# Fence guides for Allen, TX homeowners > Fence guides for Allen, TX homes: permit rules, cost per foot, steel posts in clay soil, cedar styles, gates, staining, storm damage and repair or replace. URL: https://garthallenfencebuilders.com/guide/ ## Wood & privacy fences [Wood & privacy fences service](https://garthallenfencebuilders.com/wood-fence-installation/) Cost Guide ### [How much does a fence cost in Allen, TX?](https://garthallenfencebuilders.com/guide/how-much-does-a-fence-cost-in-allen/) Typical per-foot ranges for the fences Allen allows, what each one covers, and the items that push a quote up or down. Decision Guide ### [The best fence for dogs in Allen](https://garthallenfencebuilders.com/guide/best-fence-for-dogs/) Match the fence to how your dog escapes: over, under, through or out the gate, within what Allen's fence rules allow. Decision Guide ### [Board-on-board vs side-by-side: choosing a cedar fence style](https://garthallenfencebuilders.com/guide/board-on-board-vs-side-by-side/) How the two common cedar privacy styles differ in privacy, price and appearance, and when the extra lumber in board-on-board pays for itself. Learn ### [How long does fence installation take in Allen?](https://garthallenfencebuilders.com/guide/how-long-does-fence-installation-take/) Where the time goes on an Allen fence project, from HOA paperwork to the final inspection, and what can stretch each step. Decision Guide ### [Steel vs wood fence posts](https://garthallenfencebuilders.com/guide/steel-vs-wood-fence-posts/) Where wood posts fail, what galvanized steel changes, and the finishing choices that make a steel-post fence look like a wood one. Decision Guide ### [Wood vs vinyl fence in Allen](https://garthallenfencebuilders.com/guide/wood-vs-vinyl-fence-allen/) How cedar and vinyl compare on price, upkeep, heat and wind, and why Allen's material rules make this a different decision than in most cities. ## Fence replacement [Fence replacement service](https://garthallenfencebuilders.com/fence-replacement/) Learn ### [Allen fence permit rules, in plain terms](https://garthallenfencebuilders.com/guide/allen-fence-permit-rules/) What the City of Allen checks on a residential fence, why each rule exists, and the order to handle HOA review, the permit and the inspection. Learn ### [Fences and the property line in Allen, Texas](https://garthallenfencebuilders.com/guide/fence-property-line-texas/) Where a new fence can sit under Allen's guideline, how to find the real line before posts go in, and how neighbors usually handle a shared fence. Learn ### [How long does a cedar fence last in Allen?](https://garthallenfencebuilders.com/guide/how-long-does-a-cedar-fence-last/) What actually wears out on an Allen cedar fence, in what order, and which choices at build time decide how long it stays straight. Decision Guide ### [Repair or replace your fence?](https://garthallenfencebuilders.com/guide/repair-or-replace-fence/) A post-first way to judge an aging fence: which failures stay local and repairable, which mean the whole system is wearing out, and how the numbers compare. ## Fence repair [Fence repair service](https://garthallenfencebuilders.com/fence-repair/) Learn ### [Fence posts in clay soil: how deep, and why fences lean](https://garthallenfencebuilders.com/guide/fence-posts-in-clay-soil/) Why Allen's dark clay moves fence footings, how depth and hole shape are chosen above the City's 18-inch minimum, and what a lean is telling you. Learn ### [Storm-damaged fence: what to do first](https://garthallenfencebuilders.com/guide/storm-damaged-fence/) The order of operations after wind takes down a fence: make it safe, document it, sort out who pays, then decide between repair and replacement. Learn ### [Why is my wood fence warping, splitting or changing color?](https://garthallenfencebuilders.com/guide/wood-fence-warping-and-splitting/) Cupped boards, long cracks and odd colors each have a cause. Here is how to read them on an Allen fence and decide what needs fixing. ## Gates [Gates service](https://garthallenfencebuilders.com/gate-installation/) Decision Guide ### [Swing vs sliding driveway gates in Allen](https://garthallenfencebuilders.com/guide/swing-vs-sliding-driveway-gates/) How the alley drive, the slope, the space beside the opening and the City's trash-bin rule decide which driveway gate fits an Allen lot. Learn ### [Why is my fence gate sagging?](https://garthallenfencebuilders.com/guide/why-is-my-gate-sagging/) How to tell whether a dragging gate is a hardware problem, a frame problem or a post problem, and why the answer changes the fix. ## Automatic gates [Automatic gates service](https://garthallenfencebuilders.com/automatic-gate-installation/) Learn ### [Automatic gate safety: what protects people and cars](https://garthallenfencebuilders.com/guide/automatic-gate-safety/) Where powered gates can hurt someone, how entrapment protection works, and the simple tests that show whether yours still does. ## Iron & ornamental steel [Iron & ornamental steel service](https://garthallenfencebuilders.com/iron-fence-installation/) Learn ### [Rusted iron fence repair](https://garthallenfencebuilders.com/guide/rusted-iron-fence-repair/) How to tell whether rust on an iron fence is cosmetic or structural, why it starts at the base, and how to repair it so it does not come straight back. ## Fence staining [Fence staining service](https://garthallenfencebuilders.com/fence-staining/) Learn ### [When to stain a new cedar fence](https://garthallenfencebuilders.com/guide/when-to-stain-a-new-cedar-fence/) Why new cedar should dry before it is stained, how to tell when it is ready, and how Allen's sun and heat shape the timing.