1. Confirm the boundary before agreeing on the layout
Gather any survey, recorded plat and easement documents you have. An old fence, a mowing line or a neighbor's recollection should not be treated as proof of the boundary.
Clay County's mapping guidance says its tax-map lines do not determine property boundaries and directs owners to an independent survey company for boundary marking. If the line is uncertain, resolve it with a qualified surveyor before installation.
Show your installer the boundary evidence and any easements. Confirm whether the proposed fence location needs additional review or permission. Leave survey monuments undisturbed.
2. Check your municipality and HOA separately
Confirm which city or county governs your address. Ask about the proposed fence's location, height, corner visibility, easements and any pool-barrier requirements.
Kansas City, Missouri publishes guidance on building-permit exemptions, including applicable code compliance. Kearney's Community Development forms page includes a fence-permit application. Use the guidance for your address rather than assuming one city's process applies throughout the metro.
If your HOA requires approval, submit the proposed layout, material, color and height, then keep the written response. Municipal review and HOA approval are separate checks. Agree with the installer on who handles required applications and what must be approved before work starts.
3. Coordinate the utility-locate request
Ask how the excavation area and locate request will be handled. Missouri 811 says a hired contractor is responsible for placing the locate request.
Use Missouri 811's current instructions or Kansas 811's homeowner guidance, depending on the property. Confirm the ticket's start information and utility responses before digging. Do not assume that making the request, or seeing a few flags, means every affected utility has responded.
Keep flags and paint visible. Tell the installer if marks disappear or the fence layout changes so the locate requirements can be addressed before excavation.
4. Account for privately owned lines
The public utility-locate process does not cover every buried line. Both state 811 services distinguish utility-owned facilities from private lines that may need a separate locator.
List anything that could cross the fence route: irrigation, underground pet fencing, landscape lighting, electricity to a shed, pool equipment connections or septic components. Share installation records and photographs if you have them.
Agree on who will arrange private locating and which facilities need attention. A remembered route or a drawing is useful background, but should not be treated as confirmation that the digging area is clear.
5. Walk the access route and gate locations
Walk from the delivery area to the fence line with the installer. Identify narrow passages, steps, soft ground, plants to protect and where materials may be staged. Keep entrances, meters and utility access clear.
Settle gate locations, swing direction and usable opening width with the actual mower, wheelbarrow or other equipment in mind. Check the slope where each gate will move.
Confirm who removes the old fence, moves obstructions, hauls debris and handles agreed yard restoration. Obtain permission before planning access through a neighbor's property.
6. Prepare the household and save the plan
Move toys, furniture and loose items out of the agreed work area. Make a separate plan for pets while gates are open or fence sections are missing, and keep children away from the work zone. If the existing fence protects a pool, resolve temporary barrier requirements before removing it.
Save the agreed layout, boundary documents, approvals, locate information, private-line records and scope together. Photograph the yard's existing condition. Confirm a reachable contact for questions, and record changes to the plan before they are built.
Does calling 811 establish my property line?
No. Utility locating and boundary surveying answer different questions. Use appropriate survey evidence to establish the boundary and the required locating process to address underground utilities.
Can the new fence follow the old fence exactly?
Only after the location and applicable requirements are checked. An existing fence does not establish the legal boundary or show that its replacement is approved.
What should I bring to a fence estimate?
Bring available survey and easement records, HOA requirements, photos, gate needs and information about private underground lines. If you are still choosing a design, our Kansas City fence-styles guide covers that earlier decision.
VCHS provides fence and handrail installation in Kearney and the greater Kansas City area. Request a free estimate or call (816) 916-0397 to walk through your yard and the preparation your project needs.
