Yes. A fence on a slope is either racked, with the rails angled to match the ground, or stepped, with level panels dropping one after another. Springfield is mostly level, but yards near Lake Springfield, along the creeks, in Rochester and in Petersburg have real grade.
Racked or stepped: which is better?
- Racked: the rails follow the slope and the pickets stay plumb. The gap under the fence stays small, which suits dogs and gentle grades.
- Stepped: each panel is level and the next one sits lower. It works on steeper ground and with solid panels, and it leaves a triangle of space under each section.
- Site-built: boards are cut one at a time to the ground line. It is slower and gives the closest fit in wood.
I have a dog that digs and a yard that drops. How do I avoid gaps?
Choose a racked or site-built fence so the bottom follows the ground, then secure the bottom edge. A treated kick board, boards scribed to the grade, or welded wire buried along the line all work. With chain link, add a bottom rail or a tension wire so the fabric cannot be pushed up.
My yard is steep and rocky and two companies turned the job down. Who does this?
Call us and we will walk it before deciding. True rock is rare under Springfield yards. Hard digging here is more often dense clay subsoil, large tree roots, or old concrete, brick and cinders buried on lots in the older parts of the city. We break out what we can and shift a post along the line where we cannot. It is slower work and has to be priced on site.
Do installers dig by hand or with a machine?
Both, depending on the spot. A powered auger is quick in open lawn. We switch to hand tools near marked utility lines, next to foundations, among roots and in side yards too narrow for a machine.
What about drainage swales?
Many newer subdivisions around Springfield and Chatham drain through shallow swales along the lot lines. A fence across a swale needs a gap at the bottom so water still flows, and some plats do not allow a fence in the easement at all. We read the plat with you first.
A real price needs a look at the yard. The on-site estimate is free. Call (217) 262-9381 or text us a photo of the fence line.