MI Homesiding & Roofing
Knoxville, TN
Wood Fence Installation & Replacement in Knoxville, TN
Privacy fencing · Posts · Rails · Pickets · Gates A wood fence is a row of posts in wet ground holding up everything else. That is where it is won or lost.
Most people want a wood fence for one of three reasons: privacy from a neighboring window, a boundary for children or a dog, or because the fence that is there now has started to lean and look tired.
Whatever the reason, the fence lives or dies on two things that are invisible once it is finished: how the posts are set, and how the bottom of the wood is kept out of standing moisture. Everything you can see — the pickets, the rails, the gate — is carried by those two decisions.
We build wood fences, and only wood fences. That is a deliberate limit: wood is the material our day-to-day exterior carpentry work is in, so it is the one we will stand behind.
If your existing fence is mostly sound and the problem is a few sections, start with wood fence repair instead.
Verified credentials
Who you are actually hiring, and who stands behind the work.
- TN #13334Licensed & Insured
Licensed Home Improvement Contractor
Tennessee license #13334 · General Liability and Workers’ Compensation insured
BBB Accredited Business — A+ Rating
- 20+Years hands-on
Experience on the Tools
20+ years of hands-on construction and exterior remodeling experience
Knoxville Chamber Investor
Investor member of the Knoxville Chamber
Local Chamber Memberships
Chambers of commerce where MI Homesiding LLC holds a current membership.
Member of the Loudon County Chamber of Commerce
Member of the Anderson County Chamber of Commerce
Member of the Blount County Chamber of Commerce
Local membership · blountchamber.com
What We Install
New wood fence installation and full wood fence replacement for homeowners in Knoxville and the surrounding area.
🪵 Wood privacy fencing — the usual request, where the point is to not see through it
📐 Picket and open styles — where the point is a boundary rather than a screen
🔧 Posts, rails and pickets — the three parts that decide whether it stays straight
🚪 Gates — sized, braced and hung so they still swing true in a year
🗑 Removal of the existing fence — when that is part of the agreed scope
🎨 Finishing — left bare to weather, or finished later as fence painting and staining
What we do not offer: we do not install vinyl, Aluminum or chain-link fencing. If that is what you want, a fencing specialist is the right call and we will say so rather than take the job.
Layout: What We Work Out Before Anything Is Dug
Most fence regrets are layout regrets, and they are all cheaper to solve on paper than in the ground.
01
Where the line actually isWe build to the line you tell us to build to. Where the boundary itself is uncertain, that is worth settling with a survey before we start, not after.
02
What is undergroundUtility locating happens before posts are dug. It is not optional and it is not something to eyeball.
03
Which way the ground fallsA slope has to be either stepped or raked, and the two look completely different when finished. We decide that with you.
04
Where the gates goGate position follows how you actually use the yard — mower, bins, hose, the path people really walk.
05
Height and stylePrivacy height and picket style change the wind load and the post spacing, so they are structural choices, not just looks.
06
Access for the workWhether a machine can reach the line changes the method and the cost. Better known in advance.
Posts, and Why They Decide Everything
A leaning fence is almost never a picket problem. It is a post problem, and the post failed either because of how it was set or because of what the ground around it does with water.
So the post is where we spend the attention: how deep it goes and how it is supported, chosen for the height of the fence, the wind it will catch and what the soil in your yard is actually like. There is no single depth that is right for every fence and every yard, which is why we settle it on site rather than quoting a number here.
The second decision is what happens where wood meets ground and where water collects. Material in constant contact with wet soil behaves differently from material that can dry, and the detailing at the bottom of the fence is what decides which situation you have.
Rails and pickets matter too, mostly in how they are fastened. Fasteners that corrode or split the wood will loosen a fence long before the wood itself is finished.
Replacing an Existing Fence
A replacement is a different job from a fresh installation, and the difference is mostly in what comes out of the ground.
Old posts set in concrete do not lift out politely. Removing them, dealing with the spoil and the old material, and deciding whether new posts go in the same holes or beside them is real work and it belongs in the written scope rather than being discovered on the day.
It is also the point where the condition of what is left becomes visible. Sometimes a replacement turns out to be partial: one run is finished, another is sound and worth keeping. We would rather tell you that than replace serviceable fence.
Structural Integrity & Hidden Damage Policy
If concealed rot or damage is discovered during the project — such as deteriorated framing, sheathing, posts, or other supporting components — MI Homesiding will document the condition and issue a written Change Order for any additional repair that is required and approved. We do not knowingly cover concealed deterioration with new materials or finishes.
On a fence project this applies when an existing fence is being removed or replaced: the condition of posts below grade, and of anything the old fence was attached to, is only visible once it is out.
How the Project Runs
- 01
We walk the line with you.
Length, height, style, gate positions, slope, access and what is already there.
- 02
Scope in writing.
Layout, materials, gate count, removal of the old fence if included, and what is handled separately.
- 03
Locating and removal.
Utilities located before digging; the existing fence out first where that is part of the job.
- 04
Posts set.
The part that takes the time and decides the result. Nothing else goes on until these are right.
- 05
Rails, pickets and gates.
Then the gates get hung and adjusted, which is a separate skill from building the run.
- 06
Clean-up and walk it.
We go round it with you, including how the gates are set and what to expect as the wood weathers.
Repair or Replace?
Not every tired-looking fence needs replacing, and we would rather say so.
Repair usually makes sense when the posts are still sound and the problems are in boards, rails or a gate, or when the damage is confined to one or two sections after a storm.
Replacement starts to make sense when posts have failed along most of the run, when the fence is leaning in several places rather than one, or when the wood has deteriorated widely enough that repairing it means replacing most of it anyway.
The honest version is that it is a judgment about how much of the structure is still carrying its load. If yours is on the repair side, wood fence repair is the page you want.
Investment: How a Wood Fence Is Priced
Wood fence installation and replacement are priced from the actual project scope. Linear footage, height, fence style, gates, terrain, removal of existing fencing, access, and material selections affect the final investment.
We are not publishing a single headline figure, because any such number only holds if every yard is flat, every run is straight and nothing has to come out of the ground first. Yours may well be, but that is something to establish on the day rather than assume.
What tends to move the number most: the total length, the number of gates, whether the ground is sloped or awkward, and whether an existing fence has to be removed and disposed of.
You get it in writing, itemized, after we have walked the line.
Questions Homeowners Usually Have First
01
“Do I need a permit?”That depends on your address and the fence, and it is the local office with jurisdiction that answers it, not us. Where it is a reasonable question we raise it before work starts.
02
“What about the property line?”We build to the line you give us. If the boundary is genuinely unclear, a survey is cheaper than moving a fence later.
03
“My yard is on a slope.”Normal here. It gets either stepped or raked, and the two finish differently, so you choose with the slope in front of you.
04
“Will the gate sag?”Gates sag when they are not braced for their width or hung on hardware too light for them. Both are decisions made at build time.
05
“Should I stain it right away?”New wood often needs to weather before it will take a finish properly. We will tell you when, rather than selling you a coating on day one.
06
“Do you take the old fence away?”When it is in the agreed scope, yes — and it is written in, because removal and disposal are real work.
Why MI Homesiding for a Wood Fence
There are good dedicated fencing companies in Knoxville, and for vinyl, Aluminum or chain-link work they are the right call. We are not pretending otherwise.
Where we are a sensible choice is wood. MI Homesiding is owner-led, and Mel Hernandez brings 20+ years of hands-on construction and exterior remodeling experience, including finish carpentry. Our everyday work is wood exposed to weather — siding, trim, decks and rot repair — which is the same problem a fence has, standing up.
We diagnose first, explain what is actually damaged, and recommend the amount of work the structure truly needs. We are willing to evaluate both small repairs and larger replacement projects.
And when the fence is ready for a finish, that is work we also do ourselves — see fence painting and staining.
Where We Work
MI Homesiding serves homeowners in Knoxville and surrounding East Tennessee communities, including Maryville, Alcoa, Farragut, Oak Ridge, Clinton, Powell, Lenoir City, Seymour, Sevierville, Pigeon Forge, Gatlinburg, Dandridge, Jefferson City, Halls Crossroads, Norris, and Louisville. If you are outside one of these areas, contact us and we can confirm whether your property is within our current service area.
The full list is on our service areas page.
We are a service-area business and travel to the property. The map shows the area we cover rather than a walk-in location.
FAQs – Wood Fence Installation in Knoxville, TN
Do you install vinyl, Aluminum or chain-link fencing?
No. We install wood fencing only. Wood is what our exterior carpentry work is in, so it is the material we will stand behind. For other materials, a dedicated fencing company is the better call.
How long does a wood fence take to install?
It depends on the length, the number of gates, the ground and whether an existing fence has to come out first. We give you the expected working time in the written scope, as an expectation rather than a fixed completion date.
Do I need a permit for a wood fence in Knoxville?
It depends on the height and location of the fence. Current City of Knoxville residential code guidance lists fences up to 7 feet high among work that may be exempt from a building permit, but zoning, front-yard visibility, easements, and other site requirements can still apply. We recommend confirming the rules for the specific property before installation.
Can you build a fence on a sloped yard?
Yes, and most yards here have some fall. A slope is handled either by stepping the fence down or by raking the panels to follow the ground. They look different when finished, so it is a choice you should make with the slope in front of you.
Will you remove my old fence?
When it is part of the agreed scope, yes. Removing posts set in concrete and disposing of the old material is real work, so it is written into the scope rather than assumed either way.
Should I stain or paint a new wood fence straight away?
Often not immediately. New wood frequently needs to weather before a finish will bond properly. We will tell you when it is ready rather than coating it too early.
Can you repair my existing fence instead of replacing it?
Often, yes, and we would rather do that if it will hold. If the posts are sound and the damage is in boards, rails or a gate, repair is usually the sensible answer.
How tall can my wood fence be?
Height is set by the zoning rules that apply to your property, and the limit is usually lower in a front yard than in a back yard. The office with jurisdiction over your address is the final word, and an HOA can be stricter still. We confirm it before the fence is built rather than assuming.
Which side of the fence faces my neighbor?
By custom — and in some neighborhoods by rule — the finished, smooth side faces outward, toward the street or the neighbor, with the rails on your side. We build it the way you instruct; if your HOA or a local rule requires a particular orientation, tell us and we will follow it.
Do you install cedar and pressure-treated pine fences?
Yes. We install both cedar and pressure-treated pine. The right choice depends on budget, appearance, design, maintenance expectations, and where each component will be used. We review the options with the homeowner before materials are ordered.
What is the best wood for a fence in East Tennessee?
There is no single best — it is a trade-off between cost and longevity in our humid climate. The detail that matters more than the species is how the posts are set and how the bottom of the wood is kept out of standing moisture, because that is where a fence is won or lost regardless of the wood.
What affects the cost of a new wood fence?
The main factors are total linear footage, fence height and style, wood selection, number and size of gates, post layout, terrain, access, removal of an existing fence, and site conditions. We price the project from the actual scope rather than using one universal per-foot price.
Ready to Get Started?
Tell us roughly where the fence is going and what it is for. We will walk the line with you and put the scope in writing before anything is dug.