New Fences Built for How Your Yard Gets Used

The fence height that keeps a dog in depends on the dog, but large dogs that jump usually need a six-foot fence, while many small and medium dogs stay in behind four feet. Height is only part of it. A dog that can get a paw on a horizontal rail can climb a fence it could never jump, so we face rails away from the dog's side when allowed. Tell us your dog's size, age, and habits on the walk-through, and we will match the height and style to it, then confirm any height limits for your address.

A dog that digs under a fence can be stopped by closing the gap at the bottom and adding a buried barrier the dog hits when it starts to dig. On chain link, a bottom tension wire keeps the fabric tight to the ground instead of curling up where a dog can push under. We can bury a strip of galvanized wire mesh along the base, attached to the fence, so digging runs into metal. On wood, the bottom board sits close to grade. Gravel along the fence line also discourages digging.

Yes, a fence can go around an above-ground pool, and it is planned around the pool ladder or deck, since that is where children get access. When we fence the pool area, the gate gets self-closing hinges and a self-latching release mounted high, and it swings away from the water. We leave clearance around the pump and filter so they are reachable for service but not placed where they help someone climb the fence. Barrier requirements are set locally, so we confirm permit and HOA requirements for your address first.

A fence can be installed in a rowhouse backyard that is fully paved, either by cutting through the slab to set posts in the ground below or by using surface-mount bases on aluminum fences. For wood or vinyl privacy, setting posts through the concrete is stronger, because the post is anchored in soil and concrete the same way it would be in a lawn. Surface mounts work for lighter aluminum styles where wind load is low. Shared walls and fences with the house next door get sorted out before layout, and we confirm city or county requirements.

Yes, a new fence at a Hanover townhome can be built to match the one style your HOA allows, including the material, height, color, and gate. Most of the communities we see there use white vinyl privacy, and we match the panel profile, post caps, and gate hardware to the fences already in your row. We provide the material, height, style, and a layout drawn on your plat, which are the details committees usually ask for. We do not start digging until your approval is in hand.

A townhouse fence sometimes shares posts with the neighbor's fence and sometimes sets its own posts right beside them, depending on how the row was built and what the HOA allows. Shared posts save space, but they tie the two fences together, so a failed post affects both yards. Separate posts keep each owner's fence independent. On an interior unit in Severn or Hanover, we look at how the existing fences next to you were built and match that approach. Either way, we talk with you about which posts and runs belong to whom before we start.

A new fence can usually hold your dog once the panels or rails are fully attached and the gate latches, which comes after the post concrete has had time to cure. Posts are set first. The concrete needs to firm up before rails and panels go on, so many installs take more than one visit. We tell you when the fence is complete. Walk the line with your dog on a leash the first time, and watch for spots where it tests the bottom or corners, especially near the gate.

Yes, a backyard gate wide enough for a car, boat, or trailer can be built as a double drive gate, with two leaves that swing from separate posts and meet in the middle. Splitting the opening keeps each leaf lighter, so it sags less than one long gate would. Each hinge post gets a deep, heavy footing because it carries a leaf that weighs a lot more than a walk gate. We also check the ground the gate swings over, since a slope can stop a leaf mid-swing.

A black aluminum fence near the water in Pasadena will not rust the way steel does, because aluminum forms its own protective oxide layer instead of red rust. The finish still needs care. Salt can build up on the coating, so rinsing the fence with a hose a few times a year helps. Watch any steel parts, like some screws or gate hardware, since those can rust even when the fence does not. We use corrosion-resistant fasteners on aluminum installs near the water. Our page on The Fence Repair Guys of Glen Burnie covers repairs there.

Getting your yard ready for a fence install means marking private lines, clearing the fence line, and settling the property line before we arrive. Miss Utility marks public utilities, but not private lines like an invisible dog fence wire, landscape lighting, irrigation, or a power line to a shed, so flag those. Move anything sitting on the fence line, such as planters, firewood, play sets, or a shed that is easy to relocate. Trim back branches and brush hanging into the line. Have your plat or survey pins located so the line is clear.