Privacy Fence Guide for Columbia & Spring Hill Homeowners
The new subdivisions going up along Bear Creek Pike and the neighborhoods spreading south from Spring Hill toward Columbia have one thing in common: the lots are getting closer together. A privacy fence used to be a nice-to-have. In a lot of these neighborhoods now, it is the first thing people install after closing. Here is what to know if you are putting up a privacy fence in Columbia or Spring Hill.
The Standard Setup
Six feet tall. Pressure-treated pine or cedar. Posts set 36 inches deep in concrete, eight feet on center. This is the privacy fence you see on most lots in Maury and Williamson County, and it works. The height gives you a sight line block from ground level to above head height. The eight-foot spacing keeps the panels rigid without wasting posts. Every extra post in the line is another $40 to $60 you did not need to spend.
Board-on-board is the configuration to ask for if privacy is the main goal. The boards overlap so there are no gaps, even when the wood shrinks in dry weather. In the dry fall months when the humidity drops and the boards shrink, a standard dog-ear picket fence will show slivers of light between the boards. A board-on-board fence will not. Shadow box, where boards alternate on each side of the rail, gives a similar look from both sides but has small sight-line gaps. Standard dog-ear pickets with a tight gap, less than a quarter inch between boards, is the most affordable option that still provides good privacy.
HOA Rules Are Different Block to Block
This is where a lot of new homeowners in Spring Hill and Columbia get caught. The HOA in one subdivision might require a specific color stain. The neighborhood across the street might require board-on-board cedar and nothing else. Some HOAs in Williamson County require the good side to face out toward the street or the neighbor, which affects how the fence is built. Before you pick a material or a style, check the covenants. The fence contractor should ask, but it is smart to have the answer ready before the estimate so you are not surprised when the HOA design review comes back. Our fence permits and HOA rules guide has more detail on what each city and county requires.
Lot-Specific Considerations
A corner lot in Columbia usually means a shorter fence along the side that faces the street, typically four feet, with the six-foot privacy section starting farther back. This is a county sight-line requirement in some areas, not just an HOA preference. The idea is that a six-foot fence right up to the corner blocks the view of oncoming traffic for drivers pulling out of the side street.
Sloped lots need racked or stepped panels. Racked means the rails follow the slope while the pickets stay vertical. The panels are built at an angle so the bottom follows the grade but every picket is plumb. Stepped means the panels stay level and drop down at each post like a stair step, which leaves triangular gaps at the bottom unless a filler board is installed. Racked looks better on most slopes and keeps the bottom gap consistent so dogs and small children cannot squeeze under. The crew will know which approach works once they walk the property, but it is worth asking about if your lot has a noticeable grade.
One thing homeowners in newer subdivisions often miss: utility easements. Many lots along the Bear Creek Pike corridor and in new Thompson’s Station developments have utility easements along the back or side property lines. If you build a fence in an easement, the utility company can tear it down without compensation if they need to access lines. A surveyor or your plat map will show easements. If there is one, build inside of it.
The frost line in Middle Tennessee requires posts at 36 inches. Some contractors will push for 24 inches to save time and concrete. Do not let them. A post set at 24 inches in Maury County clay will heave within three winters. You will be able to pick out the shallow-set fences in any neighborhood by the wavy top line. It is the first thing a fence contractor notices when driving through a subdivision. For tips on what to ask before signing a contract, see our guide on questions to ask a fence contractor.
Timeline
A standard 200-foot privacy fence on a flat lot takes two to three days from post-setting to final walk-through. The concrete needs 24 hours to cure before the panels go up. If the ground is wet from recent rain, add a day, because the auger churns up mud instead of clean soil and the post holes need extra time to firm up. For vinyl privacy fence, allow the same timeline. Call Middle TN Fence & Gate at (931) 201-6528 to schedule a free estimate and get on the calendar. We install privacy fences throughout Columbia, Spring Hill, and all surrounding communities. Our fence cost guide has a breakdown of what privacy fence installation typically runs.