Fence Repair in Baltimore, MD

Yes, an alley gate on a Baltimore rowhome can be fixed so it locks from inside, usually by squaring the gate and fitting a latch that can be secured from the yard side. Most alley gates that will not lock have a leaning hinge post that drops the gate so the latch misses. We reset or replace that post, brace the gate frame, hang it on heavy hinges, and add a latch that accepts a padlock on the inside, so the gate stays shut from the alley.

Both owners of the shared fence between Baltimore rowhomes should agree before it is repaired, because the fence sits on or near the line between the two yards. Some work can only be done from the neighbor's side, such as resetting a post that leans into their yard. If the neighboring house is rented, the owner, not the tenant, needs to approve. We explain the work the same way to both owners and agree on which side gets the finished face before starting.

Fence materials get into a Baltimore rowhome yard with only alley access by hand: we park where the truck can legally sit and carry posts, boards and concrete down the alley. Post holes are dug with hand tools and a portable auger, and concrete is mixed in small batches in the yard. Long boards may be cut on site to make the turn. Old fence and debris come back out the same way, so the alley is left clear for your neighbors.

Whether fence work at a Baltimore City address needs a permit depends on the scope of the job and the property, so we confirm the requirements for your address before work starts. Baltimore City has its own permit office, separate from Baltimore County and Anne Arundel County. A repair that keeps a fence the same may be treated differently from a new or taller fence. Rowhome blocks can also carry conditions for shared fences, so we check those at the same time.

Yes, fence posts can still be set in a Baltimore rear yard that is all concrete, either by cutting a hole through the paving for a buried footing or by bolting a base plate to a sound slab. Buried footings are stronger and are what we use for gates and taller privacy fences. Base plates work for short, light fences on thick concrete in good condition. After setting buried posts, we patch and crown the concrete around them so water runs away.

An alley gate on a Baltimore rowhome should swing into your yard, not out into the alley. A gate that swings outward blocks the alley for neighbors, trash pickup and cars, and it can be hit by a passing vehicle or caught by wind. Swinging inward also keeps the hinges on the yard side, where they are harder to tamper with. If something in the yard blocks an inward swing, we can narrow the gate or split it into two leaves.

Yes, the chain link fence behind a Baltimore rowhome can be replaced with a wood privacy fence, and it is one of the most common upgrades we make in the city. We remove the old fabric, rail and posts, set new ground-contact wood posts in concrete, and build the privacy fence with the rails facing the yard so the alley side is smooth. Shared sections need the neighbor's agreement. We confirm permit and shared-fence requirements for your address before any work starts.

A wood fence in a shady Baltimore rowhome yard rots fast because the houses on either side block sun for much of the day, so the wood stays damp long after rain. Pickets that sit on the paving soak up water at the bottom, and posts rot where water pools at the concrete. We replace rotted posts with ground-contact lumber, crown the concrete so water drains off, keep pickets just above the paving, and stain the wood once it dries all the way through.

Yes, we work in Morrell Park, Pigtown and the rest of south and southwest Baltimore, including Violetville, Westport, Cherry Hill, Brooklyn, Curtis Bay, Federal Hill, Riverside and Locust Point. Our Glen Burnie crew reaches these neighborhoods by Ritchie Highway, I-895 and I-95, and we take jobs in other parts of the city as well, wherever the alley lets us in. Most of our Baltimore work is alley gates, shared rowhome fences, posts set in paved yards and chain link upgrades to wood privacy fence.

Yes, a Baltimore rear yard fence can be made harder to climb by putting the rails and framing on the yard side, so the alley face is smooth with no footholds. A tall, solid privacy fence with tight boards gives nothing to grip, while chain link and fences with exposed rails on the alley side act like a ladder. We also make sure the alley gate locks from inside and that its hinges sit in the yard. We confirm height requirements for your address first.