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Are There Legal Restrictions on My Fence?

Depending on where you live, there may be zoning ordinances in place that require you to get a permit before building a fence. The height, material or design of your fence may also be restricted by local ordinances or the rules of the local homeowner's association, if you live in a subdivision that features deed restrictions or other binding guidelines. Though not exactly a restriction, in most populated areas you are also required by law to contact local utility companies or your state's one-call service to schedule a survey of your property to mark any buried utility lines before you can dig holes for your fence posts. This is information that we try to gather when installing your fence at your property.

Do I Need to Consult My Neighbors?

In most cases, you will not strictly need to consult your neighbors before installing a fence, although letting them know ahead of time may be considered a common courtesy. If your neighbors have pets, you should let them know about the upcoming construction so they can keep their pets safe, and if they plan on contributing to the fence or paying part of the cost of installation, you should obviously let them know in advance. Local ordinances or homeowner's association guidelines may also require you to inform your neighbors in advance.

How Deep Should My Fence Posts Be?

Our fence contractors install your fence using guidelines of each style of fence. Although the exact distance can vary, depending on the overall height of your fence, in general, we should dig holes for your fence posts at least 3 feet deep or even deeper for tall fences. The postholes should be at least a few inches wider than the posts you are installing to accommodate concrete that will help support the posts, although the exact dimensions will depend on the fence material and fence height. This is especially important for posts that will support a gate, since an additional support post may need to be installed beside the main post and the concrete will help hold both posts in place.

Should the Fence Touch the Ground?

In most cases, no fence materials other than your fence posts should touch the ground. Allowing your fence to touch the ground makes yard maintenance more difficult and may increase the speed at which your fence suffers moisture damage, depending on the fence material used. There are exceptions to this, of course. If you are installing a fence to keep rodents or other small animals out of a garden or other area, you may want your fence to touch the ground. It can also be useful if you're trying to contain small-breed dogs or other animals that could potentially dig under a fence that doesn't touch the ground.

Does the Weather Affect the Installation?

Inclement weather can negatively affect your fence installation in several ways. If it is raining or the humidity is high, you may have trouble getting the concrete to set while installing fence posts, and temperatures that are too high or too low can not only cause problems with the concrete but also may cause swelling or contraction in your fence materials. We do our best to install your fence on a warm day when rain is not predicted for the next several days.

What Material Should I Use for My Fence?

Materials for use in fences include wood, metal and vinyl. Wood fences can be made of a variety of lumber and are typically installed board by board. Vinyl fences are often premanufactured and installed by section or panel instead of by individual boards. Fences made of metals, such as aluminum or steel, can be purchased as chain link fences or metal panels; chain link varieties install faster than most other fencing options due to their ability to cover large sections with a single roll. We can help you with your decision in choosing the right material for your needs.

How Tall Should My Fence Be?

The height of your fence depends on what it will be used for. A fence designed to contain small-breed dogs, other small pets and children may only need to be 4 feet tall, while privacy fences or fences designed to contain large-breed dogs may need to be 7 1/2 feet tall or taller. Security fences can vary from 5 to 7 feet while decorative fences may be as short as 3 to 4 feet tall. We can help in this decision if it's something you are unsure about.

How Long Will the Fence Last?

The durability of an installed fence will depend both on the material and whether you perform any preventative maintenance after it's installed. Vinyl and aluminum fences can last for decades with minimal maintenance, while wood fences may require annual painting or sealing and may need repairs before 10 years have passed. Using treated lumber can increase the lifespan of wooden fences, although some maintenance is still required to prevent damage from animals, insects and the weather.

How Long Will It Take to Install the Fence?

The amount of time that it takes to install a fence will depend on the length of the fence and the type of fence being installed. An average vinyl or wood fence 150 to 200 linear feet long should take between three and five days to install, if the weather cooperates.