Building a Fence on the Property Line: What Michigan Homeowners Should Know
Surveys, neighbor consent, shared fences and the setback rules that decide where your fence can go.
ServicesPrivacy Fence Installation
A privacy fence has one job: block the view and keep the yard yours. We build them in wood, vinyl and composite, up to the height your city allows, with gates that latch every time.
Wood, Vinyl or Composite Privacy Fence?
Our privacy fences screen backyards and side yards in St. Clair Shores, Harper Woods and across Macomb County, built to each city’s height and placement rules.
Wood privacy fences cost less up front, can follow any grade and can be stained. Vinyl privacy fences cost more but never need stain or paint, and a hose rinse keeps them clean. If the fence will be seen from the street, consider a wood shadow box fence, which looks finished from both sides. Compare all four materials in our fence material guide. For a modern look, composite privacy fences pair horizontal wood-tone panels with black posts and need no stain.
Height and Placement Rules
Local ordinances regulate privacy fences more closely than any other fence type:
- Height. Usually 6 feet in side and rear yards. St. Clair Shores allows 6 feet 6 inches overall.
- Front yards. Solid fences generally aren’t allowed in front of the house. Corner lots have their own step-down and sight-line rules. See corner lot fence rules.
- Waterfront lots. St. Clair Shores prohibits privacy fences on waterfront and canal lots, and Chesterfield Township prohibits them outside the building envelope.
We plan the layout around these rules at the estimate, so the fence you approve is one the city will approve.
Privacy Fences for Dogs
A solid fence also keeps dogs calmer, because they can’t see what’s passing by. We keep the bottom gap tight (St. Clair Shores caps it at 3 inches) and add self-closing gate hardware on request. More in the best fence for dogs.
Recent Privacy Fence Projects
Privacy Fencing Near You
We offer privacy fencing in these communities. Each page covers the local permit and placement rules.
From the blog
Privacy Fencing Guides
Corner Lot Fences: Sight Triangles, Setbacks and Step-Downs
Why corner lots get special fence rules and what St. Clair Shores, Harper Woods and Chesterfield Township require.
Fence Permit Rules in St. Clair Shores, Chesterfield, Macomb Township, Harper Woods and Clay Township
Heights, front yards, waterfront and corner lots, fees and timelines, compared from each city’s own ordinance.
FAQ
Privacy Fencing: Common Questions
Can I Put a Privacy Fence in My Front Yard?
Generally no. Front-yard fences in our area are limited to low, decorative, see-through styles, and the limits vary by city: 3 feet and ornamental in Harper Woods, or split rail 24–42 inches in Chesterfield Township.
I Live on a Canal. Can I Get a Privacy Fence?
Not in St. Clair Shores, where the ordinance prohibits privacy fences on waterfront and canal lots. In Chesterfield Township, they aren’t allowed outside the building envelope. Open aluminum fencing is the usual alternative.
Do Privacy Fences Need a Permit?
In most of the communities we serve, yes. Check the fence permit guide for your city.
Free estimates
Get a Free Privacy Fence Quote
Send a few details and we’ll follow up to set a time to measure and price your project. No pressure, no obligation.
- (810) 614-4181Free estimates, no obligation
- Monday–Friday, 8 a.m.–5 p.m.Quote requests are accepted any time
- Based in St. Clair Shores, MIServing Macomb, St. Clair and Wayne counties
Thank You! Your Quote Request Has Been Received.
Final Touch Fencing will be in touch soon. If your project is time-sensitive, call us at (810) 614-4181.
While you wait: check whether your city requires a fence permit in our local fence permit guide.