Wood Fences & Decks in McLendon-Chisholm, TX
McLendon-Chisholm is about 11 miles south-southwest of us in Rockwall County. It is genuinely rural: 98 percent of residents lived in rural areas at the 2020 census. No lake frontage, which means none of the take line complications Rockwall, Heath and Rowlett have. But it has the most expensive fence permit in our service area, by a distance.
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The fastest way to get a price is to call. We come out to McLendon-Chisholm, measure, and give you a written estimate, usually the same day.
What the City of McLendon-Chisholm requires
The fence code here dates to 2008, and it is noticeably more permissive than its neighbors. It also regulates by fence purpose rather than by yard, which is unusual.
- Fence permit fee: $250.00. For comparison: Greenville $25, Rowlett $40, Rockwall, Sachse, Lucas, Princeton and Fate $75, Heath $100. It goes on your estimate up front rather than surprising you later.
- Privacy and security enclosures: 8 feet maximum, and no closer than 75 feet from the front lot line.
- Decorative fences: 6 feet maximum on any residential lot line, but the solid surface area may not exceed 30 percent of the total surface area. Within a visibility triangle, 2 feet maximum.
- Chain link and barbed wire are still permitted here, which most neighboring cities prohibit outright. Also permitted: wood, pipe, masonry, wrought iron, welded wire, plaster, and plastic vinyl post and rail.
- Barbed wire in the front yard is allowed by special use permit in the 2.5 residential district, allowed in other residential classifications where land is used for animal husbandry, and not allowed in the 1.5 residential district.
- Electric fences are prohibited in residential districts except in AG, SF5 and SF2.5 where used for animal husbandry, and then must be UL approved.
- Subdivision enclosures: 8 feet maximum, with minimum 10 by 20 inch brick columns on piers at maximum 10 feet on center, plans reviewed by city staff.
- No finished-side-out requirement. We read the full section; it is not there. We build finished side out anyway.
- The permit exemption language in § 6-15(G) is grammatically incomplete as codified and its scope is genuinely ambiguous. We call the city at 972-524-2077 and confirm rather than assume, in either direction.
Read from the city’s own published code and adopted fee schedule on 22 August 2026. Codes and fees change and city staff interpret them, so we confirm for your address before we pull the permit.
Creeks and drainage, not lake take lines
McLendon-Chisholm has rolling topography, large pastureland tracts and a number of drainage areas, and the city’s Future Land Use Plan carries a dedicated floodplain designation.
So the main siting constraint here is floodplain and creek drainage, not the lake take lines that dominate Rockwall, Heath and Rowlett. If your fence line crosses a creek or a drainage area, that is the conversation, and it is a completely different one from what we have with a customer in Rockwall.
In planned developments, the developer sets the standard. Fate-style PD rules apply here too: in a planned development, enclosures are addressed by the developer, so the PD and HOA documents control rather than the base city code. Check yours before assuming any of the above applies to your lot.
What It Typically Costs
| Typical job | Price range* |
|---|---|
| Cedar privacy fence, installed | $45 – $65 / linear ft |
| Reset / replace a few posts | $300 – $850 |
| Replace a leaning / damaged section | $500 – $1,500 |
| Fence staining | $2 – $4 / sq ft |
| Deck staining | $3 – $6 / sq ft |
*Typical ranges. What pushes a job up: slope, demolition and haul-off of an existing fence, gates over four feet, and lots we cannot get a truck near. Budget for the permit here. At $250.00, it is more than three times what most neighboring cities charge.
Long fence runs on the most active soil in the region
McLendon-Chisholm is in Rockwall County, which has the highest shrink-swell exposure of any county we work in: 94 percent of mapped land rated high or very high across the top three feet, and 39.5 percent Houston Black clay.
Houston Black moves about 13 percent of its length between wet and dry, and the USDA documents cracks up to four inches wide staying open 90 to 150 cumulative days in a typical year.
On acreage lots with long fence runs and rolling ground, that movement is not uniform along the run. We size footings for the worst section rather than the average, because a fence is only as straight as its weakest fifty feet.
Soil figures computed from USDA-NRCS SSURGO county data. These are county-level figures, not parcel-level. A specific address needs its own lookup, which we do before quoting a long run.
Fence & deck contractor in McLendon-Chisholm, TX
This is a rural city working from a 2008 fence code, and it is more permissive than anywhere else we cover. Chain link and barbed wire are still allowed, privacy fences cap at eight feet but cannot come closer than 75 feet to the front lot line, and the permit is $250.00. That fee goes on your estimate up front rather than surprising you later. If you are in a planned development, the developer’s standards control instead of the base city code, so we read your PD and HOA documents before quoting.
- County: Rockwall County, with part in Kaufman County
- School district: Rockwall ISD
- ZIP codes: 75032
- Major roads: SH 205, FM 550, FM 549
Neighborhoods we serve in McLendon-Chisholm
From Sonoma Verde, Kingsbridge, Brushy Creek Estates to established streets and brand-new construction, we install and repair fences and decks across McLendon-Chisholm. Most of it is zoned to Rockwall ISD, along SH 205 and FM 550. Whether you need an HOA-approved cedar privacy fence, a storm-damage repair or a new deck, we bring the same quality work to every McLendon-Chisholm yard.
- Sonoma Verde
- Kingsbridge
- Brushy Creek Estates
- Glen Hills Ranch
- Chisholm Crossing
- Miravista
What We Build
Cedar fences, custom decks, repairs and staining for homes throughout McLendon-Chisholm.
Fence Installation
Cedar privacy and board-on-board fences built with proper posts, concrete footings and quality lumber.
See fence building →Fence Repair
Leaning sections, broken pickets, rotted posts and storm damage — repaired or replaced fast.
See fence repair →Deck Building
Custom wood and composite decks designed for your yard and framed to code.
See deck building →Solid work, fair prices, no surprises
We set posts deep in concrete, use quality cedar and coated fasteners, and give you a clear written estimate before any work starts. You get the same quality and upfront pricing on every job, big or small.
McLendon-Chisholm is in Rockwall County. Nearby we also work Heath and Rockwall. Compare every city on our permit guide or see the full service area.
McLendon-Chisholm Fence & Deck FAQs
Why is the fence permit $250 here?
That is the city’s published fee under Ordinance 2024-13. It is the highest in our service area by a distance, and we put it on your estimate up front rather than letting it surprise you.
Do I actually need a permit?
Possibly not, depending on your zoning district and what you are doing. The exemption language is genuinely ambiguous as written, so we confirm with the city before quoting it either way.
Can I use chain link or barbed wire?
Under the city code, yes, with conditions. Most neighboring cities prohibit both. Your HOA or deed restrictions may still say no.
I live in a planned development. Same rules?
Not necessarily. In planned developments the developer’s standards control fences, not the base city code. Check your PD and HOA documents.
How far can my privacy fence come toward the road?
No closer than 75 feet from the front lot line. That is a long way back compared to most cities, and it reflects the rural lot sizes here.