EP 528: How To Choose A Fence That Lasts In Dallas Fort Worth

What makes Leslie Coburn with Esterday Fence a good neighbor?

We talk with Leslie Coburn of Esterday Fence, a family owned fencing company that has served the Dallas Fort Worth Metroplex for more than 40 years. Leslie shares what homeowners should know when choosing a new fence, maintaining an existing one, and making decisions that impact both appearance and long term durability.

We discuss the differences between wood fencing, ornamental iron fencing, farm and ranch fencing, and PVC fencing, along with the importance of using quality materials designed specifically for fencing applications. Leslie explains why contractor grade products from dedicated fence manufacturers often provide better performance and longevity than standard retail options.

The conversation also explores one of the most common questions homeowners ask: whether a damaged fence can be repaired with a simple post replacement. Leslie explains why many repairs involve evaluating the condition of surrounding components and how gates often reveal installation problems faster than any other part of the fence. Understanding these factors can help homeowners make better repair and replacement decisions.

We also talk about extending the life of an existing fence through professional cleaning and staining services. Leslie shares how proper maintenance helps protect wood from the harsh Texas sun, moisture exposure, and everyday wear, often adding years to the life of a fence that is still structurally sound.

Safety is another important topic, especially for families with children, pets, and swimming pools. Leslie discusses practical features such as self closing gates, secure latching systems, and design considerations that improve safety while maintaining curb appeal.

If you are researching fence installation, fence repair, fence staining, or backyard safety solutions in the Dallas Fort Worth area, this episode provides practical advice from a company that has spent decades helping homeowners protect and improve their properties.

Subscribe, share, and leave a review with your question for the next episode.

Guest Info: Esterday Fence | https://www.fenceup.com/ 

Transcript

Welcome To Good Neighbor Podcast

SPEAKER_00 0:00

This is the Good Neighbor Podcast, the place where local businesses and neighbors come together. Here's your host, Sophia Yvette.

SPEAKER_02 0:10

Welcome to the Good Neighbor Podcast. Are you in need of a fencing company? Well, one may be closer than you think. Today I have the pleasure of introducing your good neighbor, Leslie Coburn, with Esther Day Fence. Leslie, it's wonderful having you on today. Now we are so excited to learn more about you and your business. So go ahead and tell our listeners just a little bit more about your company.

What Esther Day Fence Does

SPEAKER_01 0:36

So we are a family-owned and run business. We've been serving the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex for over 40 years since 1984. We uh do all kinds of fences. We do wood fences, iron fences, farm fences, PVC, and we recently started doing in-house staining. So we have uh so even if you don't need a new fence, but you just need to uh make the fence that you have last longer, we can come out and clean and stain it for you and double the life of your fence.

SPEAKER_02 1:11

Wow, very exciting stuff. Now let's uh dive back in time

How The Company Got Its Name

SPEAKER_02 1:16

for a second. You know, tell us a little bit more about how you came up with the idea for this business in the first place.

SPEAKER_01 1:24

So this is actually a fence company uh started by somebody with a last name yesterday. My uh dad purchased it in 1997, and I started working for him then, and we've uh we were gonna change the name, and then we thought, well, all the signs are out there. It's kind of an interesting name. So we kind of kept it, and we've just been rolling along since then. And the he semi-retired back in 2017 and then really retired in 2021. So I have been running it since then.

SPEAKER_02 2:00

Wow, and what made you want to keep the name today?

SPEAKER_01 2:05

Uh again, just the familiarity, and you have the you've got signs on fences, and you've got a website that you've had for this long. And it's kind of a it's just kind of a not a catchy name, I would say, but people tend to remember it. A lot of people think maybe it was yesterday or Easter, but so we've just I think just the longevity of it, why go changing it?

SPEAKER_02 2:30

Very, very true. You definitely got it um well branded there.

Repairs And Material Quality Myths

SPEAKER_02 2:35

Now, you know, what is that number one misconception you get asked today in your industry? You know, being in DFW, crazy weather happens all the time. So, what happens if someone has a fence and needs a repair?

SPEAKER_01 2:53

If you need a repair, so there's different kinds of repairs. A lot of people will say, uh, how much is it just to replace a post? But a lot of times it's not just replacing a post. It's uh if your post is broken, it might mean that you've had the fence for a while and it's time to maybe repair a section or two. Uh, and so, and the other probably misconception of that is that you can go to any box store and get some fence material, but we buy from uh fence manufacturers, and that's all they do is make supplies for fences and decks. And there is a difference in the materials that we use.

SPEAKER_02 3:34

Wow.

DIY Versus Professional Installation

SPEAKER_02 3:35

Now, besides materials, what is the biggest difference between DIYing your fence and getting a professional to get it set up for you?

SPEAKER_01 3:43

So I would say some people say it looks pretty easy to do a fence, right? All you've got to do is dig a hole, stick a post in there, put some con some concrete in there, and then start running your rails and pickets. And I think if you have a completely flat yard and you don't need to do a gate and there's no trees in the way, the ground is completely level and there's no dips, might be a little easier to do. Our fence installers all have 10 plus years experience installing fences, and there are things that you need to know. You know, if you're doing a flat top fence, the rail needs to go at a certain level. If you're gonna put a two by six underneath it, how much space do you need to leave underneath it? And definitely building a gate is not just cutting the fence and then sticking some hinges and a latch on it, and it's not gonna swing just the way you want it to. There's some nuances to actually uh getting it to work over time.

Homeowner Safety And Pool Gates

SPEAKER_02 4:46

Now, Leslie, we're gonna go ahead and switch gears here. Now we know marketing is the heart of every business. So ideally, who are you looking to attract and how are you attracting them?

SPEAKER_01 4:58

Well, we're obviously looking for homeowners, um, anybody with a backyard fence and people who are interested in possibly if they have small children, you want a nice safe yard for your for your kids. Uh, if you have a dog or pets, you know, you don't want the your dog sticking your nose through, or if you have small kids, you don't want the neighbor's dog sticking their fence through, or maybe under the fence. And then, of course, if you've got a swimming pool for safety reasons, you want to make sure that you're there's no weak places in your fence. You want to make sure you've got a gate that uh has a spring on it. So if you open the gate, it automatically closes and to prevent people from coming in the backyard. You might not want kids to climb the fence, so you might want to do your pickets facing out so that they of course get the the quote unquote pretty side because they don't have the post, but you also have the safety of not having anybody climb over.

SPEAKER_02 5:59

So, Leslie, how are you reaching these homeowners today?

Referrals Online Presence And Where To Start

SPEAKER_01 6:03

Um, right now we do obviously we have word of mouth. We love a good referral from a neighbor, or if we're working in the neighborhood and you see our guys out there or see the trailer out there. Uh, we do some stuff on Facebook. We've got a great website, and you can get to that website with it's esterdafence.com, or if you want to make it easy to remember, we do fenceup.com, get you to the same place, and it tells you all the different styles of fence. It's got pictures, and and then of course we've got a Google listing that you can go to Google Business and check out pictures and information there.

SPEAKER_02 6:47

Amazing.

Family Life Texas Tech And Music

SPEAKER_02 6:48

Now, outside of work, what do you and your family like to do for fun?

SPEAKER_01 6:53

Uh it feels like there's a limited amount of time right now to have fun, but uh our oldest son lives in Houston, and so we like to they and just got married, so we uh spent a lot of over the last year kind of getting wedding prep and doing all that. And then our youngest son goes to Texas Tech. Uh actually, my husband and the oldest one went to Texas Tech, so we love some Texas Tech football. We typically try to do at least one Lubbock trip, if not more. And my husband and I love live music. Uh sometimes we just go see a cover band or you know, the real deal, but that's always fun.

SPEAKER_02 7:38

Very,

Biggest Takeaways And How To Reach Them

SPEAKER_02 7:39

very fun. Now we're gonna switch gears back to the business for a second. What is the greatest takeaway you would like our listeners to gather from learning about Esther Day fence?

SPEAKER_01 7:51

I think the best takeaway is to know we've been in business for over 40 years. Uh, all of our installers have 10 plus years experience in fencing, and we've got we work with, as I said, professional fence material companies so that just specialize in fence and deck products that we've been working with for again over 40 years. We have a good relationship with them, and we feel like we're getting the best quality materials to install fences for homes in Dallas Fort Worth.

SPEAKER_02 8:31

Wonderful, wonderful. Now, I think you already said this, but where is the best place for listeners to go to learn about Esther Day Fence?

SPEAKER_01 8:39

If you go to fenceup.com, that'll take you to our website. And that, as I said, it's there's pictures on there. It's got all kinds of information about the different fences. And then you could also hit our Facebook page and see more pictures and see a couple pictures of the guys working, the crews that we've got working for us. You can see our shop that we have an actual physical location, which you're more than welcome to come visit, but and see the materials and stuff that we have and some fence samples.

SPEAKER_02 9:13

Wonderful. Well, Leslie, I really appreciate you being on the show today. We wish you and your business the best moving forward.

SPEAKER_01 9:21

Thank you very much. I appreciate you

Closing And Nomination Details

SPEAKER_01 9:23

having us.

SPEAKER_00 9:23

Thank you for listening to the Good Neighbor Podcast. To nominate your favorite local businesses to be featured on the show, go to GNP Frisco dot com. That's GNP Frisco dot com or call four six nine two two two two two two two two two two two two one nine three four five.