Fence Installation & Repair in Houston, TX
Silverheels Construction builds and repairs fences and gates across the Houston area - cedar privacy fences, chain link, gates, and storm damage repair. In Houston, fences fail at the posts first, because clay soil, a high water table, and year-round warmth rot posts from the ground up. How the posts are set matters more than anything else on the job. Free estimates.
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Most Houston fences don't fail because the pickets wore out. They fail because the posts rotted at grade, and then one storm takes the whole run down. Between 50-plus inches of annual rain, clay soil that holds moisture against the wood, and warmth year-round that never stops the rot, post life is the real lifespan of a Houston fence. We build and repair fences and gates across the Houston area for homeowners, landlords, property managers, and commercial properties.
What we build and repair
Cedar privacy fences: the standard residential fence in Houston. Board-on-board, side-by-side, shadowbox, and horizontal styles, with or without cap and trim.
Pressure-treated pine: the budget option, and the right call on rentals and long runs where cost per foot matters most.
Chain link: residential and commercial, with or without privacy slats.
Gates: walk gates, double drive gates, and repairs to gates that sag, drag, or won't latch - which is the most common fence complaint we get.
Repairs: storm damage, leaning sections, rotted posts, broken rails, replacing pickets, and re-hanging gates.
Staining and sealing: new fences and existing ones.
What fencing costs in Houston
Installed, in the Houston market: Cedar privacy fence generally runs about $22 to $35 per linear foot for standard 6-foot board-on-board, with premium grades and horizontal styles running higher. Pressure-treated pine generally runs about $18 to $30 per linear foot. Chain link generally runs about $12 to $18 per linear foot. Most Houston lots need somewhere between 130 and 200 linear feet, so a typical cedar backyard fence lands roughly in the $3,000 to $6,500 range.
What moves your number: removal and disposal of the existing fence, how many gates and how wide, height, wood grade - tight-grain knot-free cedar costs meaningfully more than commodity grade - terrain and slope, and access for materials.
These are ranges, not quotes. We price after seeing the property line.
Posts are the whole job
Everything about how long a Houston fence lasts comes down to what happens below grade. Clay soil holds water against the post. The water table sits high in much of the area. It never gets cold enough long enough to slow the rot down. That's why fences here fail at the ground line while the pickets above still look fine.
What matters: posts rated for ground contact, not just pressure treated. Depth appropriate to the fence height and the soil. Concrete set so water sheds away from the post instead of pooling around it. And gate posts sized and set heavier than line posts, because a gate is a lever and it will pull an undersized post out of plumb.
When we repair a fence, we tell you honestly whether you're looking at a section repair or whether the whole run is on borrowed time. Replacing three panels on a fence whose posts are all going is money spent twice.
Cedar or pine
Cedar contains natural oils that resist moisture, rot, and insects without chemical treatment, which is why it's become the default in Houston. It costs 20 to 30 percent more than pressure-treated pine and it lasts longer here - the humidity is exactly the condition cedar handles well and pine doesn't.
Pine is the right answer when the priority is cost per foot: long runs, rentals, and properties where the fence needs to be functional rather than a feature. Treated pine holds up if it's sealed and maintained. Left bare in Houston, it won't last.
Either way, staining or sealing extends the life meaningfully, and in this climate that's a maintenance item every few years rather than a one-time step.
Permits, HOAs, and property lines
The City of Houston generally requires a permit for fences over 6 feet, and most surrounding cities have similar thresholds - though the rules and fees vary by jurisdiction, and unincorporated Harris County is separate from the city. HOA architectural approval is a separate requirement from any city permit, and in a lot of Houston neighborhoods it's the one that actually holds up the job.
Property lines and shared fences also matter. Fences on a boundary usually involve the neighbor, and it's worth having that conversation before we start rather than after the posts are in.
Storm damage and rentals
Every Houston storm season puts fences down. We handle storm repairs - leaning runs, blown-out sections, snapped posts - and we'll tell you when a repair is worth it versus when the run is coming down anyway.
For landlords and property managers, fence repair is a recurring turnover item. We handle it alongside the rest of the make-ready rather than as a separate vendor and a separate trip.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a new fence cost in Houston?
Cedar privacy fence generally runs $22 to $35 per linear foot installed and pine $18 to $30, so a typical 130 to 200 foot Houston backyard lands roughly between $3,000 and $6,500. Gates, removal of the old fence, height, and wood grade all move the number.
Cedar or pressure-treated pine for a Houston fence?
Cedar for most homeowners - it handles Houston humidity better and lasts longer without chemical treatment. Pine when cost per foot is the priority, especially on rentals and long runs. Pine needs sealing to survive here.
Why do Houston fences lean or fall over?
Almost always the posts. Clay soil holds moisture against the post, the water table is high, and it never gets cold enough to slow the rot. Posts fail at grade while the pickets above still look fine, and then a storm finishes it.
Can you repair just part of my fence?
Yes, and often that's the right call. But if the posts across the whole run are going, replacing three panels means paying twice. We'll tell you which situation you're in.
Do I need a permit for a fence in Houston?
Generally for fences over 6 feet inside the City of Houston, and most surrounding cities have similar thresholds. Rules differ by jurisdiction, and unincorporated Harris County is separate. HOA architectural approval is a separate requirement. We'll tell you what applies to your address.
Do you fix gates that sag or won't latch?
Yes - that's one of the most common calls we get. Usually it's the gate post moving rather than the gate itself, because a gate acts as a lever on its post.