You've gotten your estimate, picked your fence, and scheduled your installation date. Now what? Most homeowners are surprised to learn there are a handful of important things to take care of before the crew shows up — and skipping them can slow down the job or cause real problems.
Here's the checklist we give every Lynch Fence customer in Rhode Island before their installation day.
1. Call Dig Safe (This Is Not Optional)
Before any digging happens on your property — including fence post holes — you are legally required in Rhode Island to call Dig Safe at 811 at least 72 hours in advance. Dig Safe will dispatch utility companies to mark the locations of underground gas, electric, water, cable, and sewer lines on your property.
This isn't just a formality. Rhode Island has a dense underground utility network, and hitting a gas line or buried cable is dangerous and expensive. At Lynch Fence, we always confirm that Dig Safe has been called before we break ground. We'll often help coordinate this for our customers — just ask.
2. Know Your Property Lines
This is where more fence disputes start than anywhere else. Before your installation, you should know exactly where your property ends and your neighbor's begins. If you install a fence even a foot over the line, you may be required to move it — at your expense.
Options for determining your property line:
- Find your survey stakes — if your property was surveyed when you bought it, there may be metal stakes at the corners. Look for orange or pink flags, rebar, or metal pins.
- Review your property survey — your deed or title documents may include a plat map showing your lot dimensions.
- Hire a surveyor — if you're unsure, a licensed land surveyor can establish your exact boundary lines. This is especially important in older Rhode Island neighborhoods where lot lines can be irregular.
Most homeowners set their fence 2–6 inches inside their property line to leave a maintenance buffer and avoid disputes.
3. Check Local Zoning and HOA Rules
Rhode Island municipalities have varying rules about fence height, materials, and placement. Some neighborhoods also have HOA restrictions that go beyond town ordinances. Before you finalize your fence design, check:
- Town zoning regulations — height limits vary, but 6 feet in the backyard and 4 feet in the front yard are common maximums across RI towns.
- HOA covenants — if your neighborhood has an HOA, they may require specific materials, colors, or styles.
- Permit requirements — many RI towns require a permit for fence installation. Lynch Fence handles the permit process for all our customers.
4. Talk to Your Neighbors
You're not legally required to notify neighbors before installing a fence on your own property, but it's good practice — especially for fences on shared boundary lines. A quick heads-up prevents surprises and keeps relationships intact. If the fence will sit on or near the property line, having a clear conversation before installation avoids disputes later.
5. Clear the Fence Line
Walk the path where your fence will run and remove anything that could slow the installation:
- Move garden beds, potted plants, or decorative items out of the way
- Cut back overgrown shrubs or low-hanging branches along the fence line
- Remove any debris, rocks, or old fencing materials
- If there's an existing fence to be removed, we'll handle demo — but clearing loose debris first speeds things up
6. Secure Pets and Plan for Noise
Fence installation involves digging equipment, nail guns, and post drivers — it's noisy. Plan for your pets to be inside or in a secure area away from the work zone on installation day. A dog loose on a job site is a safety hazard for both the crew and the dog.
7. Make Sure the Crew Has Access
If there's a gate into your yard, make sure it will be unlocked and accessible. If the fence crew needs to bring equipment through a specific area, walk the access route and remove any obstacles — low-hanging branches, narrow passages, or parked vehicles blocking the driveway.
On Installation Day
You don't need to be home for the installation in most cases, but being available by phone is helpful in case the crew has a quick question about gate placement or a minor layout decision. Most Lynch Fence installations in Rhode Island are completed in a single day for residential projects.
After installation, we'll do a final walkthrough with you to make sure everything looks right and answer any questions about care and maintenance for your new fence.
Questions before your installation? Call us at (401) 356-4699 — we're happy to walk through the process with you.
Areas We Serve in Rhode Island
Lynch Fence installs fencing across all of Rhode Island. Find your town: