Topeka Quality Fence handles fence installation and fence repair in Topeka, KS, working as a local fence company for homeowners and landlords. We build from the ground up. First the property pins and what the city allows, then posts set below the frost line, then boards, wire or panels.
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Say where the fence goes and what it has to keep in or out. Someone calls back with a per-foot range.
As a fence contractor, we work on fence replacement, gate repair and privacy fences. We work with wood, vinyl and aluminum. Given that the median Topeka home was built in 1969, more than fifty years have already passed, so there are plenty of issues with older fences we can help you deal with, such as tired chain link or wood fences that start to rot.
It's important to know that a fence is only as straight as its posts. Topeka's building code puts the frost line at 36 inches, and a post that stops short of it gets pushed up by frozen ground over a few winters. So, to get a proper fence installation, holes must go deep and be wider at the bottom than at the top. Also, a string pulled tight between the corner posts keeps the whole run straight.
Most leaning sections come down to one post that came loose in the ground or rotted where the soil meets the air. Also, push the top of each post. If it rocks at the base, that post needs a new footing. Bracing it only buys a season, so that would not be a long-term solution. On a fence that is otherwise sound, fence repairs usually mean two or three new posts, not a whole new fence.
For a privacy fence, six feet is the usual height, and city code caps any fence at 8 feet. A solid fence takes the full push of the wind, so its posts carry far more load than a picket fence's. A wood privacy fence usually costs between $26 and $42 a linear foot installed. Board-on-board styles close the gaps that open as pickets dry and shrink.
Remember that a cedar fence resists rot by itself and moves less as it dries. Treated pine arrives wet and often twists in its first summer. In our view, cedar pickets on posts rated for ground contact are the honest middle ground for Topeka yards. Posts must carry that ground-contact rating, and lumber rated for above ground rots fast in soil. Wood fences usually cost between $20 and $50 a foot. Dog-ear pickets are the usual choice, and flat-top and picture-frame styles look dressier.
Chain link is the usual budget choice for keeping a dog in, and Homewyse puts it at $23 to $35 a linear foot in zip 66604. For diggers, a tension wire along the bottom keeps the mesh from being pushed out. Black vinyl-coated chain link, HomeGuide's $10 to $34 a foot, looks better against a lawn than bare galvanized. Slats woven through the mesh add some privacy. They don't make it a privacy fence.
Vinyl needs a hose, not a stain brush. It costs more here than the national average suggests: Homewyse's zip 66604 range runs $50 to $69 a foot against HomeGuide's $30 to $60 nationally. In high wind, rails held only by small plastic tabs can pop out of their posts, so each rail gets fastened in place. White and tan are the common colors, and a vinyl privacy fence reads the same from both sides.
Gates fail first, because a gate hangs off one post like a long lever. When a gate drags, the post has usually shifted in the ground before any hinge wore out. A steel frame or a brace running from the bottom hinge corner up to the latch side keeps it square. Driveway gates need a wider footing on the hinge post than a walk gate does. HomeGuide lists gate repairs at $50 to $400.
When several posts on the same old fence are failing, replacing it usually costs less over time than chasing one post a year. Each old post comes out with its concrete. A stump cut off at grade stays in the way of the next hole. Fence replacement is also the moment to switch materials. HomeGuide puts replacement at $30 to $80 a foot and removal at $10 to $20, a cost you skip by taking the old fence down yourself. This is as old as time. If you have the time and energy and feel comfortable doing it, sure, don't spend more, just do it yourself. But if you are busy or not sure you can do it properly, there's no other way than to play safe and spend a bit extra to get it done safely.
A windstorm tends to snap posts at the soil line or tip whole sections out of shallow holes. Photograph it before anything is cleared. If the pickets are sound, new posts and rehung sections can save most of the fence. HomeGuide puts a fallen fence at $300 to $1,500 to put back up. Tall solid fences take the worst of it.
Tell us roughly how many feet you need, how tall, and the material you have in mind. We call back with a per-foot range and what would move it: gates, a slope, or an old fence to tear out first.
Census ACS counts 43% of Topeka's occupied homes as rentals. Many fences here belong to a landlord, a property manager or a business, and the fence contractor they hire has to price by the property.
Dumpster enclosures, shared backyard dividers and repairs between tenants, priced per property or per job. Chain link holds up best where moving trucks come and go. A written line item per building keeps the owner's records straight.
Lots and yards enclosed in galvanized or black chain link with rolling or swing gates. Topeka's 8-foot height cap applies to businesses too, and the City Engineer can refuse a fence that creates a traffic hazard.
In the C-3, C-4 and X-2 districts, cargo containers must be kept out of sight of the street by placement or by an opaque fence or planting, under TMC 18.210. Board or vinyl privacy panels do that job.
Entrance and common-area fences, plus lot fences that have to match an association's style. Get the association's written approval first. A city permit and an HOA approval are two separate things.
Topeka's code lifts the 8-foot limit for parks and recreational facilities, so ball fields and play areas can go taller. Posts on these runs go in heavier and closer together.
Black aluminum gives a front yard a border without blocking the view, and it never rusts through. HomeGuide puts it at $25 to $75 a linear foot installed. Panels can rack a few inches to follow a gentle slope. On a steep yard they step down instead, which leaves a small triangle under each panel that a determined puppy will find.
Topeka's building code sends pool construction to the International Swimming Pool and Spa Code, which sets the barrier rules, so a pool fence gets drawn to that code before a single post goes in. Gate hardware matters most here. Self-closing hinges and a latch set high enough keep a small child out.
A front-yard fence in Topeka can't rise above 4 feet beyond the front of the house, which suits a picket fence anyway. Homewyse puts picket fencing in zip 66604 at $18 to $30 a linear foot. Spacing the pickets a board's width apart keeps the street view open.
On acreage out toward Rossville or Auburn, a split rail fence marks a line without walling off the view. Homewyse prices rail fencing in zip 66604 at $28 to $45 a linear foot. Welded wire stapled to the inside turns it into a dog-proof or garden fence.
Stain adds color, and a sealer is what keeps out sun and water, though most products now do both. New wood has to dry first or the stain sits on top and peels. Homewyse puts staining a privacy fence in zip 66604 at $1.54 to $3.11 a square foot. A single loose picket takes a hammer and two galvanized nails. You don't need us for that.
Every fence in Topeka needs a permit first. Heights depend on where the fence stands against the house, under TMC 18.210.040.
| Where the fence stands | Max height |
|---|---|
| Anywhere on the lot | 8 ft |
| Past the front face of the house | 4 ft |
| Corner lot, along an arterial | 6 ft |
| Reversed corner lot, front yards | 4 ft |
A fence also can’t block the sight triangle at a street corner, under Chapter 12.20. A 6-foot fence that stops at the front corner of the house is the usual answer on an ordinary lot. Check where the front wall of the house sits before you pick a layout.
There was a time when my computer stopped launching, and I called a repairman to fix it. He was doing something for a long time, taking it apart, putting it back together and soldering some stuff, and I was not paying attention. When he finished, he showed me that it launches now, but he had also done X, Y and Z, and he wrote a quote for a much larger amount than I anticipated. I think now that it was kind of a scam. So for me now, first goes a quote, we agree on everything that goes into it, and only then he starts, not in reverse.
| Step | Typical time | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Utility locate | 2 working days | Kansas 811 |
| Concrete cure | 1 to 4 days | HomeGuide |
| Typical install | 2 to 4 days | HomeGuide |
HomeGuide says a fast-setting mix cures in under an hour. On a gate post we’d still wait for regular concrete.
If I had a dog or kids and was concerned about safety, or that the dog could run away, maybe I would wait a couple of days to see if I could catch warmer nights and then call the contractor. But even if I couldn’t, I would not wait and would just pay a bit extra to get it done.
The table shows what fencing runs in this market. Your number comes from a tape along your own fence line.
| Fence or job | Typical range | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Wood privacy, per foot | $26 to $42 | Homewyse |
| Chain link, per foot | $23 to $35 | Homewyse |
| Vinyl, per foot | $50 to $69 | Homewyse |
| Picket, per foot | $18 to $30 | Homewyse |
| Split rail, per foot | $28 to $45 | Homewyse |
| Aluminum, per foot | $25 to $75 | HomeGuide |
| Old fence removal, per foot | $10 to $20 | HomeGuide |
| Post replacement, each | $250 to $600 | HomeGuide |
Homewyse figures are for zip 66604 in 2026, 150 linear feet with holes to 3 feet on easy ground, installed. HomeGuide’s 2026 national figures fill the rest. The ranges leave out the permit fee and a survey.
There are three things which would increase the price, for example if you need gates or corners, because each one needs a heavier post, or if there’s rocky ground or frozen ground during the winter.
There are also a few things which could lower it, for example a straight run with few gates, easy access for the auger, and taking out the old fence yourself. Also, you could try to agree with your neighbor to share one fence line and split the price.
Ideally, you should have a good relationship with your neighbor and split it with them, since it’s beneficial for both of you. But sometimes it’s not easy to agree, or they might not be available. In this case, just cover it yourself, and maybe later they can do something for you in return. We are all people in the end.
Topeka Quality Fence builds and repairs fences across Topeka, KS, and out to Silver Lake, Auburn, Lawrence, Osage City and the small towns of four neighboring counties.
The fence permit and height rules on this page are Topeka's. Lawrence, Silver Lake and the county towns each set their own, so the rules get checked town by town.
Kansas 811 covers every town on this list, with the same two full working days of notice before digging.
Yes, for any fence on private property, including your backyard, you need to get one. We would definitely recommend calling the city department and confirming with them before doing any work.
It's important that no part of the fence stands in the public right-of-way, and it must stay at least one foot back from the public sidewalk.
Topeka's code says the finished side faces the street. On the line between two backyards, it's up to you to decide. Board-on-board looks finished from both sides. It's usually a bit more expensive, but it settles your question with the neighbor.
It's actually deeper than most DIY guides say. Topeka's building code puts the frost depth at 36 inches, and in our view a footing should reach toward it. A 4-foot picket fence post needs less depth than a 6-foot privacy fence post.
Yes, you have to, since Kansas 811 wants two business days' notice, and fence posts are named in its rules. Keep in mind that the call is free, but a cut gas or power line is not.
Wood would cost less, and it needs a stain every few years. Vinyl would cost close to double, and you only need to wash it with a hose. For a fence you plan to keep a long time, we would lean toward vinyl, since it requires less effort.
In general, once one post in three is soft at the soil line, replacing it would definitely be the cheaper path long term, because any strong wind or the next storm will bring it down.
Overall, we think the best time would be throughout the fall and also in spring, when it's not as hot as in summer and the ground is not frozen, because frozen ground is much harder to dig up to pour the concrete.
Yes, we do, but it's priced separately, so if you want, you can deal with it yourself, or we can take care of it. It's its own line in the quote.
A tape along the run, the slope of the yard, every corner, and the utility flags once they are painted: that is what turns a range into a written price. Someone walks it with you before anything is signed.
Call (785) 329-9250 to talk it through now, or describe the fence here for a callback.