Planning for a Fence
Establishing a budget for a fence project is a great first step in the planning phase but there are a lot of other factors to consider. You may need financing, permits, or HOA approval. If you’re in an older home, there could be terrain challenges to remove before adding fencing. If your fence will be just one of many projects during new construction, coordinating with builders, landscapers and specialty contractors can have huge effects on the installation timeline.
This FAQ covers the most common questions our customers have and we hope it’s helpful for you, too. An onsite visit is the only way to provide an accurate estimate but you can get a rough idea of project cost here.
Call us with any additional questions or to schedule your free in-person estimate, today!
Do I need a survey or a plot plan?
We do not require survey reports to build your fence. Our policy is to place your fence where you want it to go. Hiring a survey company may be a good plan if you are unsure where your property lines are. Our customers requiring HOA approval or municipal permits for fencing often need a survey report or a plot plan.
We always suggest checking to see if your county recorder’s office has a copy of your land survey on file before paying for a survey. Alternatively, your realtor might be able to track down a plot plan to use in lieu of a survey map.
How do I obtain a fence permit from my city/county?
Permits aren’t required for all properties but figuring out what you do and don’t need can be frustrating. We don’t require a permit to build for you but going through the proper channels is always a good idea.
Ultimately, it is your responsibility to acquire any necessary permits and approvals for your fence project. By and large, your Draper Fencing Project Proposal will contain all of the information you’ll need for your applications but our customer experience team will support you through the process every step of the way.
Boone County
Zionsville has a formal application process for fence projects encroaching on easements.
Hamilton County
You can find Hamilton County’s fence requirements here and use the list below for instructions for fencing projects in your city. Call us if your city isn’t listed and we’ll see what we can do to help.
- Carmel has a helpful Fence Regulations Guide online but don’t hesitate to let us know if you have any questions.
- Fishers – Our customer experience team will guide you through Fishers’ rather extensive permitting process. You’ll need a site plan to get the ball rolling. Learn more about Fishers fencing restrictions and permits on their website. You can also learn more about site plans, survey reports, and plot plans here.
- Noblesville requires a permit for fencing and you’ll want to make sure you plan to get your application notarized
- Westfield’s fencing guidelines are fairly straight forward unless you’d like a fence built into an easement. There isn’t a formal process for obtaining variances in these situations but don’t fret. Our customer experience team will support you through it.
Hancock
- McCordsville requires a fence permit for all fencing. See page 4 of this document for details.
- New Palestine keeps all of the forms you’ll need to apply for a fence on their website.
Hendricks
- Avon has instructions and online applications for fence projects online, you just need to scroll down a little on this page to find them.
Madison County
Marion County
Indianapolis, Marion County has some regulations in some of the zones throughout the city. For the most part, if your fence is less than 6 ft tall you shouldn’t be concerned about permitting. You can review this FAQ from the city or reach out to our customer experience team for more information.
I need HOA approval, can you help?
By and large, the fence project proposal you’ll receive from us will contain all of the information your HOA application will require. Typically that includes:
- Fence description
- Photo of fencing materials
- Drawing of fence placement on the property
- Contractor information
If you need additional documentation for your HOA our customer experience team is here to assist you through the approval process.
What about utilities?
Leading up to your installation date, our customer experience team will contact 811 to have locators out to mark your public utilities. If you have private utilities, it’s a good idea to hire a private locator. Private utilities include things like sprinklers, propane lines to grills or pools, electric fencing, septic and well water systems, or cables for outdoor light.
My house hasn’t been built yet. Can I still get an estimate?
Sure thing! Just send us your plot plan or survey report to get an estimate. We’ll need to know what material, style, and height of the fence you’d like as well as the number of gates you need.
We can get you on the installation schedule using a proposal created using your plot plan but we’ll need to come out for a site visit before installation day to ensure we don’t need to make any major changes to your project plan when our crew arrives to build.
What types of fencing do you offer?
I’d like to finance a fence, what are my options?
Use our online financing tool to see if you pre-qualify for funding for your fence project.
Common Questions - Cedar
- We use 4×4 Cedar post unless otherwise stated in our estimate
- Every post we place will be put 30-36” into the ground to ensure the frost line will not be an issue. We use 30-40lbs of wet set concrete for every post. We then add dirt and compact it in layers to ensure maximum strength.
Stringers
- Draper fencing uses premium grade Cedar 2x4x8s to support the structure of the fence. All single layer picket fences use 3 – 2x4s per section for maximum support.
Pickets
- Draper fencing uses premium grade Cedar pickets for every installation. During installation if we come across any pickets not up to our standard they are discarded
Common Questions - Aluminum
- Draper fencing primarily uses Residential Grade 4’H Ultra Flat Top 3 Rail Aluminum Fencing. Ultra fencing is extremely sturdy as it is thicker than most aluminum fencing on the market. See chart below for specs.
- We dig 30”-36” and float all aluminum posts in 30-40lbs of concrete to ensure maximum strength in the posts.
- Ultra Aluminum fencing has one of the best powder coats in the market. You can learn more about the powder coating process here.
- All Ultra fencing comes with a Lifetime Material Warranty provided by the manufacturer.
