Calgary Framers builds and repairs residential fences across Calgary and the surrounding towns. Wood, cedar, vinyl and chain link, with posts set below frost depth, heights built to the Land Use Bylaw, and the property line confirmed before the first hole is augered.
Fences fail in this city for two reasons: posts set too shallow, and posts set in the wrong place. The first gives you a fence that racks and leans after three or four freeze-thaw seasons. The second gives you a fence on your neighbour's property and a conversation nobody wants. We handle both before the build starts.
Free on-site assessment · Fixed-scope written quote · No obligation
Line, locates, posts, framework, infill and gates, quoted as one scope, with the old fence removed and disposed of.
Stock privacy runs through fabricated custom work, all on posts set below frost depth.
Solid board, board-on-board or shadow-box, at standard rear-yard height.
The same construction in western red cedar, for appearance and rot resistance.
Panel systems on posts set below frost. No staining, ever.
Galvanized or black vinyl-coated, for dog runs, side yards and back lanes.
For front yards, and wherever wind load or sightlines matter.
Contemporary look. Needs correct post spacing to stay flat.
Single, double and oversized, for vehicle and equipment access.
Built alongside your deck by the same crew, matched materials, one schedule.
Deck buildingNot every fence is a stock panel. The run below is cedar board set in a welded black steel frame with an open picket top section, colour-matched to the deck railing it stands against. That is fabrication rather than assembly, and it is the kind of build a horizontal-slat or custom design actually requires.
A permit is required when your fence exceeds these heights. The figures come from the City of Calgary's fence requirements.
| Location | Height above which a permit is required |
|---|---|
| Front yard | 1.2 m (4′-0″) |
| Rear yard | 2.0 m (6′-6″) |
| Corner visibility triangle | 0.75 m (2′-6″) |
| Gates | 2.5 m (8′-2″) |
A development permit is required where the design or location does not meet the Land Use Bylaw. A building permit is generally not required for a standard residential fence.
On corner lots, the visibility triangle is the rule people get caught by. It is the area near the intersection of two streets where sightlines must stay clear for drivers, and the height limit inside it drops to 0.75 m. It is the most common reason a Calgary fence has to come back down.
On the property line: we build to the line, on your side of it, unless you and your neighbour have agreed in writing to a shared fence on the line. We ask for your Real Property Report at quote stage. If you do not have one, we will tell you, because building a fence on a guessed line is not something we will do.
Outside Calgary, Airdrie, Cochrane, Okotoks, Chestermere, Rocky View County and Foothills County each set their own heights and rules. We confirm the applicable authority before quoting.
Three things decide whether a fence is still straight in ten years, and all three happen before a board goes on. We quote on site, in writing.
Free on-site assessment · Fixed-scope written quote · 7:00 a.m. – 7:00 p.m., seven days a week
Eleven stages, in the order they happen on your property, including the pause most crews skip.
On frost depth: Calgary's ground freezes deep, and a post whose base sits above the frost line will be lifted every winter and dropped every spring. That cycle is what racks a fence out of square. Setting posts below frost depth costs more in labour on day one and is the single largest factor in whether the fence is still straight in ten years.
Linear footage, grade change, obstacles, gate locations, and a look at your Real Property Report to confirm the line.
Fixed scope in writing: post count, height, material, gate count, removal and disposal of the old fence if there is one.
where the height or location requires one. We prepare and submit.
Alberta One-Call. No hole goes in the ground before locates are marked.
if applicable, including old posts and concrete.
String line pulled, post locations marked, heights set against grade.
Augered below frost depth, plumbed, braced and set.
Posts are left to set before load is put on them. Rushing this is why fences lean.
Framework and infill, following grade or stepping it depending on the design.
Braced, hung, adjusted and tested.
Debris removed, written workmanship warranty issued.
Not every fence needs tearing out. These are the failures we assess and repair.
If your fence leans in one direction after every winter, that is frost heave on shallow posts, and staining it will not fix it. Get the post line assessed first. Where a fence has been taken out by an impact and the damage has carried into a structure behind it, that is structural repair and we quote it as such.
Four materials, four different answers on cost, upkeep and how they behave in a chinook.
| Pressure-treated wood | Western red cedar | Vinyl / PVC | Chain link | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Upfront cost | Lowest | Mid | High | Low |
| Maintenance | Stain every 2–4 years | Stain every 2–4 years | Wash only | None |
| Privacy | Full | Full | Full | None |
| Chinook wind performance | Good, with correct post spacing | Good | Good; panel systems flex | Excellent, wind passes through |
| Appearance over time | Greys and checks if unstained | Greys attractively | Unchanged | Unchanged |
| Typical service life | 15–20 years | 20–25 years | 25+ years | 20+ years |
| Best for | Budget, large runs, painted finishes | Appearance, longevity in wood | Zero-maintenance owners | Dog runs, lanes, side yards, security |
A note on wind: Calgary gets sustained chinook winds that a solid 6-foot privacy fence catches like a sail. On exposed lots, long unbroken runs and full-privacy infill put real load on the post line. Shadow-box or spaced-board infill, shorter post spacing, or a heavier post schedule are all ways to deal with it, and it is worth deciding at quote stage rather than after the first windstorm.
Calgary, all quadrants, plus the surrounding communities:
Plumb, level, on-line and to grade is the same discipline as framing a wall. A fence is a small structure, and it fails in the same places structures fail: at the connection and at the ground. Your fence is built by our framing crews, not by a seasonal subcontract.
Real Property Report at quote stage, every time. A fence built on a guess is a fence that may have to come down at your cost.
If you are doing both, one crew, one schedule, matched materials, one quote, and no two contractors blaming each other over the same corner of your yard.
With a written workmanship warranty issued on handover.
Clearance letters and certificates of insurance are available on request. Call (587) 355-2799 or email [email protected].
Reviews from Calgary homeowners we have built for.
They recently built a fence for my property, and I’m beyond impressed with the quality of their workmanship. The framing of the fence is solid and durable, providing both privacy and security for my home. The team was friendly, professional, and completed the project in a timely manner.
They recently did a fantastic custom framing job for my new deck, and I couldn’t be happier. The attention to detail and craftsmanship were top-notch. Not only did they deliver a sturdy and beautiful frame, but they also took the time to understand my vision and bring it to life.
They transformed my outdoor space, and the framing work they did was absolutely flawless. From the initial consultation to the final touches, their team was professional and efficient. If you’re looking for a reliable and skilled deck builder, look no further than Calgary Framers.
Still unsure? Call (587) 355-2799, 7am–7pm, 7 days. We would rather answer a question now than quote the wrong scope later.
Ask us about your projectWithout a permit: up to 1.2 m (4′-0″) in a front yard, up to 2.0 m (6′-6″) in a rear yard, and up to 0.75 m (2′-6″) inside a corner visibility triangle. Gates up to 2.5 m (8′-2″). Above those heights, a permit is required. We check your lot’s situation at the quote stage.
Not for a standard residential fence within the bylaw heights. A development permit is required where the design or location does not meet the Land Use Bylaw, most often on corner lots, in front yards, or where the height exceeds the limits above. A building permit is generally not required.
Below the frost line. A post that does not reach below frost depth will be heaved every winter, and that is what makes a fence lean and rack. It is the most common corner cut on a cheap fence quote and the most expensive one to correct.
It depends on where it sits. A fence built entirely on your side of the property line is yours. A fence on the line is generally a shared responsibility, which is why an agreement in writing before building matters. We build on your side of the line unless you tell us a shared arrangement is in place.
We ask for one. It is how the property line is confirmed. Without it, the line is an estimate, and a fence built on an estimate can end up on your neighbour’s land, which is your cost to move.
It depends on linear footage, height, material, gate count, grade change, and whether an old fence has to come out first. Cedar and vinyl carry a meaningful premium over pressure-treated. We quote on site with the scope itemised.
Most residential fences are built in two to four days on site, with a pause between setting posts and loading them. Larger runs and full replacements take longer.
Often. If the boards and rails are sound and only some posts have failed, resetting or replacing individual posts is far cheaper than a new fence. We tell you which one you are looking at after we assess the post line.
Yes, and it is worth doing. One crew, one schedule, matched material and finish, and one point of responsibility where the deck meets the fence. See our deck building page.
Tell us what you are planning. We will come out, look at the site, and put a fixed-scope quote in writing, with the scope itemised so you can see exactly what moves the number.
We reply within one business day, seven days a week.
We've received your request and will get back to you within one business day. Need to talk sooner? Call us at +1 (587) 355-2799.
Detached and attached garages, garage suites and packages. Slab to shingles, engineered trusses, permits handled.
Garage builders in CalgaryNew decks, elevated and walkout builds, covered decks and structural deck repair. Piles below frost, flashed ledgers, code-height guards.
Deck builders in CalgaryFraming to finished basement, including legal secondary suites, egress windows and beam work.
Basement development in CalgaryRear additions, second storeys, bump-outs and garage conversions, foundation through roof tie-in.
Home additions in CalgaryFire, water and impact damage rebuilds, load-bearing wall removal, beam and joist repair.
Structural repairs in CalgaryFree on-site assessment. Line confirmed, locates called, permits handled.
Free on-site assessment · Fixed-scope written quote · 7:00 a.m. – 7:00 p.m., seven days a week
