Privacy fences in Dexter, from the river flats to the hilltops

How Dexter's layout shapes a fence project

Think of the Dexter area as three kinds of property. The older core near the river has houses close together, narrow side yards, and fence lines a few steps from a neighbor's driveway. The ring of newer subdivisions in the surrounding township has wider lots, developer-shaped grades and often an association with opinions about style and color. Then there is acreage, with long frontage, woodlots and ponds.

In town, the challenge is fitting a solid fence into a tight space without crowding anyone. In a subdivision, it is usually approval. On acreage, it is deciding how much of a long line actually needs to be private.

Hills, ravines and yards that slope more than one way

Glaciers left Dexter with real topography. Many backyards fall away from the house, level out, then drop again toward a creek or the river valley. Some slope sideways too, so a fence line climbs along one edge and descends along the next. Solid privacy panels do not bend to follow that ground, so the layout gets planned section by section.

Every step in a stepped fence leaves a triangle of open space under the low end of a panel, and on a Dexter hillside those gaps can grow large enough for a dog to slip under. Some yards need extra posts, custom-cut sections or short retaining edges to close them.

Wet ground near the Huron River and its creeks

Low spots are common on lots that drain toward the river valley or sit near one of the small streams feeding it. A post set in saturated clay has less grip, and water pooling against wood at the base speeds up rot.

That affects the plan rather than ruling out a fence. A contractor may suggest running the line slightly uphill of a wet pocket, leaving a gap at grade for runoff, or waiting until the ground firms up enough to dig cleanly. Frost drives deep into Michigan soil in a hard winter and every footing has to sit beneath it; the local building department sets the depth for your address.

• Note where water stands after a heavy rain or the spring melt, and photograph it.
• If the lot borders a creek, a pond or the river, ask the local zoning office whether fencing near the water needs extra review.
• Check where downspouts and sump lines discharge; they can turn a dry run into a wet one.

Clay, gravel pockets and buried roots

Soil around Dexter changes fast. One post hole comes up as sticky gray clay, the next as sand and rounded stones, and a third hits a cobble the size of a loaf of bread. A clay hole holds water while a gravelly one drains, and an auger that meets a buried rock stalls until someone digs it out by hand.

Mature trees are the other underground factor. Cutting a major root can harm the tree, and a post jammed against one may get pushed out of line as it grows. Where a big trunk sits near the boundary, the usual fix is shifting a post, widening a section or setting the fence a short distance inside the line.

Older homes in town, newer subdivisions outside it

Many in-town properties already have something on the line: an aging picket fence, a sagging stockade run or a decades-old chain link boundary half swallowed by shrubs. Removing it, pulling the old posts and hauling away the concrete belong in the scope. If most of the existing fence is sound, the privacy fence repair page covers when fixing beats replacing.

Township subdivisions usually start with a blank yard but come with rules on style, color, height and how far forward of the house a fence may extend. Get that approval in writing before material is ordered, since a fence that has to come down is the most expensive kind.

Deer, wooded edges and how much privacy a big lot needs

Deer move through Dexter constantly, following the river corridor and the wooded ravines between neighborhoods. Gardens and young fruit trees take a beating, and that pressure often turns a privacy project into a perimeter project. A solid fence blocks the sight line deer rely on, which many homeowners find helps, but height rules still apply and one open gate undoes the effort.

On larger parcels, separate the privacy goal from the boundary goal. A tall solid run might be needed only where the yard faces a neighbor's deck or a busy road. An open style such as split rail can mark the rest of a long boundary with far less material.

Access, staging and material choices for Dexter yards

Getting material to the line is its own problem here. A narrow side yard between two older houses may allow only a wheelbarrow, and a hillside backyard can mean carrying every panel down a slope.

Access feeds the material decision. Heavy composite panels are harder to move down a steep yard than wood boards, and long vinyl panels can be awkward in a tight passage. The tradeoffs are covered on the wood privacy fences, vinyl privacy fences and composite fences pages.

What to confirm and send before a Dexter fence is quoted

Depending on the parcel, a Dexter address falls under the city or one of the surrounding townships. That office, plus any association, sets the height limits, setbacks, corner-lot visibility rules and permit needs. Confirm them before anyone orders material. Nearby communities are listed on the areas page.

1. Find the survey pins or plat drawing so the line is known, not guessed.
2. Contact MISS DIG 811 before digging so buried utilities get marked for free.
3. Photograph the full run, including slopes, wet spots, trees and any existing fence.
4. Note gate locations and what has to pass through them, from a mower to a trailer.
5. Send the address and photos through the contact page so a fence contractor working the area can see the job in person.

Common questions here

The work, by type

Elsewhere in Washtenaw County