Redding is hard on fences in its own particular way. Summer stretches of 100-degree days dry out wood and test cheap vinyl. Winter storms soak the ground, and the clay holds water around the posts for weeks. Then the north wind comes down the valley and leans on every fence in town. On top of that, the ground changes from one neighborhood to the next. A post hole on the west side might hit solid rock a foot down, while a lot near the Sacramento River can be river cobble and sand. A fence that works in one part of town can fail early in another if the crew doesn't adjust. And in the older neighborhoods, plenty of fences went up decades ago and now lean on posts that have rotted at the base.
That's what we do every day. We install and fix wood, vinyl, chain link and ornamental metal fences all over the city, from older homes near downtown to newer subdivisions on the east side. Most jobs start with a free estimate on your property, where we walk the line and talk through what you need. A typical backyard privacy fence takes one to three days, and we haul off the old fence when we're done. If you're starting from scratch, our fence installation page covers how a new fence goes in, and our fence repair page covers leaning posts and storm damage.
Redding Fence Rules: Heights and Permits
Redding keeps its fence rules simple, but they catch people every year. In a required front-yard setback, fences top out at 3 feet. That includes the area within 10 feet of the property line on the street side of a corner lot. Most side and rear fences can go up to 6 feet, and up to 7 feet along an interior side or rear line that doesn't face a public street.
For permits, a fence 7 feet or shorter generally doesn't need a building permit, as long as it sits at least 10 feet back from a public right-of-way. Taller fences and fences closer to the street can trigger a permit or a review. On a shared line, California's Good Neighbor Fence Act generally splits the cost of the fence between both owners. Homes just outside city limits, like Palo Cedro, fall under Shasta County's rules instead.
We check the rules for your lot before we quote, so the fence we build is one you'll never have to tear down. For a decorative front-yard option that looks right at 3 feet, see our aluminum and wrought iron fences.
West Side Hills and Fire-Wise Fencing
The 2018 Carr Fire changed how a lot of west side homeowners think about their fences. Wood fences that tie straight into the house can carry fire right up to the walls, and California's new Zone 0 rules call for noncombustible materials within the first five feet of a home.
For many homes, the fix is simple. We swap the last section of wood fence nearest the house for metal, or replace a wood gate beside the garage with a steel one. The rest of the fence can stay wood. Steel posts with wood boards are another option that holds up better near the house. We also suggest gravel or bare ground under that last section instead of bark mulch, which catches embers.
The west side also brings slopes and rock. Hillside lots need posts set deeper on the downhill side and panels stepped or racked to follow the grade. Rock means slower digging and sometimes a core drill to get a post deep enough. We plan for both up front. Homeowners just north of town in Shasta Lake deal with a lot of the same terrain, and we handle it the same way.