Every privacy fence we build comes with the same core scope: layout, post setting, panels, gates, and cleanup. Here is what is covered, and what we will flag before we start if your lot needs something different.
We mark the fence line with stakes and a string line, confirm property boundaries, and contact Colorado 811 for utility locates before any digging starts. A privacy run is usually the longest run on the lot, so the layout has to be right.
Privacy posts go deep in concrete — frost depth in the Denver metro is commonly cited at about 36 inches — because a solid 6-foot run catches the full wind load and a shallow post leans fast.
Privacy means no gaps: pickets are set tight, boards are overlapped or butted, and the run is checked from the neighbor's side as well as yours. A privacy fence with a gap is not a privacy fence.
Privacy gates get braced frames and heavy hinges, and self-closing hardware where the lot calls for it. We hang the gate, test the swing, and adjust the latch before we leave.
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 6-foot fence almost always needs a zoning permit, and we plan for that.
The old privacy fence, concrete footings, and scrap all go in the trailer. We rake the work area, sweep the driveway, and walk the line with you before we go.
Privacy fence installation Denver CO is the process of setting posts, hanging rails, and fastening pickets or panels tight together to create a solid screen — usually 6 feet tall at the rear of the lot, where Denver's rules allow it. The work is in the details: the pickets have to be tight, the top has to be level, the gates have to be braced, and the posts have to be deep enough to hold a solid run against chinook wind.
Most Denver homeowners want privacy for one of three reasons: a new two-storey build overlooks their yard, an alley or a commercial edge runs along the back, or the yard is the family's outdoor room and the neighbors are close. Denver's median year built is 1975 and the scrape-and-rebuild wave is adding taller houses beside original bungalows, so the overlooked yard is the most common privacy job in the city.
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.
Call
Call (720) 697-2456, Monday through Sunday, 7:00 AM to 8:00 PM. We will talk through the privacy fence, the yard, and the lot, and set a time to measure.
Measure & plan
We measure the line, check the ground and the slope, note trees and roots, and confirm the height, permit, and HOA rules for your address. A 6-foot run almost always needs a zoning permit, and we plan for that.
Build
Posts go in concrete and cure, rails and pickets go up tight and plumb, and gates are braced, hung, and tested. We keep the site tidy as we go.
Walk-through
Before we leave, we walk the finished privacy fence with you, check every gate and latch, and clear the site.
Post hole digger and auger
Used to bore clean holes deep enough to clear the frost line. A solid privacy run catches the full wind load, so the footing does the structural work.
String line and level
The string line keeps the fence straight over 100 feet, and the level keeps every post plumb. A privacy fence is a flat wall — a crooked post shows from the street.
Circular saw and nail gun
The circular saw cuts pickets and rails to length, and the nail gun fastens them fast and consistent. We set the depth so nails sink flush without crushing the cedar grain.
Tamper and wheelbarrow
We tamp the soil around each footing so the privacy fence post does not shift, and the wheelbarrow moves concrete mix to the hole.
Level and square for gates
Privacy gates are built square and hung on reinforced posts. We check the diagonal before the gate goes on the hinges, not after.
Cap rail and rot board
A cap rail keeps the picket tops straight and sheds water; a pressure-treated rot board at the base keeps the pickets out of wet soil.
Posts set below Denver frost depth
The Denver metro frost depth is commonly cited at about 36 inches, and the exact code figure for fence posts is not settled in the sources we reviewed. We treat 36 inches as the floor, never the target, and set privacy fence posts in concrete.
Screwed rails, not nailed
Rails take the wind load on a solid privacy run. We screw them, not nail them, so they hold through chinook gusts. Nails pull out over time; screws do not.
Tight pickets, checked from both sides
We check the run from the neighbor's side as well as yours. A privacy fence with a gap at eye level from the neighbor's deck is not a privacy fence.
Wind-aware post spacing
A solid 6-foot run is a sail. Posts are spaced and footed for the wind load on the lot, and longer exposed runs get closer spacing and deeper footings.
01
What we do:We measure the overlooked side, confirm the 6-foot rear height rule for the lot, and build a solid privacy run with a matching gate. The fence goes up on the side that is overlooked, not all the way around.
→ A backyard that is private again, without fencing in the whole lot.
02
What we do:We measure the rear run, talk through a 6-foot solid fence with a lockable alley gate, and check the permit rules. The rear fence screens the alley, the service traffic, and the parking.
→ A back yard that faces the house, not the alley.
03
What we do:We measure the patio run, talk through a solid fence with a gate that opens to the yard, and build it to the approved height. The fence screens the patio without closing off the whole yard.
→ An outdoor room that is actually outdoors — and actually private.
04
What we do:We measure the perimeter, talk through a 6-foot solid fence with tight pickets and a self-closing gate, and build it. A dog that cannot see the street barks less, and a solid fence keeps the dog in.
→ A yard the dog can use without a leash, and a street the dog cannot see.
Denver's privacy market is driven by density and rebuilds: lots are close, the houses are getting taller, and a 6-foot fence is the only thing between a backyard and the neighbor's second storey. The rules are clear — 4 feet in front of the primary facade, 6 feet behind it, zoning permit over 4 feet — and the ground is the hard part: bentonite clay, freeze-thaw, and chinook wind all load a solid run. A privacy fence is a sail, and a sail needs deep posts.
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. On these streets, a 6-foot privacy fence is the usual call.
Craftsman bungalows and Denver Squares from 1893 to 1939, with intense scrape-and-rebuild. New two-storey builds overlook original bungalow yards, which drives rear privacy work. A 6-foot privacy fence is the usual call on these streets.
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. These streets usually call for a 6-foot privacy fence.
About 80 percent of buildings date from 1900 to 1929, with the highest concentration of Denver Squares in the city. Part of the neighborhood falls in the 7th Avenue Historic District, and 7th Avenue Parkway triggers a permit at any height. On these streets, a 6-foot privacy fence is the usual call.
About 4,000 homes built between 1954 and 1957, including 130 to 170 Cliff May prefab ranches — the largest Cliff May tract outside California. Flat, wide lots with detached garages and private courtyards. A 6-foot privacy fence is the usual call on these streets.
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. For a privacy fence, that means posts, footings, and rail fastening sized for the wind load — the panels are the easy part.
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. On a privacy fence job, posts go deep in concrete so the freeze–thaw ground cannot lift them.
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. A privacy fence still follows the same height and setback rules — we check them for your address before quoting.
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. For a privacy fence, that means pressure-treated posts and a rot board where the base meets the wettest soil.
Most privacy calls start with a problem, not a wish list. Here are the four we hear most often, and how we handle each one.
Problem
A solid 6-foot run catches the full wind load, and a shallow post leans fast in a chinook. A leaning privacy fence pulls the whole run out of line.
Our Fix
We dig out the failed footing, reset the post deep in fresh concrete, and rehang the pickets. If the wood is still sound, you keep it.
Problem
Pickets shrink as they dry, and a privacy fence built tight in spring can show gaps by fall. The fix is in the build: kiln-dried pickets, tight spacing, and a cap rail that holds the tops straight.
Our Fix
We replace the gapped boards and check the rest of the run. If the fence was built with green lumber, the gaps will keep coming — and we will say so.
Problem
A privacy gate is heavy, and a shallow gate post leans under the load. The latch stops meeting the post, and forcing the gate pulls the hinges out.
Our Fix
We diagnose the cause first — post, hinges, or frame — reset the post if it has leaned, and rehang the gate with a braced frame and proper hardware, then test the swing.
Problem
A 6-foot fence in the wrong place — in front of the primary facade, or in a material the HOA does not allow — draws a violation notice fast.
Our Fix
We review the HOA rules and the Denver height rules, measure the fence, and work out whether a height adjustment, a material swap, or a new submittal brings it into compliance.
A privacy fence is the difference between a backyard and a fishbowl. Here is what you actually get when we build yours.
Real privacy, real fast
A 6-foot solid run blocks sightlines from the alley, the neighbor's second storey, and the street. We set pickets tight with no gaps and check the run from the neighbor's side as well as yours.
A wind-rated build
A solid run is a sail, so we space and foot the posts for the wind load on the lot. Closer spacing and deeper footings on exposed runs are part of the build, not an upgrade.
Repairable, not disposable
When a windstorm snaps three pickets or a car backs into a gate, you do not replace the whole fence. We pull the damaged boards, reset the rail, and match the new cedar to the old.
What privacy fencing costs in the Denver market
Third-party market guides published in October and November 2026 put cedar privacy fencing at $23 to $56 per linear foot installed in Denver, with pressure-treated pine lower. Angi (updated 4 Aug 2026) puts the average fence at about $22 per foot across materials. Sources: NumeralQ, 26 Oct 2026; Angi, 4 Aug 2026. 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.
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.
Privacy fences in Denver have to survive chinook wind, freeze-thaw ground, and bentonite clay — and pass the city's height rules and the HOA's design review. We build them for those conditions: deep concrete footings, screwed rails, tight pickets checked from both sides, and gates braced for the weight they carry.
Payless Fence Company is rated 4.9 out of 5 from 27 Google reviews. We publish the aggregate here rather than individual review text. Call (720) 697-2456 to talk about your privacy fence.
★★★★★
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.
Call (720) 697-2456Real answers to the questions we hear most often about privacy fence from local homeowners and property managers.
Cedar and pressure-treated pine fences built for Denver clay, frost, and hail. Pairs with a 6-foot privacy run on the same lot.
View Wood Fence InstallationLow-upkeep vinyl privacy and picket fences that hold up to Front Range sun. Often built on the same lot as a privacy fence.
View Vinyl Fence InstallationWood-look composite boards that skip the re-stain cycle. A common companion to a privacy fence.
View Composite Fence InstallationPhysical fences and dog runs that keep dogs in and the yard usable. Pairs with a 6-foot privacy run on the same lot.
View Dog Fence InstallationPost, rail, picket, and gate repairs, including storm and freeze-thaw damage. Often built on the same lot as a privacy fence.
View Fence RepairManual walk and driveway gates, braced and hung to swing clean. A common companion to a privacy fence.
View Gate InstallationCall (720) 697-2456 to talk about a privacy fence. We answer Monday through Sunday, 7:00 AM to 8:00 PM. Have your approximate fence length, the material you are considering, and your neighborhood ready, and we can talk through the next steps on the call.
Phone
(720) 697-2456Address
Payless Fence Company LLC, Denver, CO 80201, US
Hours
Mon–Sun 7:00 AM–8:00 PM
