Fence Installation in Calgary & Chestermere

Fence installation is post holes dug at least 1.2 m deep — below Calgary's frost line — and wider at the bottom to resist heave, with the posts set plumb in concrete. A fence is only as good as its posts. Calgary's frost heave will lift a shallow post and rack a whole fence in a couple of winters. We dig deep, concrete properly, and let it cure before the panels go on.

Updated October 21, 2026

The fences and gates we install

• Pressure-treated wood — standard vertical board, good-neighbour, lattice-top
• Composite and vinyl — low-maintenance, no staining, no warping
• Aluminum and chain-link — quoted by the linear foot and the material
• Replacements — tear out and haul the old fence, reset posts, new panels
• Gates — single and double, braced so they don't sag
• Post-and-rail and privacy screens for specific spots

How we set posts

Post holes go at least 1.2 m deep — below Calgary's frost line — and wider at the bottom to resist heave. Posts are set in concrete, checked plumb and to a string line, and left to cure before rails and boards go on. Bottom of the boards is held off the ground so they don't wick moisture and rot.

Post spacing and lumber grade

What goes into a standard run

Component	Spec
Post spacing	2.4 m (8 ft) centres, tighter on a slope or a wind-exposed run
Posts	4×4 or 6×6 pressure-treated, rated for ground contact
Rails	2×4 pressure-treated, two or three per section depending on height
Concrete	Full-depth footing, not just a collar at grade

Skimping on any one of these is what produces the leaning, racked fences we get called to fix — the posts are almost always the problem, not the boards.

Calgary setback and permit rules

The City of Calgary generally allows fences up to 2 m (about 6 ft 6 in) in the back yard without a development permit, 1.2 m in the front yard, and only 0.75 m inside a corner-lot visibility triangle.

Rules can change and some communities add their own guidelines, so treat these as the general case, not a ruling on your lot. Pool and hot-tub enclosures have their own height and self-latching-gate rules. We check your lot's zoning and corner-visibility triangle before we quote, so there's no surprise at inspection.

Chestermere fence height rules

Chestermere sets its own limits, in the City of Chestermere Land Use Bylaw (Bylaw 020-24). A fence under 2 m needs no development permit as long as it follows section 7.18, and the front-yard limit is lower than Calgary's: no more than 1.0 m in the required front yard or within 8 m of the lake lot area, no fence inside the lake lot area itself, and 0.6 m inside a corner visibility triangle.

A fence built on top of a retaining wall counts together with the wall: the two combined can't exceed 2 m. On a lake lot or a corner lot we check the bylaw against your property before we quote.

How much does fence installation cost in Calgary?

A standard 6-ft pressure-treated fence in Calgary or Chestermere typically runs $70–$95 per linear foot installed; gates, corners and difficult access push it toward the top of that range, and composite is higher.

Fence installation is quoted by the linear foot and the material. Replacements add tear-out and disposal. Every quote is fixed after we measure and check the property line.

Installed, Calgary area — quoted by the linear foot and the material, fixed in writing after an on-site measure. All prices and ranges are before GST.

What's being built	Typical
Standard 6-ft pressure-treated fence, installed	$70–$95 per linear foot
Gates, corners, or difficult access	Toward the top of that range
Composite and vinyl	Higher — quoted by the linear foot and the material
Aluminum and chain-link	Quoted by the linear foot and the material
Replacing an existing fence	The above, plus tear-out and disposal

Fence installation: common questions

How tall can my fence be?

In Calgary, generally up to 2 m in the back yard and 1.2 m in the front without a permit. In Chestermere, up to 2 m but only 1.0 m in the front yard or near the lake lot area, under the city's Land Use Bylaw. Corner lots in both cities have lower sightline limits, and some communities add their own guidelines. We build to what's allowed for your lot.

When does a fence install need the property pinned?

For a replacement on an existing line, usually not. For a new fence in Calgary or Chestermere, or if there's any doubt where the line is, we recommend a real-property report or a surveyor — it's cheaper than moving a fence.

Can you match my neighbour's fence?

Usually. Bring us a photo and we'll spec boards and rails to match.

Can you build a pool or hot-tub fence enclosure?

Yes — Local Lawns builds the enclosure itself, to the height and self-latching-gate rules that apply to a pool or hot-tub barrier in Calgary. The pool or tub is a separate trade; we do the fence around it.

Does frost heave void a fence warranty?

Not with Local Lawns — posts set below frost line in a full-depth footing are exactly how we avoid heave in the first place. If a post ever moves within a year of completion because of how we set it, we come back and fix it.