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01 / 09Fence installation across the Greater Toronto Area. Post depth below the frost line, bylaw-compliant heights, and a fixed price quoted per foot.
Fence installation is a layout problem first. Before a post hole is dug, the line has to be located against the property boundary, the utilities have to be cleared, and the run has to be divided into bays that come out even at corners, ends and gates. Getting that wrong is what produces the fence with one narrow panel at the end of the run.
Then the posts go in. Post depth is the single most important number in a residential fence in the GTA, because a post set above the frost line will heave and take the line out of true with it. Once the line is out, panels rack and gates stop closing, and there is no cosmetic fix for it.
The visible decisions are material and height, but the ones that decide how the fence ages are structural:
Prebuilt fence panels install quickly and suit a flat, regular yard. A fence built on site takes longer and handles slope, odd angles and non-standard heights without leaving gaps. Neither is automatically the better answer, and a site measurement is what tells you which one your yard needs. We measure, recommend on that basis, and give you a fixed written price before the work is booked.
Across the GTA, four types cover almost everything we install.
| Fence type | Usually chosen for | Trade-off |
|---|---|---|
| Wood privacy, pressure-treated or cedar | Full sightline blocking at a reasonable cost, and it can be stained to suit the house | Needs refinishing to hold its appearance |
| Chain link | Perimeter, pet containment and commercial sites where visibility is fine | No privacy |
| Vinyl or composite panel | Nothing to re-seal | More upfront |
| Aluminum picket | Pool enclosures, where the by-law wants a climb-resistant enclosure with vertical members and self-closing gates | No privacy |
Patterns sit underneath that choice. Vertical privacy, shadowbox and board-on-board are all wood privacy fences that use a different amount of lumber per foot.
Installed fencing is quoted per linear foot, which is why averages travel badly — a short run with two gates and a hand-dig along a garage wall can cost more per foot than a long open run in soft soil. The material sets the band: chain link is the most economical, pressure-treated privacy fencing sits in the middle, and cedar, vinyl and composite panels sit above it. Then site conditions adjust it.
Rock, tree roots, old concrete footings, slope, and access too narrow for an auger all add crew time. Removal and disposal of an existing fence is a separate line, as is each gate. We walk the run, measure it, note the obstacles we can see, and hand you a written fixed price rather than a per-foot figure you have to multiply yourself.
Ask for four things in writing and the field narrows fast. First, post depth and post size — anyone who will not commit to a depth below the frost line is guessing. Second, who calls in the utility locates and who is liable if a line is hit. Third, the by-law height they are building to and which municipality's rule they checked, since GTA municipalities differ.
Fourth, a fixed written quote that names the material, the board pattern, the gate count and what happens to the old fence. Then check that they carry liability insurance and WSIB coverage, and look at completed work in the same material you want, not just their best photo. A contractor who answers all four without hedging will usually also show up when they said they would.
Most residential backyard fences in the GTA are a two to three day job once we are on site. Day one is layout, removal of the old fence if there is one, and digging and setting posts. The concrete then needs time to cure before anything is hung on it, which is why a crew that sets posts and boards the same day is doing you no favours. Day two or three is rails, boards or panels, gates, and cleanup.
Longer runs, difficult digging, sloped ground or multiple gates extend that. What usually adds weeks is not the build but the front end — utility locates have a legislated turnaround, and permits where a municipality requires one. We give you a date range at quote time and confirm the start once locates clear.
Across the GTA, three account for most of what we install. Wood privacy fencing is the default for backyards — pressure-treated or cedar, in vertical privacy, shadowbox or board-on-board patterns — because it gives full sightline blocking at a reasonable cost and can be stained to suit the house. Chain link is second, chosen for perimeter, pet containment and commercial sites where visibility is fine and budget matters. Third is the low-maintenance group: vinyl and composite panel fencing, picked by homeowners who do not want to re-seal anything and are willing to pay more upfront for that. Aluminum picket sits just behind them, mostly around pools, where the by-law requires a climb-resistant enclosure with vertical members and self-closing gates.
The GTA is a per-linear-foot market and the range is wide, because the same hundred feet can be a simple open run or a tight urban job with no rear access. Material choice moves the figure most, then post size, then digging conditions — much of the region sits on heavy clay, and older neighbourhoods hide buried concrete and tree roots that slow an auger down. Municipal rules add cost in specific cases, particularly pool enclosures, corner lots with sightline restrictions, and properties where a permit is required. Removal and disposal of an existing fence, and each gate, are quoted separately so you can see what they cost. Rather than publish a number that will not match your yard, we measure on site and issue a fixed written price you can hold us to.
Installed fencing is quoted per linear foot, which is why averages travel badly — a short run with two gates and a hand-dig along a garage wall can cost more per foot than a long open run in soft soil. The material sets the band: chain link is the most economical, pressure-treated privacy fencing sits in the middle, and cedar, vinyl and composite panels sit above it. Then site conditions adjust it. Rock, tree roots, old concrete footings, slope, and access too narrow for an auger all add crew time. Removal and disposal of an existing fence is a separate line, as is each gate. We walk the run, measure it, note the obstacles we can see, and hand you a written fixed price rather than a per-foot figure you have to multiply yourself.
Ask for four things in writing and the field narrows fast. First, post depth and post size — anyone who will not commit to a depth below the frost line is guessing. Second, who calls in the utility locates and who is liable if a line is hit. Third, the bylaw height they are building to and which municipality's rule they checked, since GTA municipalities differ. Fourth, a fixed written quote that names the material, the board pattern, the gate count and what happens to the old fence. Then check that they carry liability insurance and WSIB coverage, and look at completed work in the same material you want, not just their best photo. A contractor who answers all four without hedging will usually also show up when they said they would.
Most residential backyard fences in the GTA are a two to three day job once we are on site. Day one is layout, removal of the old fence if there is one, and digging and setting posts. The concrete then needs time to cure before anything is hung on it, which is why a crew that sets posts and boards the same day is doing you no favours. Day two or three is rails, boards or panels, gates, and cleanup. Longer runs, difficult digging, sloped ground or multiple gates extend that. What usually adds weeks is not the build but the front end — utility locates have a legislated turnaround, and permits where a municipality requires one. We give you a date range at quote time and confirm the start once locates clear.
Across the GTA, three account for most of what we install. Wood privacy fencing is the default for backyards — pressure-treated or cedar, in vertical privacy, shadowbox or board-on-board patterns — because it gives full sightline blocking at a reasonable cost and can be stained to suit the house. Chain link is second, chosen for perimeter, pet containment and commercial sites where visibility is fine and budget matters. Third is the low-maintenance group: vinyl and composite panel fencing, picked by homeowners who do not want to re-seal anything and are willing to pay more upfront for that. Aluminum picket sits just behind them, mostly around pools, where the bylaw requires a climb-resistant enclosure with vertical members and self-closing gates.
The GTA is a per-linear-foot market and the range is wide, because the same hundred feet can be a simple open run or a tight urban job with no rear access. Material choice moves the figure most, then post size, then digging conditions — much of the region sits on heavy clay, and older neighbourhoods hide buried concrete and tree roots that slow an auger down. Municipal rules add cost in specific cases, particularly pool enclosures, corner lots with sightline restrictions, and properties where a permit is required. Removal and disposal of an existing fence, and each gate, are quoted separately so you can see what they cost. Rather than publish a number that will not match your yard, we measure on site and issue a fixed written price you can hold us to.
