Hurricane season opened this morning. The Atlantic is quiet, your Siesta Key or Lakewood Ranch rental is fine, and that’s exactly the right time to handle the small stuff that fails first in a 50-mph gust: fence posts that wiggle, gate hinges that have rusted half through, and the gate latch that’s been a little loose since Debby.
None of this is shutters. None of this is a re-roof. This is the stuff a typical SWFL Airbnb host hasn’t touched since closing — and the stuff that ends up in your guest’s 1-star review at 2 AM when the wind picks up and the fence panel goes down the neighbor’s driveway.
Here’s the six-item list with real SKUs and what HANDYS charges if you’d rather we just do it.
1. Tighten loose fence post bases
What fails: posts that wiggle when you push them. The carriage bolt at the base loosened, or the metal post anchor has rust on the threads. Fix: re-snug with a 9/16″ socket. If the anchor itself is corroded, swap it for a Simpson Strong-Tie PB44T post base (about $14.98 at Sarasota Home Depot, SKU 100375081). 15-20 minutes per post.
HANDYS: $40-60 per post including hardware.
2. Replace rusted gate hinges
What fails: hinges that have flaked enough rust that the gate sags — daylight at the top corner. Fix: Everbilt 5/16-in heavy-duty galvanized strap hinge, about $11.74 each at Home Depot Sarasota (SKU 309048472). Two hinges per gate, four #14 x 2″ lag screws each, 30-45 minutes per gate.
HANDYS: $70-90 all-in per gate.
3. Re-tighten the gate latch
What fails: the strike plate has worked loose. The gate latches but doesn’t catch — first 30-mph wind, it bangs all night. Fix: oversize the existing screw holes with a 1/4″ toothpick and wood glue, let it set 20 minutes, re-drive. If the latch itself is bent, swap to a National Hardware Black Gate Latch, about $13.97 (SKU 305680627).
HANDYS: $35-55.
4. Re-secure fence pickets that are starting to lift
What fails: the 2-3 pickets per panel that always pop first. The galvanized ring-shank nails have backed out 1/4 inch. Fix: drive them flush, or replace with 2-1/2″ stainless ring-shank nails ($14.86 per 1-lb box, SKU 100358547). 5-10 minutes per panel.
HANDYS: $25-40 per panel.
5. Reinforce the gate post
What fails: the gate post — the most-loaded post in your whole fence — has settled, and the whole gate sags. Fix: brace with a galvanized gate hardware kit (about $24.96, SKU 207094835), or shim the bottom plate. 45-60 minutes if the post is otherwise sound.
HANDYS: $90-140.
6. Trim the canopy over the fence line
What fails: oak limbs or palm fronds overhanging the fence will whip the boards in a squall. The fence breaks before the tree does. Fix: 8-ft pole pruner from Home Depot ($59.97, SKU 312640192), or call us. Trim back to 4 feet of clearance above the fence top.
HANDYS: $90-160 per fence line.
The math
Hardware total if you DIY all six: about $140 at Sarasota Home Depot. Add 4-6 hours of labor at the $75-$125/hr Sarasota market rate if we do it: roughly $325-$725 depending on how much hardware needs replacing versus just tightening. Either way, book before the next named storm, not during.
What’s NOT on this list
Re-roof, shutters, full fence replacement, structural inspections, electrical, plumbing. We refer those out. We do the small exterior stuff before it becomes the big-storm stuff.
Book
Sarasota, Bradenton, Venice, Nokomis, Lakewood Ranch, Siesta Key. Free quote within 24 hours. Call 941-207-6969 or visit handys.now.
