Every contractor claims quality. The way to compare them is to compare the parts of the quote that can be verified rather than the parts that cannot.
Compare specifications, not adjectives. Post depth, footing type, post spacing, rail count, fastener rating, gate hardware and what happens to the old fence are all checkable; 'premium' and 'quality' are not.
Useful when three quotes have come back at very different numbers and it is not obvious why.
Ask each contractor for the same specification and re-quote if they differ. A cheaper number for a thinner post at wider centres is not a cheaper fence.
Confirm in writing who is responsible for permits, utility locating and the property line. Ambiguity here is what turns into a dispute later.
Ask what would delay the job, not how fast it will be. A contractor who names rock, buried services and weather has thought about the site.
Ask what maintenance the fence will need and on what cycle. A straight answer about staining or hardware is a better signal than a promise that it needs none.
How deep the posts go, what goes in the hole, how far apart the posts are, how many rails, what fasteners, and who is responsible for the property line. All six have concrete answers.
They are more useful for how problems were handled than for how the fence was built, since most reviews are written before the fence has been through a winter.
Material deposits are normal, particularly on custom or special-order product. What matters is that the amount is proportionate and that what it buys is written down.
Call Donor Probe fencing-sterling on (512) 555-0134, or send the details through the form.