HOA and Apartment Fence Types for Shared Property
Community fence work splits into two kinds of job. The association owns the perimeter, the amenities and the entry. Owners or the management company replace backyard sections one at a time, and those have to match.
Community Perimeter Fence
A perimeter line can run the full length of a subdivision, so the per-foot price drives the whole budget. Guides put privacy and picket work at 13 to 16 labor hours per 100 feet, which is why a long line is often built in phases between budget years. Ask for one unit price that holds across phases, and for the post spacing and post size in writing. Solid perimeter fence catches a lot of wind, and the storm side of that is on Storm Damage Fence Repair.
Amenity and Pool Enclosures
Clubhouse pools, playgrounds, dog parks and courts each get their own enclosure, usually in black aluminum or coated chain link so staff can see in. A community pool fence still has to meet the Florida pool barrier rule; height, gaps and self-latching gates are covered on Pool Fences. Court and playground fencing is on Sports Field and Playground Fencing.
Community Entry Gates
Gated entrances usually pair a vehicle gate in each direction with a pedestrian gate beside them. The board's real decisions are about access: who gets codes or remotes, how deliveries and emergency vehicles get in, and who fixes the gate when it stalls on a Saturday. Openers, keypads and solar power are covered on Driveway Gates and Gate Openers.
Utility and Dumpster Screens
Lift stations, transformer pads, mail kiosks and apartment dumpster pads all get screened so the common areas look finished. Match the screen to the community fence rather than to the utility. Leave the gate wide enough for whoever services what's inside, and check with the utility before fencing around its equipment.
Unit-by-Unit Replacement to ARC Spec
Most HOA fence calls are a single owner replacing a backyard section. The architectural review committee usually fixes the material, height, style and color, so the installer builds to the approved spec rather than the owner's taste. Replacements run slower than new work, at 19 to 22 labor hours per 100 feet in guides, because the old fence comes out first. Send the approval letter with the request.
Why Tallahassee homeowners call Tallahassee Expert Fencing
- The call and the form are free
- Your request goes to one contractor, not a list of bidders
- Ask for posts, gates, removal and cleanup priced line by line
- Hold the final payment until the gates swing and latch
Florida HOA Fence Rules in Plain Terms
Chapter 720 of the Florida Statutes sets limits on what an association can ask of owners:
The declaration sets the reach
An association or its review committee can control a fence's location, size, type or look only as far as the declaration of covenants or its published standards say so.Listed options are the owner's choice
If the standards list approved materials, sizes or designs, the board can't narrow the owner's pick among them.No permit first
An association can't demand a building permit before it reviews a fence request.One front per lot
Unless the covenants say otherwise, a corner lot has one front for setback purposes. Where the covenants don't set setbacks, city or county setbacks apply.
Approval from the HOA is separate from city or county rules. Height limits and permit triggers are on Wood Privacy Fences.
Managing a Community Fence Job
Phase the work, fix the price
Ask for unit prices per foot, per gate and per post that hold across phases.Write the spec once
A one-page spec (material, height, post size, cap style, stain or color) saves each owner and each bid from starting over.Mind the lien law
A contract over $2,500 brings in Florida's Notice of Commencement and Notice to Owner rules. The steps are set out on Commercial Fencing.Plan for owners' dogs and gates
Residents will ask for gates in the perimeter. Decide the policy before the fence goes up.