Fences · Ottawa
Fence installation and replacement in Ottawa
Wood privacy fences, gates and full replacements, built on posts set for Ottawa clay and frost, so the line stays straight winter after winter. Free estimate at your property, then a written price.
- Wood posts
- Wood boards
- Board-on-board panels
- Lattice top
What goes wrong
Why fences lean after a few winters
Fences lean because their posts move. Wet clay around a post freezes, lifts it and settles back unevenly in spring, and wood at ground level rots faster in soil that stays damp. After a few cycles the line wanders, gates drag and boards pull loose.
So a Korvex fence starts at the ground. We mark the line with you, have buried lines located, auger each hole into firm soil and set every post to a string before the first board goes on.
The result is a fence that holds its line, a gate that swings and latches cleanly, and a tidy boundary with the neighbours.
How we build it
How we build a fence that stays straight
A fence is only as straight as the posts holding it, so most of the work happens below the ground.
- Layout
We mark the line with you before digging. A survey plan settles it where the boundary is unclear.
- Locates
Buried utility lines are located before any post hole is dug.
- Post holes
Augered, so each post sits in firm, undisturbed ground.
- Line and level
Every post checked for plumb and height, so the top reads as one line.
- Boards and lattice topFastened to the rails once every post is plumb and in line.Fastened to the framing
- Rails and postsRails tie the posts together and carry the weight of the boards.Checked level
- Post footingType and depth chosen for your soil and frost conditions.Bearing on firm ground
- Native soilOttawa clay holds water, which makes frost lift worse. We check it as we dig.To firm ground
What we build
Fences: the work we take on
New fences
A full fence on a new line: layout, locates, post holes, rails, boards and gates.
Fence replacement
The old fence and its posts come out, and the new fence goes up on new posts.
Privacy fences
Solid board-on-board runs, with an optional lattice top, for a backyard nobody sees into.
Gates
Single and double gates, sized for people, a mower or equipment. Ask at the estimate.
Materials
Wood is the fence we build most. Ask about other materials at the site visit.
Post and footing prep
Leaning posts straightened or reset where the rest of the fence is still sound.
Real projects
Fences we have built
Our own jobs, photographed on site by the Korvex crew.
Townhouse fence torn out and replaced
A collapsing, overgrown fence torn out and replaced with board-on-board panels on new posts set to a string line.
View project
Reviews
What homeowners say about our fence work
Quoted as written on Facebook and HomeStars. All reviews
“Did awesome work! had them repair a leany fence and they were on time, cheap and super professional”
Josh Cohen-Collier · Leaning fence repaired
“Vlad and his partner did a terrific job repairing our sagging wood fence, giving it a new life, for a very reasonable price. They communicated clearly and professionally at every stage of the process, they completed the job in a timely manner, and their work was top notch. Highly recommended!”
Geoffrey Robinson · Wood fence repair · Ottawa
“They installed new fence posts and were creative in reinstalling the panels that were old and past their prime. Vladyslav and his partner are efficient, reliable and their work is reasonably priced. They are pleasant to deal with and good at communicating the details of the job. I highly recommend them.”
HomeStars user · Fence posts replaced · Nepean
Service areas
Fences across the Ottawa area
Soil, lot grading rules and house age change from one part of Ottawa to the next. Here is what that means for this work in each area.
On request: Gloucester, Carp, Richmond, Russell, Embrun. To check your street, call or text 613-880-7679.
- OttawaClay under most of the city
Leda clay underlies most of Ottawa and is sensitive to water and disturbance. Excavation, compaction and a granular base are sized for that soil.
- KanataBeaverbrook and older streets
Beaverbrook’s first street, Tiffany Crescent, dates to 1964, and the area is known for its hedged houses. A rebuild on these lots works around established hedges, trees and older footings.
- StittsvilleShallow bedrock
About 37% of the Poole Creek catchment is mapped as bedrock at the surface. Post holes and footings can meet rock at shallow depth.
- BarrhavenFirst streets and new phases
The first subdivision houses along Larkin Drive date to the late 1960s and early 1970s, while Half Moon Bay is one of the newer areas. Older yards come with existing structures to remove, newer ones with a recent grading plan to follow.
- NepeanMature trees and root zones
The City protects private trees 30 cm or wider at 1.3 m up in the urban area. Its critical root zone is 10 cm out per 1 cm of trunk, so a 30 cm tree reaches about 3 m.
- OrleansFirmer ground near the edges
Around the edges of Orleans and in a few central spots the ground is firmer, in places a thin layer of soil over bedrock. Two yards a few streets apart can need different footing plans.
- ManotickVillage core and rural lots
The village plan sets lots of 0.4 to 0.6 ha on private wells and sewage systems west of Mud Creek. Bigger lots mean longer fence runs and more ground to grade and drain.
- Riverside SouthMarine clay soils
The community plan calls for tree planting standards suited to marine clay soils. Clay under a new yard holds water, so base depth and compaction are planned for it.
FAQ
What homeowners ask about fences
Why is my fence leaning?
Almost always because the posts have moved. In Ottawa clay, wet soil around a post freezes, lifts it and settles back unevenly each spring, and wood at ground level rots faster in soil that stays damp. Korvex checks the posts first: sound posts can be straightened, and posts that are rotted or loose along the run need replacing.
Can you fix a section instead of replacing the whole fence?
Often, yes. When most posts are solid, Korvex straightens or resets the leaning ones and replaces damaged boards, which usually costs less than a new fence. When the posts have rotted along the whole run, a repair tends to fail again within a few winters, and replacement is the better spend. We tell you which applies after looking at the posts.
Do I need a permit or my neighbour’s agreement for a fence?
In Ottawa, a fence that does not enclose a pool needs no building permit. The fence by-law caps its height: 1 m in a front yard and 2.13 m in side and rear yards, lower near street corners and driveways. A fence around a pool or hot tub needs a pool enclosure permit. Korvex goes over what applies to your lot at the estimate. On a shared line, talk to your neighbour early.
Who arranges utility locates before the post holes are dug?
Whoever does the digging requests them through Ontario One Call, at least five business days ahead, and the service is free. Private lines, such as power to a shed or a gas line to a barbecue, are the owner’s to have marked. Tell us about them at the estimate and the post layout is planned around them.
What materials can you build with?
Our recent fences in Ottawa are wood: board-on-board privacy panels, solid board runs and lattice tops, with wood gates hung in the same line. If you are weighing another material, ask at the estimate and Korvex will tell you what we can offer for your yard.
How long does a fence installation take?
Most Korvex jobs take one to two weeks on site. For a fence, the length of the run, the number of gates, how much old fence has to come out and the weather set the schedule. Locates need at least five business days before any digging, and your start date comes with the written quote.
How much does a new fence cost?
A fence price comes down to length, height, material, the number of gates and what has to come out first. Korvex Developments prices fences in Ottawa, Kanata, Orleans, Barrhaven and nearby after walking the line with you, and you get a written price before any work is booked.
Book a free fence estimate
Tell us what you want built and send a few photos. We come out, look at what sits under the job, and give you the scope and the price in writing.