Fence or deck costs in Madison

If your Madison house sits on one of the lakes, a deck permit starts with a surveyor. For lakefront properties, the city requires a survey by a registered land surveyor that shows how far the buildings on the neighboring lots sit from the Ordinary High Water Mark.

Every deck in the city needs a building permit. A deck less than 3 feet above the ground can run up to the lot line in most cases. At 3 feet or higher, it has to meet your district's setbacks. Footings must go at least 48 inches deep to prevent frost heaving, and an inspector has to see the holes after they're dug and before the footings go in.

Fences work the other way. You don't need a building permit for one, but the height rules are detailed. Screening fences in the front yard setback stop at 4 feet. An ornamental fence there can be 5 feet if it's less than 50 percent opaque, or 6 feet if it's less than 20 percent opaque. Within 10 feet of where a driveway meets the street-side lot line, fences have to stay at 2 feet or under. Uncoated chain link is fine in back and interior side yards, but not out front. And the city says plainly that no law makes you put the good side of the fence toward your neighbor.