Silt Fence Installation for Construction — Erosion Control Set Up
The city will not start inspections until erosion control is in, and the permit or the watershed district lists silt fence, a rock entrance and inlet protection.
JMB Builders does silt fence installation for construction sites across the Twin Cities metro and north to St. Cloud. We trench in silt fence or set sediment logs where the plan shows them, build a rock construction entrance, protect nearby storm drain inlets and keep it all in working order through the city or watershed district inspections. Priced per project, with removal and final seeding quoted at the end.
- Priced per project
- Silt fence trenched in, not just staked
- Rock construction entrance
- Kept up for city and watershed inspections
- Licensed MN contractor BC809005
Cities and watershed districts in the Twin Cities require erosion and sediment control on most jobs that disturb soil: new homes, additions, garages and larger yard projects. The goal is simple: keep dirt on the lot and out of the street, the storm drains and the nearest lake or creek. Many cities check it before the first inspection and can stop work until it is fixed.
Silt fence only works if the bottom edge is buried. A fence stapled to stakes on top of the ground lets muddy water run right under it. We trench the fabric in and backfill it, or use sediment logs where a trench is not practical. The rock entrance keeps the trucks from tracking mud onto the street, and inlet protection covers the storm drains closest to the lot.
It then has to be kept up. Silt fence gets knocked down by machines, filled with sediment after storms and cut for access. We inspect and repair it through the job, and remove it once the lot is stabilized with sod or established seed.
What you supply
- The permit, the site plan or the erosion control plan from the city or watershed district
- The date the job starts and the builder's schedule
- The inspector's correction notice, if the site already failed an inspection
- A contact for access to the site
What JMB supplies
- Silt fence trenched in and backfilled along the downhill sides, or sediment logs where the plan calls for them
- Rock construction entrance on fabric at the driveway access
- Inlet protection at the storm drains the plan lists
- Gopher State One Call locate before trenching
- Repairs after storms or damage through the job, as quoted
- Removal of silt fence and logs once the lot is stabilized, with seed or sod where it stood
- Photos of the installation in your job folder for the inspector
How it is priced: per project
Quoted in writing from your photos within one business day. What moves the number:
- Length of silt fence or sediment logs on the plan
- Size of the rock construction entrance and the rock it takes
- Number of storm drain inlets to protect
- How long the job runs and how often it needs repairs
- Slopes, wet ground or frozen soil that make trenching harder
- Removal, final seeding or erosion blanket at the end
Send the site plan or erosion control plan and the start date. Silt fence jobs are usually quoted from the plan and a few photos of the lot.
How long it takes
Most house-lot installations: one day. Repairs after storms: as needed through the job. Removal and seeding: a few hours once the lot is stabilized.
How your project works
- 1
Send photos, get a written quote
Send three photos of the space and a sentence about what you want. You get a clear, itemized quote within one business day. We only come out to measure first when the job needs a tape measure — no pressure, no games.
- 2
Pick materials, or bring your own
We help you choose profiles and materials that fit the house and the budget, or match your existing millwork exactly — or you buy the door or trim yourself and we install it. Everything is confirmed before the crew is scheduled.
- 3
Clean, precise installation
The crew shows up on time, protects floors and furniture, and installs with tight joints and consistent reveals. Photos of the finished work go in your job folder.
- 4
Walkthrough and invoice
We walk the finished work with you. If anything is not right, we fix it before we call the job done. Then one invoice, paid by check or direct deposit — no card fees, no payment links.
Situations and options
New home or addition lot
Silt fence around the downhill edges of the lot, a rock entrance at the driveway and inlet protection at the street, set before digging starts.
Correction after a failed inspection
Downed or buried fence reset, sediment cleaned out, the entrance re-rocked and inlets covered, so the site passes the re-inspection.
Sediment logs on hard surfaces
Where a trench cannot be dug, along a curb or across pavement, weighted sediment logs do the same job as silt fence.
Removal and final stabilization
When sod is down or the seed has come in, the fence and logs come out, the trench is smoothed, and bare strips are seeded.
Silt Fence Installation for Construction — Erosion Control Set Up: questions, answered
Do I need silt fence to build a house or garage in Minnesota?
Most Twin Cities cities and watershed districts require erosion and sediment control on jobs that disturb soil, and many check it before the first inspection. Small projects may need only a few items, larger ones need a written plan. The permit or the city's building department tells you what is required on your lot.
How is silt fence supposed to be installed?
The bottom edge of the fabric is buried in a trench on the uphill side and the soil is packed back over it, with the stakes on the downhill side. Water has to go through the fabric, not under it. It runs along the contour so water does not collect and flow around the end.
What is a rock construction entrance?
A pad of coarse rock on fabric where vehicles enter and leave the lot. The rock knocks mud off the tires so it is not tracked onto the street. Cities often require it on new construction and ask for it to be refreshed when it fills with mud.
Who maintains silt fence during construction?
The permit holder is responsible for keeping erosion control working until the site is stabilized. We can install it and also inspect and repair it after storms and damage through the job, quoted as part of the project. Fixing it quickly keeps the site from failing an inspection.
When can silt fence be removed?
Once the soil it protects is stabilized, with sod down or seed grown in, and the city or watershed district agrees the site is done. Taking it out too early lets the first storm wash the bare soil into the street. We remove the fence and logs and seed the strip where they stood.
What happens if erosion control fails an inspection?
The inspector usually issues a correction notice and may hold other inspections until it is fixed. We reset downed fence, clean out sediment, re-rock the entrance and cover the inlets, then send photos so you can schedule the re-inspection.
Recent JMB work, from our job log
59 installs recorded across 30 Twin Cities communities since Dec 2025. Window and door installs for homeowners and for the builders and dealers we sub for. Counts come straight from our job log; no customer names.
Get a written quote for this job
Three photos and a sentence is enough. You hear back within one business day. Or text the photos to 763-204-2099.
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Read morePage reviewed September 26, 2026 · JMB Builders LLC, MN license BC809005 · All excavation pages
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