Fence Installation and Repair in Highlands Ranch, CO
Highlands Ranch is one of the most HOA-governed communities in Colorado. If you’ve already started looking into a fence project here, you know that means navigating HRCA approval, sub-association design guidelines, and in some cases a Douglas County building permit, before a single post goes in the ground. Getting that process right from the start is half the job.
Andrew-Thomas Contractors has been installing and repairing fences in Highlands Ranch since 2006. We know the HRCA approval process, the vertical picket with top cap and fascia board standard that appears across most of the community’s neighborhoods, and the specific soil and climate conditions that determine whether a fence holds up here long-term. Every person on our crew has installed fences in Colorado. We work year-round, we don’t require a deposit, and we won’t recommend a full replacement when a repair is the honest answer.
Request your free estimate today and we’ll walk you through everything, from HRCA guidelines to material selection to the finished fence.
Get a FREE fast & easy quote today!
Fencing Services We Provide in Highlands Ranch
We handle residential fence installation, repair, and custom gate work throughout Highlands Ranch. Our crews work year-round across all major fence types, so you’re not working around a narrow seasonal window or waiting months for an opening.
Our services in Highlands Ranch include:
- Residential fence installation for wood, cedar, vinyl, chain link, ornamental iron, composite, and aluminum fences
- Fence repair for storm damage, leaning or rotted posts, broken boards, sagging gates, and sections shifted by freeze-thaw movement
- Custom gate installation, including steel frame gates built for daily high-traffic use
- Dog-safe fencing design and temporary dog run setup during installation, so your pets stay contained while the yard is open
- Safety bollard installation
- HRCA and sub-association guideline review and compliance support
- Free on-site estimates throughout Highlands Ranch and surrounding Douglas County communities
We’re available seven days a week from 7 am to 8 pm. When you contact us, you reach someone who has worked in this industry in Colorado, not a call center handling inquiries for a regional franchise.
Fence Installation in Highlands Ranch, Colorado
Highlands Ranch presents a specific set of challenges that most fencing companies aren’t prepared for. The community is managed by the HRCA, which sets design standards for the entire master association, but individual sub-associations often layer additional requirements on top of those. Height limits, material restrictions, color specifications, and style requirements can all vary depending on which neighborhood your property sits in. Getting approval wrong, or skipping a step, means starting over.
We’ve been through this process with Highlands Ranch homeowners enough times to know where the common mistakes happen. We review the guidelines you’ve received from your sub-association before we put together your estimate, and we build to those specs from the start. That’s how you avoid a situation where the fence is built and the approval comes back requiring changes.
Beyond the HOA process, Highlands Ranch properties sit on soil that responds strongly to Colorado’s freeze-thaw cycles. Posts that aren’t set at the correct depth and properly anchored with concrete footings will shift over time. We account for that in every installation we complete here, not as an add-on, but as the baseline standard.
We inspect your property before any work begins, provide a free written estimate, and stay with you from the first conversation through final installation. No two lots in Highlands Ranch are identical, and we don’t treat them that way.
Fence Types We Install in Highlands Ranch
Material selection in Highlands Ranch isn’t just about preference. HRCA guidelines narrow the field for many homeowners, and Colorado’s climate narrows it further. We help you find the option that fits your sub-association requirements, holds up in Colorado’s conditions, and works for how you actually use your yard.
Vinyl Fencing
Vinyl is a strong low-maintenance option for Highlands Ranch homeowners who want consistent appearance without the upkeep that wood requires. It doesn't need staining or sealing, holds color well under Colorado's high UV load, and won't rot or splinter over time. It's a popular choice in HRCA communities for exactly that reason: it looks clean and uniform with minimal effort.
What Highlands Ranch homeowners should know about vinyl fencing:
- Not all vinyl performs equally in Colorado's temperature swings. Material quality is the variable that matters most.
- Higher-grade vinyl manufactured for temperature extremes will outlast standard vinyl significantly in this climate
- Available in privacy, semi-privacy, and picket profiles, with options that meet most HRCA style requirements
- Resists fading through Colorado's 300-plus days of annual sunshine without requiring re-finishing
Chain Link Fencing
Chain link is a durable, cost-effective solution for rear yard boundaries, pet containment, and utility areas in Highlands Ranch. It's not always a visible option under HRCA front yard guidelines, but for side and rear applications it's dependable and low maintenance. Galvanized and vinyl-coated versions are both available, with vinyl coating adding weather resistance and a cleaner finished look.
Chain link works well for:
- Larger lots where cost per linear foot is a real factor in the decision
- Pet and child containment in rear yards where a privacy fence isn't needed
- Utility and side yard areas where function matters more than appearance
- Properties needing a reliable, low-maintenance perimeter fence with a long service life
Ornamental Iron Fencing
Ornamental iron works well in Highlands Ranch's more established neighborhoods and in front yard applications where security and visual presence matter as much as privacy. Finish and coating selection are important in Colorado's climate. Temperature swings and moisture cycling will stress unprotected iron over time, and a quality powder coat finish applied correctly is what separates a fence that holds up from one that starts showing rust within a few years.
We select coatings with Colorado's conditions in mind on every ornamental iron job we complete.
Horizontal Wood Fences
Horizontal board fencing works well in Highlands Ranch neighborhoods where sub-association guidelines allow a more contemporary look. Cedar remains our material of choice for horizontal installations here. The structural demands are the same regardless of board orientation: posts need to be set at frost-line depth with proper concrete anchoring, and the framing needs to account for Colorado's wind exposure. We build horizontal fences to the same standard as any other style we install.
One thing to confirm before committing to a horizontal design: not every Highlands Ranch sub-association permits horizontal board fencing. We recommend verifying that with your sub-association before the estimate stage.
Split Rail Fences
Split rail is a practical choice for larger Highlands Ranch lots where the goal is defining a boundary or separating areas of the yard without blocking sight lines. It's also worth considering for front yard applications in neighborhoods where HRCA or sub-association guidelines require an open fencing style. The open construction means wind resistance is less of a structural concern, though post depth and footings still need to account for Colorado's freeze-thaw conditions.
Custom Gates and Driveway Gates
Gates take more wear than any other part of a fence system. Daily use, wind load, and hardware stress add up quickly, especially on gates that aren't built and hung to account for those forces. We install custom gates and driveway gates, including steel frame options for heavier use, and we set every gate to function correctly from day one. That means the right hardware, proper alignment, and installation that holds through years of daily operation rather than starting to sag after the first winter.
Composite Fencing
Composite fencing gives Highlands Ranch homeowners the look of natural wood without the maintenance commitment. It's made from recycled materials and holds up well under Colorado's UV exposure and temperature swings without needing regular staining or sealing. For homeowners who want a wood aesthetic but don't want the upkeep cycle that comes with cedar, composite is worth considering.
Dog-Safe Fencing Solutions
Pet containment is one of the most common reasons Highlands Ranch homeowners contact us. We design and install dog-safe fencing with real attention to how dogs actually interact with a fence: picket spacing sized for the breed, dig-resistant installation where the yard conditions call for it, and latches and hardware selected for reliable daily use rather than just appearance. We also set up a temporary dog run during installation so your dogs stay safely contained while sections of the yard are open.
Cedar and Wood Privacy Fences
Cedar is the material most commonly specified in HRCA design guidelines and the one we recommend most often for Highlands Ranch homeowners who want a wood fence. Western red cedar's natural oils resist rot, decay, and insect damage, and it handles Colorado's temperature extremes and moisture cycling better than softer woods. The vertical picket with top cap and fascia board style that the HRCA specifies as its standard residential fence is typically built in cedar, and we construct that style regularly.
What Highlands Ranch homeowners should know about cedar fencing:
- Cedar holds up significantly better than pine or spruce under Colorado's UV load and freeze-thaw moisture cycling
- Available in privacy, semi-privacy, and picket profiles to meet varying sub-association height and style requirements
- Takes stain and paint well, which matters when sub-association guidelines specify a finish color or treatment
- With proper post depth, concrete footings, and routine maintenance, cedar typically lasts 15 to 20 years in Colorado conditions
Fence Repair in Highlands Ranch
Colorado’s climate is hard on fences. Freeze-thaw cycles work against posts over time. Wind events stress panels and rails. Hail and storm damage break boards and bend sections. And gates that see daily use will eventually show it in the hardware and alignment. When something goes wrong, the real question is whether a targeted repair is the right answer or whether the fence, or a section of it, has reached the end of its life.
We give Highlands Ranch homeowners a straight answer on that before any work begins. If a repair solves the problem correctly, that’s what we recommend. We don’t push replacements when repairs are the honest call.
When we do repair work, we use matching materials wherever possible. The goal is a repair that blends with the existing fence rather than looking like a patch. We stock the same materials we install, so if you expand the fence later, we can match what’s already there.
Common fence repairs we handle throughout Highlands Ranch:
- Leaning or rotted posts, often from insufficient original installation depth or years of freeze-thaw pressure on the footing
- Storm and hail-damaged panels, boards, and rails
- Sagging, misaligned, or hard-to-operate gates and failed gate hardware
- Broken, split, or warped pickets
- Rusted or damaged chain link sections
- Loose or failing fence hardware throughout the fence line
- Fence sections shifted or heaved by soil movement over time
Post failure in Highlands Ranch is more often a soil issue than a material issue. The clay-heavy soils common in parts of Douglas County respond strongly to freeze-thaw cycling. Posts that weren’t set at the correct depth or anchored with proper concrete footings will move with the soil over time. Diagnosing the actual cause of a leaning post, not just straightening it and walking away, is what determines whether a repair holds through the next winter or fails again within a season.
Commercial Fencing in Highlands Ranch
Highlands Ranch has grown substantially as a commercial and mixed-use community alongside its residential base. Andrew-Thomas Contractors installs and repairs commercial fencing throughout the area, applying the same installation standards and no-shortcuts approach we use on residential work.
Commercial fencing projects we serve in Highlands Ranch include:
- Multi-unit residential communities and apartment complexes
- Office parks and retail centers along corridors like Highlands Ranch Parkway and County Line Road
- Storage facilities and light industrial properties
- Dumpster enclosures and utility screening
- Security perimeter fencing and access control gate systems
Request a free estimate to discuss your commercial fencing project and we’ll walk you through the options that fit the application.
Built for Colorado
What Highlands Ranch's Climate Demands from a Fence
Highlands Ranch sits at roughly 5,800 feet in elevation, and that matters for a fence. UV intensity, temperature swing, freeze-thaw cycling, and periodic high winds here are not the same as what fencing products are typically rated for at lower elevations. Most fence pages don’t address this. We think it’s one of the most important things a Highlands Ranch homeowner can understand before choosing a material or hiring a contractor.
What Colorado’s climate means for your fence in Highlands Ranch specifically:
Freeze-thaw cycling
The most common cause of post failure we see in Highlands Ranch. The ground here freezes and thaws repeatedly through the winter months. Posts that aren't set below the frost line with properly mixed concrete footings will shift with that movement. Every post we set is installed to account for this, not as an upgrade, but as the baseline.
UV exposure
At Highlands Ranch's elevation is substantially more intense than product performance data written for lower-elevation markets reflects. Wood needs to be properly finished and maintained to hold up here. Vinyl needs to be manufactured for temperature extremes, not just standard residential use, to resist fading and brittleness over time.
Wind exposure
In Highlands Ranch, particularly in the more open areas of the community, puts real lateral stress on fence panels and posts. Post spacing, depth, and panel attachment all need to reflect that load. Standard installation specs often don't.
Temperature swings
Between Colorado's summer highs and winter lows stress hardware, gate hinges, and post-to-panel connections in ways that don't show up until several years into a fence's life. We account for that in our hardware selection on every project.
On winter installation specifically:
We install fences year-round in Highlands Ranch, including through Colorado winters. Winter installation isn’t inferior to spring or summer work; the process is just different. Concrete behaves differently in cold temperatures, and post-setting in frozen or near-frozen ground requires adjustments. We’ve been managing those conditions in this climate for nearly 20 years. If your project is ready to move forward in January, you don’t need to wait until April.
This isn’t something we say to fill a scheduling window. It comes from two decades of actual cold-weather fence installation in Colorado’s soil, in communities exactly like Highlands Ranch.
HRCA Guidelines and Permits: What You Need to Know Before Installing a Fence
Highlands Ranch is managed by the Highlands Ranch Community Association, which means any fence installation here starts with the HRCA approval process, not with a contractor showing up to dig. Most homeowners also belong to a sub-association with its own design standards that operate alongside the master HRCA guidelines. Both sets of requirements apply, and they don’t always say the same thing.
Key things to understand before starting a fence project in Highlands Ranch:
- HRCA approval is required before installation begins. Written approval from your sub-association is what matters. A verbal confirmation or a general reading of the community guidelines isn’t enough. We recommend getting that written approval in hand before the estimate turns into a scheduled project.
- The HRCA has a defined residential fence standard. The vertical picket with top cap and fascia board design is the common standard across most Highlands Ranch neighborhoods. We build to that specification regularly and know what reviewers are looking for in the submission.
- Sub-association requirements vary by neighborhood. Backcountry, Eastridge, Westridge, The Hearth, Firelight, and Indigo Hill each have their own architectural guidelines that govern height, material, color, and style. We review those with you before the estimate so we’re building to the right spec from the start.
- Douglas County building permits may be required. Depending on fence height and placement, a county building permit may be needed in addition to HRCA approval. We can walk you through what applies to your specific project.
For questions about the HRCA approval process, contact the Highlands Ranch Community Association directly at covenant@hrcaonline.org or (303) 471-8821. For more on how we handle HOA and sub-association guidelines, visit our HOA fencing services page.
Why Highlands Ranch Homeowners Choose Andrew-Thomas Contractors
There are plenty of fencing companies serving the Denver south suburbs. What’s harder to find is a locally owned contractor with real Colorado installation experience, a process that’s transparent from the start, and policies that protect the homeowner rather than the company. Here’s what that looks like in practice:
Operating in Highlands Ranch since 2006
We've been doing this work in the Denver Metro area for nearly two decades. That's not a marketing figure; it's the number of years we've been working in communities like this one, building a track record through completed projects and repeat customers.
Every crew member has installed fences in Colorado
Anyone you speak with at Andrew-Thomas Contractors has real field experience in this state. You're talking to people who know what Colorado conditions demand, not a sales team reading from a product sheet.
Familiar with the HRCA approval process
We've worked through the HRCA and sub-association approval process enough times to know where things go wrong and how to help you avoid those problems. We build to the specs you've been given, from the start.
Locally owned, not a national franchise
We're based in Denver. When you call us, you reach the company directly, not a regional routing center. Your project is managed by the same team from estimate through installation.
No deposit required
We don't take money upfront. Payment is due after the project is finished and you're satisfied with the work. That's been our policy since we started in 2006.
Year-round availability, including winter
We work through Colorado winters without compromising our installation standards. You don't need to wait for a seasonal window to get on the schedule.
Straight talk on repair vs. replacement
We tell you what the fence actually needs. If a targeted repair is the right call, we say so. We don't recommend full replacements when a repair will hold.
One-year warranty on workmanship and materials
We stand behind our work after installation and use matching materials on any service work so repairs stay consistent with the original fence.
BBB-accredited business
Our accreditation reflects a track record of honest, professional service built across nearly 20 years of work in the Denver Metro area.
Our Process: How a Fence Project Works in Highlands Ranch
We follow the same four-step process on every Highlands Ranch project so you know exactly what to expect before, during, and after installation.
Step 4
Step 4
Service & Warranty
We stand behind the work after installation. If something needs attention, we'll address it. We use the same materials we installed whenever possible so any service work matches the original fence. We provide a one-year warranty on workmanship and materials. For ongoing fence care, see our fence repair services page.
Frequently Asked Questions About Fencing in Highlands Ranch
Do I need HRCA approval before installing a fence?
Yes, and in most cases you also need written approval from your specific sub-association before installation can begin. The HRCA sets the master design standards, but sub-associations in neighborhoods like Backcountry, Eastridge, Westridge, and others apply additional requirements on top of those. We review the guidelines you’ve received before putting together your estimate so we’re building to the right spec from day one. See our HOA fencing services page for more on how we handle that process.
What is the HRCA's standard residential fence style?
The vertical picket with top cap and fascia board is the design standard specified across most Highlands Ranch neighborhoods. It’s typically built in western red cedar and is the style we construct most frequently in this community. If your sub-association requires something different, we work to those specs instead.
Do you work through Highlands Ranch winters?
Yes. We install and repair fences year-round, including through Colorado winters. Cold weather requires adjustments to the post-setting and concrete process, but a properly executed winter installation is just as solid as a summer one. We’ve been managing that in Colorado’s soil for nearly 20 years. You don’t need to wait until spring.
Do you require a deposit?
No. We don’t ask for money upfront. Payment is due only after the project is completed and you’re satisfied with the result. That’s been our policy since 2006 and it hasn’t changed.
What fence materials work best in Highlands Ranch's climate?
Western red cedar is our top recommendation for wood fencing in Highlands Ranch. It handles Colorado’s UV load, temperature extremes, and moisture cycling better than softer woods, and it’s the material most commonly specified in HRCA guidelines. For low-maintenance performance, higher-grade vinyl is a strong choice. For rear yard and utility applications, galvanized or vinyl-coated chain link is durable and cost-effective. We walk through the options during the initial consultation based on your property, your sub-association requirements, and how you use the yard.
How do you handle post depth in Colorado soil?
Posts need to be set below the frost line and anchored with properly mixed concrete footings to hold up against Highlands Ranch’s freeze-thaw cycling. The clay-heavy soils common in parts of Douglas County are particularly prone to heaving when posts aren’t set correctly. We don’t treat this as optional. It’s the baseline on every project we complete here.
How long will a fence last in Highlands Ranch?
Cedar installed with proper post depth and concrete footings typically runs 15 to 20 years with routine maintenance. Higher-grade vinyl will last longer with minimal upkeep. The biggest variable isn’t the material itself; it’s whether the fence was installed correctly to begin with. Post depth, concrete anchoring, and material quality specific to Colorado’s climate have more impact on longevity than the product spec sheet suggests.
Can you set up a temporary dog run during installation?
Yes. We set up a temporary containment area for your dogs before we open up the yard so they stay safe throughout the project.
Highlands Ranch Neighborhoods We Serve
Highlands Ranch covers roughly 22,000 acres and includes more than 20 distinct sub-associations, each with its own set of architectural guidelines. We’ve worked in enough of them to understand how much those requirements vary from one neighborhood to the next, and how much that variation affects the fence planning process.
We work with homeowners across Highlands Ranch’s residential communities, including Eastridge, Westridge, Backcountry, Indigo Hill, The Hearth, Firelight, and the surrounding areas that make up our broader Douglas County and Denver Metro service area.
We’re locally based, available seven days a week from 7 am to 8 pm, and reachable directly. When you call or submit an estimate request, you’re reaching the company, not a routing service. That’s a meaningful difference when you’re trying to get a real answer about a fence project.
Get a Free Estimate for Your Highlands Ranch Fence Project
If you’re ready to move forward with a fence installation or repair in Highlands Ranch, request a free estimate and we’ll come out, review your property, go over your sub-association guidelines with you, and give you a clear picture of what the project involves before you commit to anything.
No deposit is required. No pressure to decide on the spot. Just a direct conversation with a locally owned company that has been doing this work in Highlands Ranch and the Denver Metro area since 2006.
We’re available seven days a week from 7 am to 8 pm. When you reach out, you’re speaking with someone who has actually built fences in Colorado. That matters from the first conversation forward.
Fences Built to Last in Colorado.
Our knowledgeable staff can walk you through the options, listing pros and cons of each and helping you find something that best suits your budget, goals and expectations.
Our Projects in Highlands Ranch
Wooden fence and gate installation in Highlands Ranch
New contemporary fence installation in Highlands Ranch
Vinyl picket fence install in Highlands Ranch
Wrought iron gate and fence installation in Highlands Ranch
Over 15 Years Experience
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Friendly Team
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