and grading
• Landscape plans and details, where fence and gate details often live
• Architectural sheets for fences or gates that connect to buildings
• Electrical sheets for gate operators, access control, and power
• Structural details for engineered footings or tall fences

PDF works for most projects. If you have DWG files, send them too, because they let us take accurate measurements.

The project specifications

The specs tell us what the drawings can’t, including material grades, finishes, standards, and installation requirements. Fence work is usually covered in Division 32 of the project manual, in sections such as 32 31 13 for chain link fences and gates and 32 31 19 for decorative metal fences and gates. Gate operator and vehicle barrier requirements may appear in other divisions.

Addenda

Send every addendum issued during the bid period. Addenda often change fence heights, add gates, or swap materials, and a bid built on the original set won’t match the final scope.

Project information

A few details change the price as much as the drawings do:

• Project address and the bid due date
• Whether the project is prevailing wage
• Bonding and insurance requirements
• Your bid form or schedule of values, if you need pricing broken out a certain way
• Any scope that’s being handled by others, such as gate operators or concrete mow strips
• Known site conditions, such as rock, existing fence to remove, or slab to core

What Are Commercial Fence Submittals?

Commercial fence submittals are the documents a fence contractor sends to the architect or engineer, through the general contractor, to show exactly what will be installed. The design team reviews them against the specs and either approves them or returns comments. Materials are ordered only after approval.

Submittals protect everyone on the project. The owner gets what was specified, the design team confirms the products meet the spec, and the contractor builds with approved materials instead of guessing.

What Goes in a Fence Submittal Package

The project specs list what each submittal package must include. A typical fence submittal package contains:

Product data

Manufacturer data sheets for each component: fabric or panels, posts, rails, fittings, gate hardware, toppers, and finishes. Each sheet shows that the product meets the gauge, size, coating, or standard the spec calls for.

Shop drawings

Drawings that show how the fence and gates will be built on this project. Shop drawings usually include the fence layout, gate elevations, post and footing details, and how gate operators will be mounted.

Samples and color selections

Color chips or samples for vinyl coating, powder coat, or other finishes, so the design team can confirm the color before material is ordered.

Certifications

Mill certificates for steel and documentation showing that galvanizing or coatings meet the specified standard.

Gate operator information

For automated gates, operator data sheets and safety device information, including compliance with UL 325, the safety standard for gate operators.

Calculations, when required

Some tall or screened fences need engineered post and footing designs for wind load. When the spec requires it, calculations are included with the package.

Warranty information

Manufacturer warranties for materials and the installer’s warranty for workmanship.

If the design team marks a submittal “revise and resubmit,” we address the comments and send it back. Getting submittals right the first time keeps material orders on track.

What Slows a Bid Down

A few common gaps add time to a bid and risk to the number:

• Missing sheets. Fence details on a sheet we didn’t receive can’t be priced.
• Conflicts between drawings and specs. When the plans show one height and the specs list another, we have to ask before we price.
• No gate schedule. Gate sizes, types, and hardware drive a large share of the cost.
• Unclear scope splits. If gate operators, electrical, or concrete work are by others, the bid should say so.
• Late addenda. Changes issued close to the due date may not make it into every sub’s number.

When we find a conflict or gap, we send questions back before the bid is due. That keeps assumptions out of the number.

What Happens After Award

Once you award the project, we sign your contract and prepare submittals. After approval, we order materials. When everything is in, we coordinate the install date with you, and once you have a date, that’s your date. We don’t move your job to make room for a bigger one.

Our crews are all W-2 employees, so everyone working on your site answers to us directly. At closeout, we walk the work with your superintendent, finish any punch items, and send warranty documents and final billing.

No Plans Yet?

A missing plan set doesn’t have to hold up pricing. Give us the project address and tell us what the site needs. On many California projects, our team can measure and scope the work from satellite imagery first, then tighten the number when drawings are issued.

Bidding a Public Project?

Public projects add requirements to the bid package. Tell us up front if the job is prevailing wage, and include the bonding and insurance requirements from the bid documents. Our crews work on prevailing wage jobs, and we supply certified payroll records along with the bond and insurance paperwork the agency asks for.

Commercial Fence Submittals FAQ

Who prepares fence submittals?

The fence contractor prepares the submittals and sends them to the general contractor, who forwards them to the architect or engineer for review.

When are submittals due?

The project specs and the general contractor’s schedule set the deadline. Submittals are usually due soon after contract award, since materials can’t be ordered until they’re approved.

Can I get a fence bid without specifications?

Yes, but the bid will rely on assumptions about materials and installation. Sending the specs, or at least the fence and gate details, gives you a more accurate number.

What file formats should I send?

PDF plan sets work for most projects. DWG files help with accurate measurements on larger sites. Our bid request form accepts both.

What does “by others” mean on a fence bid?

“By others” means a scope item is being handled by a different contractor, so it isn’t included in the fence bid. Common examples are electrical service to gate operators, concrete mow strips, and paving repair.

Do you provide submittals with the bid or after award?

If the bid documents require product data with the bid, we include it. Otherwise, full submittal packages are prepared after award.

Send Us Your Plans

The fastest way to an accurate fence number is a complete package. Upload your plans, specs, and addenda, tell us your bid due date, and we’ll review the full scope and return a detailed quote. When you’re ready, request a bid.