Project GuidesFence installation
The boundary and permit work that happens before a post goes in, how materials compare, and what makes a fence stay straight.
By Elijah Canfield, Founder, Hire Best Pros · Updated August 27, 2026
Elijah Canfield is the founder of Hire Best Pros. He writes and edits the site's consumer guides, with a focus on how home service and moving projects are priced, scoped and compared.
A fence project succeeds or fails before installation. Confirm the property line, check local height and setback rules, review any homeowner association requirements, and have utilities located. Then choose a material for the maintenance you are willing to do, and set posts below the frost line.
Key points
- Guessing the property line is how a fence gets moved at your expense.
- Call for a utility locate before digging, every time.
- Post depth and concrete are what keep a fence from leaning.
Before installation
- Confirm the boundary with a survey or recorded plat
- Check municipal height, setback and corner visibility rules
- Review homeowner association style and material restrictions
- Request a utility locate and mark the route
- Talk to the neighbor if the fence sits on a shared line
Materials compared
Pressure treated wood and cedar are common and need periodic sealing or staining. Vinyl needs washing rather than refinishing. Aluminum and steel suit open boundaries and pool codes. Chain link is the most economical for containment. Match the material to the purpose: privacy, containment, or boundary marking.
Costs vary based on location, project size, materials, complexity, access and the provider you hire.
Installation details that matter
- Post depth below the local frost line
- Concrete footings sized to the post and the fence height
- Gate posts sized larger and braced, since gates fail first
- Consistent line and grade, especially on a slope
Getting fence quotes?
Find landscaping pros