# How long does fence installation take in Allen?

> How long fence installation takes in Allen, TX, step by step: HOA review, the City permit, utility locates, setting steel posts, building, and inspection.

URL: https://garthallenfencebuilders.com/guide/how-long-does-fence-installation-take/

[Garth Allen Fence Builders](https://garthallenfencebuilders.com/) wrote this guide for Allen owners planning a fence around a date: a new dog, a pool opening, or a sale.

The construction itself is the short part: most Allen backyard fences take a few days on site. The longer stretches are before it: HOA approval, the City of Allen permit, utility locates and getting materials. Rain on clay soil and drive gates are the usual reasons the on-site work runs longer.

There is no fixed number of weeks for the paperwork, because HOA boards and City review queues vary. What is predictable is the order, and knowing it lets you start the slow steps early.

Key takeaways

- Paperwork comes first and takes longer than the build: HOA approval, then the City permit.
- Texas811 utility locates happen before any post hole is dug.
- On-site work for a typical backyard fence is a few days, split by concrete set time.
- The City inspects the finished fence; failed items mean a re-inspection and more days.

## The sequence, step by step

| Step | What happens | What can stretch it |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 1. Measure and design | Line, height, style, gates, slope | Unclear property line; corner sight lines |
| 2. HOA approval | Submit style, height and stain | Board meeting schedules, resubmittals |
| 3. City permit | Application through Allen’s online portal, $75 fee | Missing information, alley gate details |
| 4. Utility locates | Texas811 marks buried lines | Marks in the way of planned posts |
| 5. Materials | Steel posts, cedar, hardware, gates | Custom iron or automated gates |
| 6. Tear-out | Old fence removed and hauled | Concrete collars, poor access |
| 7. Posts | Steel posts set in concrete | Rain, roots, rock or fill in holes |
| 8. Rails, pickets, gates | The fence goes up | Slope, long runs, drive gates |
| 9. Inspection | City checks the finished fence | Fixes and re-inspection if it fails |

## Before anyone digs

**Measure and design.** Length, height and gate locations set everything else. On a corner lot, the City’s clear-vision rules can move the line: 20 ft back from the projected curb line where an alley meets a street. Fences must also stay on private property. If the line is uncertain, sorting it out now saves a rebuild; the [property line guide](https://garthallenfencebuilders.com/guide/fence-property-line-texas/) explains how.

**HOA first.** The City of Allen asks owners to check with their HOA, if they have one, before applying for the fence permit. HOAs typically look at height, style, the finished side and stain color. Because boards meet on their own schedules, this is often the slowest step of the whole project, so start it as soon as the design is settled.

**The City permit.** Allen requires a permit for fences, filed online with a $75 fee, and the contractor must be registered with the City. A sliding gate across an alley drive must name one of the City’s two trash-bin layouts on the application, so decide the gate type before you file. The [Allen permit rules guide](https://garthallenfencebuilders.com/guide/allen-fence-permit-rules/) lists what the City checks.

**Locates.** The City directs owners to contact Texas811 before any digging. Gas, electric, water and communication lines get marked, and post locations shift around anything in the way.

## The build itself

**Tear-out.** Removing an old fence usually takes part of a day for a typical backyard. Old wood posts in concrete collars take longer to break out than steel.

**Posts.** Posts go in first, set at least 18 in deep in concrete under the City guideline, deeper for gates and taller fences. Houston Black clay is the variable here: dry, it digs hard; wet, holes fill with water and the sides slump, so a rainy week can pause this step. The [clay soil guide](https://garthallenfencebuilders.com/guide/fence-posts-in-clay-soil/) explains why. The concrete needs time to firm up before rails load the posts, which is why post day and panel day are often separate.

**Rails, pickets and gates.** Once the posts are firm, rails bolt to the steel and the pickets follow. A straight run of board-on-board goes up steadily; slopes need each section racked or stepped, which slows things down. Walk gates are quick; double drive gates and [automatic gates](https://garthallenfencebuilders.com/automatic-gate-installation/) take longer, especially with power runs and sensors.

## Inspection and after

The City inspects the finished fence, which has to match the guideline the permit was issued under: height, metal posts, the 3 in clearance above grade in the lot-line drainage easement and, around a pool, self-closing and self-latching gates. If something fails, it is fixed and re-inspected, which adds days and a fee.

A new cedar fence is not quite finished at inspection: it needs to dry before staining. The [stain timing guide](https://garthallenfencebuilders.com/guide/when-to-stain-a-new-cedar-fence/) gives the water test, and [fence staining](https://garthallenfencebuilders.com/fence-staining/) covers the work.

## Ways to keep the timeline short

- Get HOA approval moving before collecting quotes on the final design.
- Decide gate types early, especially alley drive gates.
- Clear the fence line of plants, furniture and stored items before tear-out.
- If a pool or dog depends on the fence, plan a temporary barrier; see [pool fence installation](https://garthallenfencebuilders.com/pool-fence-installation/).

For budgets, see the [fence cost guide](https://garthallenfencebuilders.com/guide/how-much-does-a-fence-cost-in-allen/); for the build itself, [wood fence installation](https://garthallenfencebuilders.com/wood-fence-installation/).

## Questions about this guide

### How many days does it take to build a backyard fence?

For a typical Allen backyard run of cedar on steel posts, the on-site work usually takes a few days once materials are on hand: posts and concrete first, then rails, pickets and gates after the concrete has firmed up. Long runs, slopes and drive gates add time.

### Does the old fence come down the same day the new one goes up?

Usually tear-out happens right before the new posts go in, so the yard is open for as short a time as possible. If a pool or a dog depends on the fence, ask for a sequence that keeps a barrier in place or limits the gap to one day.

### What hours can fence work happen in Allen?

The City of Allen allows construction from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m., seven days a week. That gives flexibility on scheduling, though most fence work happens in daylight and waits out rain on the clay.