The most expensive fence installation mistakes happen before anyone sets a post. We have installed fences across Virginia since 1994, more than 3,000 in 2025 alone, and the same avoidable errors show up again and again. A skipped utility call, a permit that nobody checked, and a post that is set too shallow. Each one costs a homeowner time, money, or both.
Here is what to get right when you are planning a new fence, so the job goes in once and stays put.
Skipping the Utility Locate: Call Virginia 811 Before You Dig
Before a shovel touches the ground, you are legally required to have your utilities marked. In Virginia, that means contacting Virginia 811 at least three working days before you dig.
There is no depth that lets you skip this. Many utility lines, including gas and electric, sit just a few inches below the surface, so even hand-digging a post hole counts. The Virginia 811 program states plainly that any time you put a shovel in the ground, you need to call first, per its guidance for homeowners. The City of Richmond echoes this in its own fence guidance, advising every homeowner to submit a dig request so utility lines can be located and marked.
Hitting an unmarked gas line is not a delay. It is a life-safety emergency and a bill you do not want. When you work with us, we place the Virginia 811 request for you, so the locate is handled before the crew arrives.
Guessing on Permits and HOA Rules in Richmond
Homeowners assume a fence needs a permit, or assume it does not, and both guesses cause trouble. In Richmond, the rules are specific and worth knowing before you finalize a design.
Here is what the City of Richmond confirms for residential fences:
- Most fences do not require a building permit. The exception is a fence serving as a barrier around a swimming pool, which does require a building permit.
- In rear and side yards and along property lines, a fence can go up to 6½ feet tall. Posts, columns, and gates get an extra 1½ feet, for 8 feet total on those elements.
- In the front yard, fences top out at 4 feet, except in the R-1 zoning district.
If your home sits in one of Richmond’s Old and Historic Districts, the rules tighten. Fences there require review and approval from the Commission of Architectural Review before work begins. According to Richmond Permits and Inspections, some residential districts also carry their own front-facing exceptions, so confirm your specific zoning before you buy materials.
When a zoning review is needed, Richmond reports that roughly half are approved the same day and about 75 percent within five working days, with a maximum being ten days. We help prepare the required permit and HOA documentation, though the homeowner submits it and remains responsible for the submission and for any HOA covenant requirements. For a full walkthrough, see our Richmond fence permit requirements guide.
Setting Posts Too Shallow (and Other Post Depth Mistakes)
A fence is only as stable as its posts, and shallow posts are the most common reason a fence starts leaning within a year or two.
In the Richmond area, the frost line sits at 18 inches, per Henrico County’s building design criteria. That means the ground freezes and thaws down to roughly a foot and a half. A post set above that line gets pushed upward every winter, and the fence line goes wavy by spring. Posts have to go below the frost line to stay put.
The same county criteria classify local weathering as “Severe,” which is the freeze-thaw cycling that cracks a poorly poured footing. They also flag shrink-swell clay, soil that expands when wet and contracts when dry, in parts of the county, which works against a footing that is too shallow. And termite pressure is rated moderate to heavy, so any wood used below grade needs to be pressure-treated and rated for ground contact, not standard board.
A good rule of thumb: bury at least a third of the post’s length and set it in concrete below the frost line. We set posts well below that 18-inch line so freeze-thaw movement does not lift them.
Choosing the Wrong Material for the Job
The most common material mistake is picking a fence for how it looks in a catalog instead of how it performs on your property. Preparing for a new fence starts with matching the material to your climate and how you will use it.
We steer most homeowners toward vinyl and aluminum, and it is not an upsell. Both hold up with almost no maintenance and generate far fewer callbacks than wood. Wood warps, cracks, and splits over time, and it needs regular sealing to slow that down. If you want wood, cedar holds up better than most softwoods, and any below-grade component should be ground-contact pressure-treated.
Along the coast in Hampton Roads, salt air is hard on materials. There we lead with vinyl and aluminum, and limit wood to cedar only. To weigh the options for your yard, start with our residential fencing page.
Picking the Cheapest Bid Instead of the Right Contractor
The lowest quote is rarely the cheapest fence. Cutting corners on labor is how you end up with sagging gates, posts that lean, and a crew you cannot reach when something goes wrong.
Before you sign anything, confirm the contractor is licensed, bonded, and insured. We hold a Virginia Class A Contractor license (#2705024990). Ask whether the estimate is done in person. Every property is different, so a real quote comes from someone who walks your fence line, checks the soil, and looks at grade changes and access points, not from a phone call. We also do a pre-installation walkthrough with you before work starts and follow up after the job is done.
Track record also matters. Our Richmond office holds a 4.8-star rating across 604 Google reviews, an A+ with the BBB, and we run the only in-house gate operator division in Virginia. If something needs attention after install, someone answers the phone. Request a free estimate and we will come to you.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a permit to install a fence in Richmond, VA?
Most residential fences in Richmond do not require a building permit, per the City of Richmond. The main exception is a fence serving as a barrier around a swimming pool, which does require one. Fences in Old and Historic Districts also need Commission of Architectural Review approval first.
Do I have to call Virginia 811 before installing a fence?
Yes, and it is the law. You must contact Virginia 811 at least three working days before digging, no matter how shallow the hole. Utility lines can sit just inches below the surface. We handle this request for our customers.
How deep should fence posts be in Virginia?
Posts should be set below the local frost line, which is 18 inches in the Richmond area. A common practice is to bury at least a third of the post’s length in concrete. Anything shallower risks heaving during winter freeze-thaw.
Should I check with my HOA before building a fence?
Yes. Many HOAs restrict fence height, material, and color, and approval can take time. Confirm the rules and submit for approval before ordering materials. We help prepare the documentation, but the homeowner submits it and is responsible for meeting HOA requirements.
Should I install a fence myself or hire a contractor?
DIY can work for simple, flat lots, but property line questions, the required Virginia 811 locate, permit rules, and proper post depth trip up most first-timers. A mistake on any one of those can cost far more than the labor you saved. Confirm your property lines yourself first, since that responsibility falls to the homeowner.
Getting a fence right starts long before installation day, with the utility locate, the permit and HOA rules, the post depth, and the material that fits your property. We have handled all four across Virginia since 1994. Request a free, in-person estimate – a real person answers the phone, and we return every lead within 24 hours.
