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Fence replacement Denver CO and the honest repair-vs-replace call

Full replacement when the fence is past repairing — and the call made honestly


Fence replacement Denver CO is the hub for the repair-vs-replace decision: when a fence is past patching, what a full replacement involves, and how to tell the difference. Most fences do not need replacing — they need the failed parts fixed, and our fence-repair page covers that. But when more than a third of the posts are failed, or the rails are rotted through, a repair is throwing good money after bad, and replacement is the right call.

Fence post being set in a dug hole with concrete poured around the base
Denver Fence Contractor 17 Denver neighborhoods served
Open Daily Mon–Sun 7:00 AM–8:00 PM
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Permit Guidance Zoning rules checked per job

What our fence replacement includes

Every fence replacement we do comes with the same core scope: removal, new footings, new fence, and cleanup. Here is what is covered, and what we will flag before we start if your lot needs something different.

Removal of the old fence

The old fence comes down, the footings are dug out, and everything is hauled away. Removal is part of the replacement scope — there is no standalone fence-removal service, and the old fence does not stay in your yard.

New posts set in concrete

New posts go deep in concrete — frost depth in the Denver metro is commonly cited at about 36 inches — because a replacement fence on shallow footings will lean again within a winter.

New fence in your chosen material

We build the replacement in cedar, vinyl, composite, chain link, aluminum, or iron, matched to the house and the lot. The material choice is talked through before ordering, not after.

Gates rebuilt, not reused

A replacement fence gets new gates, built square and hung on deep-set posts. Reusing an old gate on a new fence is how a new fence gets an old problem.

Permit and HOA guidance

We check the Denver rules for your address — 4 feet in front of the primary facade, 6 feet behind it, zoning permit over 4 feet — and help with HOA submittals. A like-for-like replacement of a fence that already had a permit is generally exempt when nothing changes; anything else needs a permit.

Cleanup and walk-through

Old fence, footings, and scrap all go in the trailer. We rake the work area, sweep the driveway, and walk the new line with you before we leave.

Fence replacement Denver CO: what the job actually involves


Fence replacement Denver CO is the process of taking down an old fence, digging out its footings, and building a new fence on the same line — or a new line, if the old one was in the wrong place. The work is mostly removal: the old posts have to come out of the ground, the concrete has to be broken out, and the site has to be cleared before the new posts go in. The new fence is then built the same way a first-time fence is built, with deep footings and a straight line.

Most Denver replacements happen for one of three reasons: the fence is 15 or 20 years old and failing at the post line in bentonite clay, a windstorm or hail season has taken out a section too big to patch, or a new build has gone up next door and the old fence no longer gives the privacy the yard needs. Denver's housing stock is old — the median year built is 1975 — so replacement is a concentrated market: whole blocks of fences are failing at the same age.

How our fence replacement process works

Every job follows the same four steps, whether it is a 40-foot side yard in Baker or a 300-foot perimeter in University Hills. You will know what happens each day.

01

Call

Call (720) 697-2456, Monday through Sunday, 7:00 AM to 8:00 PM. Tell us about the fence replacement, the yard, and the lot, and we will set a time to measure.

02

Measure & decide

We walk the line, check every post and rail, and tell you honestly whether repair or replacement is the better call — and what each one involves for your fence.

03

Replace

The old fence comes down, the footings come out, and the new fence goes up on deep concrete footings. We keep the site tidy as we go.

04

Walk-through

The last step is a walk of the finished replacement with you — every gate and latch checked, the site cleared before we leave.

Tools and methods we use on every fence replacement

Tools & Equipment

Post hole digger and auger

Used to dig out old footings and bore clean holes deep enough to clear the frost line for the new posts.

String line and level

The string line keeps the new fence straight over 100 feet, and the level keeps every post plumb. A replacement fence is a chance to fix a crooked line — and we take it.

Circular saw and nail gun

The circular saw cuts pickets and rails to length, and the nail gun fastens them fast and consistent.

Tamper and wheelbarrow

The tamper packs soil around each new footing so the post does not shift, and the wheelbarrow moves concrete mix to the hole.

Demolition bar and sledge

Used to break out old concrete footings. A footing that stays in the ground is a footing the new post has to work around.

Gate brackets and heavy hinges

Used on new gates to add structural strength. A bracketed gate resists racking far better than nails alone.

Methods & Standards

Posts set below Denver frost depth

Frost depth in the Denver metro is commonly cited at about 36 inches, and the exact code figure for fence posts is not settled in the sources we reviewed — so we treat 36 inches as the floor, never the target, and set new posts in concrete.

Old footings out, not worked around

The old footings are dug out and hauled away. A new post set next to an old footing is a new post that will lean toward the old hole.

Repair-vs-replace decided honestly

If more than a third of the posts are failed, or the rails are rotted through, replacement is the better call. If the fence is mostly sound, we will point you to our fence-repair page instead.

Like-for-like where the permit allows

A like-for-like replacement of a fence that already had a permit is generally exempt from a new zoning permit when nothing changes in location, footprint, or height. Anything else needs a permit, and we plan for that.

When Denver homeowners call us for a fence replacement

01

A 20-year-old fence is failing at the post line

What we do:We walk the line, check every post base for soft wood, and count the failures. If more than a third of the posts are gone, we talk through replacement in the material that suits the house and the lot.

→ A new fence on deep footings, with the old fence and its footings gone.

02

A windstorm has taken out a section too big to patch

What we do:We walk the line, find the failed posts and rails, and tell you whether the section can be rebuilt or whether the whole run has to come down. The failed parts are replaced or the run is rebuilt, whichever the fence actually needs.

→ A fence that is straight again, without paying for a full replacement if the rest of the line is sound.

03

A new build next door has taken the privacy

What we do:We measure the overlooked side, confirm the 6-foot rear height rule for the lot, and build a solid privacy run where the old fence stood. The replacement is scoped to the side that is overlooked, not the whole lot.

→ A backyard that is private again, on a fence that will last.

04

A fence has been patched so many times it is three fences in one

What we do:We walk the line and count the patches. A fence that has been repaired in sections for a decade is usually past repairing, and the honest call is a full replacement on new footings.

→ One fence, one age, one line — instead of a patchwork that keeps failing.

How fence replacement runs in Denver

Denver's replacement market is driven by age: the median year built is 1975, more than half of homes predate 1980, and whole blocks of fences went up in the same decade and are failing at the same time. The failure is almost always at the post line — bentonite clay holds water against the base, freeze-thaw ground heaves shallow footings, and a fence that was set 24 inches deep in 1995 is leaning in 2026. Replacement is the chance to fix the footing depth that the original fence got wrong.

Neighborhoods We Serve

  • Central Park

    Master-planned community on the former Stapleton airport, built mostly 2002 to 2019. The Master Community Association and sub-associations review fence designs before the city permit — two approvals, in that order. On these streets, a full fence replacement is the usual call.

  • University Hills

    Brick ranches from the 1950s to early 1970s on generous lots, with the High Line Canal running through the middle. Large corner lots are common, and I-25 bounds the east edge. A full fence replacement is the usual call on these streets.

  • Washington Park

    Brick homes from 1900 to 1940 around a 165-acre park. Park-facing fronts stay low and open; the solid 6-foot fence belongs at the rear. Local installers flag the heavy clay here and set posts deeper than the Denver norm. These streets usually call for a full fence replacement.

  • Park Hill

    A collective hub for North, South, and Northeast Park Hill — three official neighborhoods, not one. The proposed 32-block South Park Hill historic district is proposed, not designated, and Montview Boulevard and 17th Avenue are designated parkways. On these streets, a full fence replacement is the usual call.

  • Virginia Village

    Modest 1950s brick ranches subdivided in the early 1950s. Several homes back directly onto Ash Grove Park or Cook Park with private gates — a park-gate fence is a documented feature here. A full fence replacement is the usual call on these streets.

Local Conditions We Plan For

  • Freeze-thaw cycles that heave shallow posts

    Denver's freeze-thaw ground lifts shallow posts within a winter or two. Frost depth is commonly cited at about 36 inches in the metro, and posts set shallower than that are the usual cause of a leaning fence. For a fence replacement, that means posts set deep in concrete — shallow footings are the first thing we check.

  • Bentonite clay that holds water against posts

    Expansive bentonite clay swells when wet and shrinks when dry, and it drains slowly, so post bases stay wet. Pressure-treated posts and a rot board at the base keep pickets out of the wettest soil. On a fence replacement job, the post bases get pressure-treated stock and a rot board to keep the wood out of the wet soil.

  • Chinook wind that loads solid fences

    Chinook gusts on the Front Range can top 80 mph on the I-25 corridor. A solid 6-foot privacy run catches the full wind load, which is why posts, footings, and rail fastening matter more than the pickets. A fence replacement has to be planned for Chinook gusts — posts, footings, and fastening carry the load.

  • Denver permit and sight-triangle rules

    Denver caps fences at 4 feet in front of the primary street-facing facade and 6 feet behind it, and any fence over 4 feet needs a zoning permit. Corner lots have sight-triangle limits near intersections, and fences sit at least 6 inches back from the public sidewalk. For a fence replacement, we check the height and the sight triangle for your address before we quote.

What a typical fence replacement looks like in Denver

Typical situation

A 20-year-old cedar fence is leaning along the whole rear line. Most of the posts are rotted at the base, and the rails are pulling out of line. The homeowner has patched it three times in five years.

How it is handled

The old fence and its footings come out, new posts go in deep in concrete, and a new 6-foot cedar privacy fence goes up with a braced walk gate. The fence is built to the approved height, and the permit picture is checked for the address before the build.

Upkeep:Re-stain every three to four years and keep sprinklers off the pickets. Check the gate hinges each spring.

Typical situation

A windstorm has blown down a long section of a chain link fence, and the posts have heaved out of the clay. The rest of the fence is sound, but the failed section is too big to patch.

How it is handled

The failed section comes down, its footings are dug out, and new posts go in deep in concrete. New fabric is tensioned on, the gate is rehung, and the section is brought back to plumb. The sound sections stay.

Upkeep:Check the fabric ties each spring and re-tension if a section goes slack. Keep soil and mulch from piling against the bottom wire.

Typical situation

A new two-storey build next door overlooks a bungalow yard, and the old 4-foot picket fence no longer gives any privacy. The homeowner wants the backyard back.

How it is handled

The old picket fence comes down on the overlooked side, and a 6-foot cedar privacy run goes up in its place, with a braced walk gate. The front picket fence stays, because the front of the lot is still a 4-foot zone.

Upkeep:Re-stain every three to four years. Check the gate latch each spring — a privacy gate is heavy, and a leaning post shows fast.

Fence problems that mean replacement, not repair

Most replacement calls start with a fence that has been patched too many times. Here are the four signs we look for, and how we handle each one.

Problem

More than a third of the posts are failed

A fence with a third of its posts rotted or heaved is not a repair job — it is a fence that is failing everywhere at once, and patching it is throwing good money after bad.

Our Fix

We count the failures with you, then talk through replacement in the material that suits the house and the lot. The old fence and its footings come out, and the new fence goes up on deep footings.

Problem

Rails rotted through along the run

Rails rot from the inside where water sits against them, and a rail that is soft along its length will not hold pickets no matter how many new posts go in.

Our Fix

We check the rails along the whole run. If they are rotted through, the fence comes down and a new one goes up — a rail-by-rail repair would cost more than the replacement.

Problem

A fence that has been patched into three fences

A fence repaired in sections for a decade is three fences of three ages, and each section fails on its own schedule. The line is never straight, and the gate never quite works.

Our Fix

We talk through a full replacement on new footings, with one material, one age, and one straight line — and we say so plainly if the fence still has life in it.

Problem

A fence in the wrong place or at the wrong height

A fence built on the wrong line, or a 6-foot fence in front of the primary facade, is a compliance problem as well as a fence problem. Patching it does not fix the line or the height.

Our Fix

We check the Denver height rules and the permit picture for the address, then talk through a replacement on the right line at the right height — and whether the old fence can stay while the new one goes up.

Deep fence post hole in dry Colorado soil with measuring tape, post and concrete mix

Why Denver homeowners choose fence replacement

Replacement is the right call when the fence is past patching. Here is what you actually get when we replace yours — and how we decide it is time.

  • One fence, one age, one line

    A replacement is a single fence built in one pass, on new footings, with one material. No patchwork, no three ages, no line that wanders.

  • Fix the footing depth the original got wrong

    Most Denver fences fail because they were set too shallow in bentonite clay. A replacement is the chance to set the posts deep — frost depth is commonly cited at about 36 inches in the metro — and break the lean-repair-lean cycle.

  • A material choice made for the lot

    Replacement is the moment to change material: cedar to vinyl for no upkeep, chain link to cedar for privacy, iron to aluminum for no rust. We talk through the choice before ordering.

  • What fence replacement costs in the Denver market

    Published Denver figures for old-fence removal conflict — NumeralQ (Oct 2026) shows $3.95 to $5.13 per foot, while Angi shows $10 to $17 per foot — and replacement pricing follows the new material's market range. Those are market ranges, not Payless Fence Company prices. Call (720) 697-2456 with your fence length and material and we will talk through a quote for your yard.

Denver fence rules to know before you build

Denver Fence Rules to Know

  • Like-for-like replacement is usually exempt — Denver generally exempts like-for-like replacement of a fence that already had a permit, when nothing changes in location, footprint, or height. A replacement that changes the height, the material, or the line needs a new zoning permit.
  • Zoning permit over 4 feet — Denver requires a zoning permit for any fence over 4 feet tall; over-height requests go through the Zoning Code's over-height process. A like-for-like replacement usually does not need one — see the first item above.
  • Colorado 811 before digging — We contact Colorado 811 for utility locates before any new post hole is dug; never dig blind in a Denver yard.
  • HOA first, city second — In HOA neighborhoods, the association approves the fence before the city permit is filed; neither approval substitutes for the other. A replacement still goes through the HOA where one applies.

Rated on Google

Google ★★★★★4.9 out of 5

Rated 4.9 out of 5 from 27 Google reviews. Read the reviews on our Google Business Profile, or call (720) 697-2456 to talk about your fence.

Local experience with fence replacement in Denver

Fence replacement in Denver is a removal job as much as a build job: old footings have to come out of bentonite clay, the new posts have to go in deep, and the repair-vs-replace call has to be made honestly. We replace the fence when the fence is past repairing — and we will point you to repair when it is not.

  • Old fence and footings removed and hauled away
  • New posts set deep in fresh concrete
  • Repair-vs-replace decided honestly, with the count shown
  • Permit and HOA paperwork handled with the job
  • New gates built square, not reused from the old fence
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Fresh concrete footing around a new fence post base, level tool against post

Rated 4.9 out of 5 on Google

Payless Fence Company is rated 4.9 out of 5 from 27 Google reviews. We show the aggregate rating here, not individual review text. Call (720) 697-2456 to talk about your fence replacement.

★★★★★

4.9 out of 5

Based on 27 Google reviews for Payless Fence Company. We do not publish customer quotes on this page; read the reviews on Google, then call us to talk about your fence.

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Frequently asked questions about fence replacement in Denver

The questions we hear most often about fence replacement, answered for local homeowners and property managers.

How much does fence replacement cost in Denver?
Published Denver figures for old-fence removal conflict — NumeralQ (Oct 2026) shows $3.95 to $5.13 per foot, while Angi shows $10 to $17 per foot — and replacement pricing follows the new material's market range. Those are market ranges, not Payless Fence Company prices. Call (720) 697-2456 with your fence length and material and we will talk through a quote for your yard.
How do I know whether to repair or replace my fence?
Count the failures: if more than a third of the posts are rotted or heaved, or the rails are rotted through, replacement is the better call. If the failure is local — three leaning posts, one sagging gate — a repair will hold. We walk the line with you, count the failures, and tell you honestly which side of that line your fence is on.
How long does a fence replacement take?
A standard backyard run of 100 to 150 feet usually takes three to five days on site once the permit and utility locate are in hand: a day for removal, a day for posts and curing, and a day or two for rails, pickets, and gates. Larger perimeters, gates, and sloped or rocky yards add more. Call (720) 697-2456 and we will talk through timing for your lot.
Do I need a permit for a fence in Denver?
Any fence over 4 feet tall needs a Denver zoning permit, and so does a fence at any height on a landmark property, in a historic district, or along a designated parkway. Generally, a fence 4 feet and under needs no permit, and a like-for-like replacement of a permitted fence is exempt when nothing changes in location, footprint, or height. A replacement that changes the height, the material, or the line needs a new zoning permit. Historic-district and parkway rules are block-specific, so check your address before you build — and call (720) 697-2456 and we can walk through what your lot needs.

Call Payless Fence Company about a fence replacement in Denver

Call Payless Fence Company at (720) 697-2456 to talk about a fence replacement for your yard. We will walk the line with you, count the failures, and tell you honestly whether repair or replacement is the better call.

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Talk to our fence crew

Call (720) 697-2456 to talk about a fence replacement. We answer Monday through Sunday, 7:00 AM to 8:00 PM. Have your fence length, the material you are considering, and your neighborhood ready, and we can talk through the next steps on the call.

Payless Fence Company


  • Address

    Payless Fence Company LLC, Denver, CO 80201, US

  • Hours

    Mon–Sun 7:00 AM–8:00 PM

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