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CGI Fence Installation: The Orlando Owner’s Guide
CGI fence installation in Orlando typically runs $3,500 – $9,000 for a complete project, depending on linear footage, post condition, and whether we’re rebuilding from the ground up or swapping panels onto existing structure. When a CGI fence part fails, it’s usually not the panel itself – it’s the hardware, the post footing, or a gate hinge that’s been fighting Florida humidity for a decade. We stock CGI-compatible panels, posts, brackets, and gate kits, and in most cases we can get a failed section diagnosed and replaced the same week, not the same month.
Here’s how owners usually discover the problem: a gate starts dragging across the paver driveway in Baldwin Park, or a wind gust from an afternoon thunderstorm sends a panel leaning over toward the sidewalk in Conway. Sometimes it’s quieter than that – a post wobbles when you push on it, or the bottom rail develops rust bloom after years of sprinkler overspray. By the time you notice, the failure has usually been building for months. The good news is that a CGI fence is one of the most repairable fence systems on the market, and the fix rarely requires tearing out the whole run.
Which CGI Models This Applies To
CGI fence panels come in several series, and the biggest compatibility gotcha is this: CGI’s commercial and residential lines do not share identical post dimensions. A panel from the CGI Sterling series won’t drop cleanly into a post system spec’d for the CGI Sentry line without shimming or brackets that were never meant for it. If you’re replacing one panel, we match the series exactly. If you’re replacing everything, we can move you into the line that makes more sense for your lot size and setback requirements in Orlando.
The right way to identify what you have: look for the manufacturer label on the inside face of the post or the bottom rail. If the label is gone (sun and sprinklers eat them fast), we measure the post profile and the panel’s top and bottom rail dimensions. CGI residential panels are typically 6′ tall in 6′ or 8′ widths, with aluminum post systems that take a 2″ or 2.5″ square post depending on the series. For aftermarket replacements, quality extruded aluminum panels from American manufacturers tend to hold up as well as OEM in Central Florida, provided the powder coat is rated for coastal air. We’re an independent service provider, not affiliated with CGI, which means we’ll tell you honestly when a non-OEM panel is the smarter buy and when it isn’t.
Styles & brands we work with
Signs Your CGI Fence Installation Is Failing
- Post lean at the concrete line. In Orlando’s sandy soil, a post that wasn’t set deep enough – or set in a too-small footing – starts leaning after the first heavy rain season. The fix means digging out and re-footing, not just kicking it straight.
- Gate drag and hinge squeal. The gate is the first component to fail on any CGI fence in Florida. Heat expands the aluminum, the hinge springs lose tension, and the latch stops lining up. If your gate sounds like a screen door in a hurricane, the hinge post has likely shifted.
- Rust bloom at panel-to-rail connections. This is a coating failure, not a metal failure. When sprinklers hit the same spot every morning for years, the powder coat thins, then pits, then exposes bare aluminum. It looks worse than it is, but it will spread if left alone.
- Bowed or “oil-canned” panels. That wavy distortion across the face of a panel means the panel was installed too tight against the posts, or a wind event flexed it past its tolerance. In Orlando’s thunderstorm season, this is common on fences with long, unsupported runs.
- Loose or missing top rail caps. Those small caps are the first things to disappear after a strong storm or a curious kid. They’re also the entry point for water into the post, which accelerates corrosion from the inside out.
See the difference
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After
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AfterReplacement Cost & What’s Included
For a full CGI fence installation in Orlando, expect $3,500 – $9,000. A single-panel swap or a gate rebuild usually falls between $600 and $2,400 with labor. What drives the spread: how many linear feet we’re replacing, whether the existing posts are reusable, access to the fence line (a tight side yard in Winter Park costs more in labor than an open backyard in Dr. Phillips), and whether we’re matching an existing series or installing new.
Every estimate is a written line-item price delivered before work starts. That price includes materials, labor, haul-off of the old panels and posts, and cleanup. If the job needs a permit through the City of Orlando or Orange County, we handle the paperwork and the inspections. Our workmanship warranty runs 365 days from the completion date – if the fence settles, a gate binds, or a bracket fails in that window, we come back and fix it at no charge. No dispute process, no conditions.
DIY or Call Us?
CGI fence work is generally not dangerous in the way high-tension springs or electrical work is, but there are two places where a homeowner can get hurt or wreck the fence: pulling an old post out of a concrete footing (back strain is real, and a snapped post can kick back) and setting new posts without proper depth or concrete cure time (the fence will lean within a year). We’d rather you call us for anything involving post replacement or gate hinge work. What you can safely do: tighten loose rail screws, clear vegetation off the bottom rail, and snap replacement post caps on. Beyond that, the labor isn’t free – it’s just expensive in time and rework.
Tell me what the problem is. We’ll figure out the rest from there. Call (850) 920-7745 and describe what you’re seeing. We’ll get you a written price before anyone touches a post.
FAQs
A properly installed CGI aluminum fence in Orlando lasts 15 to 25 years depending on sprinkler exposure, soil drainage, and proximity to salt air. The panels themselves rarely fail – it’s the post footings and gate hardware that go first. Call (850) 920-7745 if you’re seeing early rust or lean and we’ll tell you whether it’s worth repairing.
Yes, and most of the time a repair is what actually makes sense. A leaning post, a dragging gate, or a rusted bottom rail can usually be fixed without replacing the entire fence line. We’ll price the repair honestly – if replacement is cheaper long-term, we’ll tell you that too.
Most complete CGI fence installations in Orlando take two to four days from the first post hole to final cleanup. Single-panel replacements and gate rebuilds are usually done in half a day. We’ll give you a written schedule before work begins and stick to it.
We keep common CGI-compatible panels, posts, brackets, and gate kits on hand, plus hardware from our broader parts inventory that includes KraftMaid, Cambria, and Silestone for other project types. If your fence needs a rare series match, we order it and handle the lead time for you.
Written by Isaac Pruett, Owner, Mason Remodeling Co Orlando at Mason Remodeling Co Orlando, serving Orlando and nearby areas.
