Yes. A fence on a slope is either racked, with rails that run at the angle of the ground, or stepped, with level panels that drop one after another. Ann Arbor has plenty of slopes. The city sits on glacial hills above the Huron River, and yards that fall toward a creek, a ravine or the street are ordinary here.
Racked or stepped: which is better?
- Racked: the pickets stay vertical and the rails tilt with the grade. The bottom stays close to the ground. Best for gentle to moderate slopes and for dogs.
- Stepped: each panel is level and the next one is set lower. Works on steeper ground and with solid panels that cannot tilt. A triangle of space is left below each panel.
- Built on site: boards are cut one at a time to follow the ground. More labor, and the closest fit a wood fence can have.
I have a dog that digs and a yard that drops. How do I avoid gaps?
Use a racked or site-built fence so the bottom follows the grade, then secure the base. Options are a rot-resistant kick board along the bottom, pickets scribed to the ground, or wire mesh laid in a shallow trench under the fence. Chain link can have a bottom rail or a tension wire so the mesh cannot be pushed up.
My yard is steep and rocky and two companies turned the job down. Who does this?
Give us a call and we will come and look before answering. Solid bedrock is rare in Ann Arbor. What crews run into is glacial till: stones and the occasional boulder packed in clay or gravel, plus the roots of big trees. A stone can usually be pried out, or the post moved a short way along the line. Steep banks are slower because material is carried by hand and each hole is dug from poor footing. We price that kind of job only after walking it.
Do installers dig by hand or with a machine?
Both, depending on the spot. An auger is quick in open, level ground. Hand digging is used next to marked utilities, close to foundations, among tree roots we want to spare, on steep banks and in the narrow side yards of older neighborhoods where a machine will not fit.
We price every fence after seeing the yard. The estimate is free and comes in writing. Call (734) 441-3554 or text us a photo of the fence line.