Yes. On a slope a fence is either racked, with the rails running parallel to the ground, or stepped, with level sections that drop one after another. A racked fence hugs the ground more closely.
Racked or stepped: which is better?
- Racked: rails tilt with the grade and pickets stay plumb. Good for mild and medium slopes, and the better choice with dogs.
- Stepped: every section is level and each one sits lower than the last. Used on steep ground and with rigid panels. It leaves a wedge of open space under the low end of each section.
- Built in place: for wood, each board is cut to the ground on site. This gives the tightest fit.
I have a dog that digs and a yard that drops. How do I avoid gaps?
Choose a racked or built-in-place fence, then deal with the bottom edge. A treated board fixed along the ground, pickets trimmed to the grade, or wire mesh buried a short way under the fence line will each stop a digger.
My yard is steep and rocky and two companies turned the job down. Who does this?
We look at these before saying yes or no. Shallow ledge and boulders are normal in North Stamford and across the hills of Fairfield County, where glacial till sits on bedrock. If a post lands on rock, the choices are to move it a little, core a hole into the rock, or pin the post to the ledge. All of that is slower than digging soil and costs more.
Do installers dig by hand or with a machine?
We use both. A power auger is quick in open ground. Near marked utility lines, foundations, large roots and in narrow side yards the holes are dug by hand. Stony soil often needs a digging bar whichever way you start.
We only give a firm price after seeing the yard, and the visit is free. Call (203) 409-8830 or text us a photo of the fence line.