West St. Louis County has a lot of yards with slopes, mature trees, older fences, and neighborhood rules that set what you can build and where. Two fence quotes for the same backyard can look wildly different on paper. Usually the difference is not the crew's pride or their skill. It is what each quote assumed about your lot.
Local option: New Plan Care gives families in the St. Louis area in-home help so a parent can stay home: companionship, help with bathing and dressing, meals, and overnight care. Call (314) 405-0887.
1. The slope and the soil
A flat yard and a sloped yard need different posts, different panel fitting, and sometimes stepped sections. Ask each crew how they plan to handle the grade, and whether the quote includes digging through clay or rock. A quote that never mentions the ground is missing a line.
2. The old fence
Find out whether the quote includes removing the existing fence and hauling it away. Removal is a separate job with its own labor and disposal. If one quote includes it and the other does not, the two numbers are not comparable.
3. The approvals
Many neighborhoods have rules about fence height, materials, and the side that faces the street. Check whether your subdivision has an architectural or HOA review, and whether the city requires a permit for your fence. Ask each crew who pulls the permit and who pays the fee. A quote that skips this step may leave you with a delay or a redo.
4. The property line
Ask how the crew will confirm the property line. If you have a survey, keep it with the quote. If you do not, ask whether the crew will work from the markers in the ground or whether you will need a survey first. Setting a fence over the line is a costly mistake that is easy to avoid with one paper in the folder.
5. The access
Think about how the crew gets materials and equipment to the back of the yard. A narrow side gate, a steep path, or a fence line behind a deck adds hours. Ask whether the quote assumes the crew can drive a truck to the gate or must carry everything by hand.
Compare the scopes, not the total
Put the quotes side by side and mark what each one includes: removal, permits, gate count, height, post spacing, and the warranty on labor. Ask each company to put the scope in writing. The lowest number is only useful once the two scopes match.
If you want to find local names to call, the Local Help in St. Louis page is a starting point. Keep your quotes, your survey, and your HOA notes in the same folder, and make sure the house folder has an owner who can find them on the day the crew arrives.