Been putting up fences for 30 years and I keep seeing people skip the gravel base

I installed a cedar fence last week for a lady in St. Paul and had to redo three posts because the crew before me just dumped concrete around the wood with no drainage underneath. That gravel base isn't just extra work, it's the difference between a fence lasting 15 years and one rotting out in 5. I always put 6 inches of crushed stone at the bottom of each hole before setting the post. Has anyone else dealt with customers who think you're just trying to upsell them on the gravel?

2 comments

2 Comments

nathang671mo ago

6 inches of crushed stone" saves way more headache than six bucks.

morgan.cameron1mo ago

Right? @nathang67 nailed it. I've had people give me the stink eye for adding gravel like I'm trying to pad their bill, then they're calling me back in two years because the posts are leaning and the wood is spongy. It's not upselling, it's basic physics.