Fence installation in Durham, NC

Plain answers to what a new fence costs in Durham, which rules apply to your lot, how long the job takes and how to hire well. This is the Durham part of our fence guide for the Triangle.

• $2,606 to $5,240 Angi's normal range for a fence project in Durham, with an average of $3,840 (Angi, Durham).
• No permit for an ordinary fence in the City or the County, unless the lot is in a flood plain or the fence is a pool barrier (City of Durham).
• 4 feet is the by-right limit for a front-yard fence outside Durham's Rural Tier (Durham UDO 9.9).
• 3 working days is the notice a fence contractor must give NC 811 before digging post holes (G.S. 87, Art. 8A).

What a fence costs in Durham

Angi's Durham figures put most fence projects between $2,606 and $5,240 (Angi, Durham). The national average is $3,276, and most fences run $6 to $50 per linear foot: $8 to $40 for chain link, up to $17 to $90 for aluminum (Angi). The full Durham cost guide covers what moves the price, such as height, gates, slopes and removing an old fence.

Durham permits and the rules that catch people out

• Between the house and the street, a fence is limited to 4 feet unless the lot is in the Rural Tier (Durham UDO 9.9). Taller needs a variance (City of Durham).
• The finished side of the fence has to face away from your lot (Durham UDO 9.9).
• Corners and driveways have sight triangles that must stay clear between 2.5 and 8 feet high (Durham UDO 12.3).
• In Durham's eight local historic districts (Durham historic districts), a fence needs a Certificate of Appropriateness first (Durham COA). How to get one.
• Durham Water can remove a fence built in a City sewer easement (Durham Water).

Read Durham's fence rules and permits.

Licenses for Durham fence work

We found no North Carolina license specific to fence installation. A general contractor license is required only when a job costs $40,000 or more (G.S. 87-1), far above the Durham range above. So judge a Durham fence company on insurance, track record and the contract. The hiring guide lists the questions to ask.

How long it takes

Most crews finish a fence in a standard yard in two to four days (Angi timelines). For an ordinary fence, the one wait the law sets is the 811 notice, at least three full working days before digging (G.S. 87, Art. 8A). A Durham historic district review (Durham COA) or a pool barrier permit (Durham pool checklist) adds time. See the step-by-step timeline.

Choosing a material for Durham soil

In the Piedmont the subsoil usually holds more clay than the topsoil (NC State Extension), and wood that touches soil is an easy way in for termites (NC State Extension, termites). Wood posts set in the ground should be rated Use Category 4A or higher (AWPA). Compare fence materials.

Hiring well

Get at least three written estimates, confirm insurance with the insurer, and do not pay large amounts up front (NC Attorney General). Read the hiring guide and the questions to ask.

Dog owners

If the fence is for a dog, the rescues around Durham set their own fence rules for adopters. Fencing a Durham yard for a dog covers them, along with digging, climbing and gate escapes.