Fence installation for homes in the City of Farmington

Anchor Fence is a family-owned fence company in Redford that installs fences for homes in the City of Farmington, Michigan. We build wood, privacy, chain link, and steel and aluminum fences, plus gates and porch railings. Every installation comes with a two-year workmanship warranty in writing. For a free quote, call (313) 937-0101. We call MISS DIG before we dig and can advise you on the Farmington fence permit, which the property owner obtains.

Chainlink Gate Fence from Farmington, MI Fence Company Anchor Fence

Farmington fence company services and city rules

Farmington has older neighborhoods close to downtown and Grand River Avenue, and most lots hold a single-family home.

First, make sure you live in Farmington and not Farmington Hills

The City of Farmington is a small city of 2.66 square miles on the southern edge of Oakland County. Farmington Hills wraps around most of it, and Livonia sits to the south. The two Farmingtons are separate cities with separate building departments and separate fence rules.

Why your mailing address is not enough

Many homes in both cities get mail addressed to “Farmington, MI.” The ZIP code does not settle it either. The City of Farmington’s own documents list a city park at a 48336 address, and Farmington Hills uses 48336 for its city hall.

Three quick ways to confirm your city

  • Look at your property tax bill. Each city mails its own bills, and the city named on yours is the one that issues your fence permit.

  • Search your address in the city’s online property lookup. The City of Farmington and Farmington Hills each keep records on BS&A Online.

  • Call the building department. Farmington’s Planning and Building Department is at 248-473-7250.

When you call Anchor Fence, tell us your address and we will confirm the city before we quote.

Fence styles we install

Many jobs replace an old fence or add privacy along the back of the lot.

Wood and privacy fences

Wood fencing is a common pick for Farmington backyards. A privacy fence can reach just over six feet in the rear yard here, which is enough to screen a patio or a neighbor’s driveway.

Chain link and pet fences

Chain link fencing keeps dogs and kids in at a lower cost and lets light through.

Steel and aluminum fences

Steel and aluminum fencing gives an open, ornamental look that suits the older homes near the Historic District. Aluminum does not rust. Rinse it now and then if it sits near a salted road.

Vinyl and composite: one rule to check first

Farmington’s fence code bans fences made “in whole or part of woven plastic or plastic panels.” The code does not say how that applies to modern vinyl fence. Before we quote vinyl fencing or composite panels for a Farmington home, we confirm the material with the building department.

Fencing for Farmington businesses

We also build fences for shops, offices, and industrial lots in Farmington.

Fence permits and rules in the City of Farmington

These rules come from the City of Farmington Code of Ordinances (Chapter 13, the Fence Ordinance, and Zoning Sections 35-49 and 35-56). Codes change, so the building department has the final word on your lot.

When you need a fence permit

The City of Farmington requires a permit to build a new fence. You also need one to extend, move, or materially change an existing fence. Routine repair does not need a permit. The application includes a plot plan that shows your property lines, your house, and where the fence will go.

Height and where a fence can go

  • No fence may sit in the required front yard, except the small decorative fences noted above.

  • In the side and rear yard, a fence can be up to 6 feet 2 inches tall, with posts up to 6 feet 4 inches.

  • Any part of a fence in front of the rear line of the house is limited to 4 feet.

  • Only one fence may sit on a lot line, or within 10 feet of it. If your neighbor already has a fence on the line, you usually cannot add a second one beside it.

Corner lots and the clear vision triangle. Near a street corner, nothing between 3 and 8 feet tall may block the view inside a triangle that runs 20 feet back from the corner. A fence in the street-side yard of a corner lot needs approval from the building official. It is limited to 4 feet.

How a Farmington fence must be built

The city requires posts set at least three feet into the soil. Posts and rails must face into your yard, so the finished side faces out. Posts can be no more than 10 feet apart and must stay plumb, not lifted by frost. We typically set posts in 42-inch concrete footings, the same depth Michigan’s building code sets for house footings. That is deeper than Farmington’s minimum.

Fences the city does not allow. Farmington bans razor wire, concertina wire, and coils of barbed wire. Electric fences above ground are banned, though buried pet systems are fine. Stranded barbed wire is allowed only on certain industrial sites.

Farmington Planning and Building Department

The department is at 33720 W. Nine Mile Road, Farmington, MI 48335. It is open Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., and the phone is 248-473-7250. Permits are filed online or by email. If your home is in Farmington’s Historic District, ask the city whether the Historic District Commission needs to review your fence.

Metal fence post set in a fresh concrete footing

How we handle a Farmington fence from quote to final

First, we visit, measure, and give you a written quote. We call MISS DIG at least three business days before we dig, so public lines get marked. Private lines, like sprinkler pipes or a line to a garage, are not marked, so tell us where they run. The property owner obtains the permit, and Anchor Fence can advise you on the rules and give you the layout and material details for the application.

Every residential installation comes with a two-year workmanship warranty. Vinyl fence material carries a limited lifetime warranty (not vinyl-coated chain link), and steel and aluminum materials carry product warranties up to a limited lifetime, depending on the product. If you would like to spread out the cost, ask about fence financing.

Questions Farmington homeowners ask us

Yes, in almost every case. The City of Farmington requires a permit for any new fence and for extending, moving, or materially changing one. Routine repairs do not need a permit. Only very short decorative fences under 30 inches that meet strict size and placement limits are exempt. The property owner obtains the permit, and Anchor Fence can advise you on the rules and give you the layout and material details for the application.

In the City of Farmington, a side or rear yard fence can be up to 6 feet 2 inches tall, with posts up to 6 feet 4 inches. Any part of the fence in front of the rear line of the house is limited to 4 feet. Front yard fences are not allowed, except small decorative ones.

Check the city named on your property tax bill, since each city mails its own. You can also search your address in each city’s online property records or call the building department. A “Farmington, MI” mailing address or a 48336 ZIP code does not prove which city you live in.

The finished side faces out. The City of Farmington requires posts, rails, and hardware to be on the inside of the lot, facing your yard, or centered in the fence. That means your neighbor and the street see the finished face.

The City of Farmington requires fence posts to be set at least three feet into the soil and to stay plumb, not raised by frost. Anchor Fence typically sets posts in 42-inch concrete footings, the same depth Michigan’s building code sets for house footings.

Start your Farmington fence with a visit to the yard

Most fence problems in Farmington start before a post goes in: the wrong city’s rules, or a fence too tall past the back of the house. We check those first. Tell us your address and what you want the fence to do, and we will plan it around the City of Farmington’s code. Our Redford office answers at (313) 937-0101 from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. on weekdays.

Farmington Building Department Address & Phone Number:

Farmington Fence Ordinances:

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