Fence or deck costs in Indianapolis

In Indianapolis, fence height is a zoning question under the Consolidated Zoning and Subdivision Ordinance. On a D-5 home lot, for example, a side or back fence tops out at six feet. Owners who want more have to go to the Metropolitan Board of Zoning Appeals. In late 2023, petitions asked the board for an eight-foot privacy fence behind a house on North Illinois Street and a six-foot fence in a front yard on East 56th Street. Each one went to a public hearing.

Decks can take two permits. In Lawrence, inside Marion County, a deck of 200 square feet or more, or one higher than 30 inches off the ground, needs a city building permit. You also need an Improvement Location Permit from the Department of Business and Neighborhood Services in Marion County. At the final inspection, the installation instructions for composite decking have to be on site, so keep that paperwork if you go composite.

Frost decides how deep the footings go. The Indianapolis airport averages about 105 nights a year at or below freezing, plus around 25 inches of snow. Lawrence's deck guide says footings must reach at least 30 inches below grade, the frost line, unless the deck isn't connected to a house. A post set too shallow can heave as wet ground freezes, and a deck tied to your house moves with it.