Chain Link Fence Installation — Galvanized or Black Vinyl Coated
Chain link is the fence that keeps the dog in and the budget down, and it looks right when the mesh is tight and the top rail is straight.
Chain link fence installation is terminal posts set in concrete below frost at the corners, ends and gates, line posts between them, a top rail, and the mesh stretched tight and tied to the rail and posts. JMB Builders installs galvanized and black vinyl coated chain link across the Twin Cities metro for backyards, dogs and property lines, with walk and drive gates hung on the terminal posts. Priced per linear foot, gates extra.
- Priced per linear foot, gates extra
- Terminal posts in concrete below frost
- Mesh stretched with a come-along, not pulled by hand
- Quote from photos, reply within one business day
- Licensed MN contractor BC809005
Send photos and hear back within one business day — or book a free in-home estimate.
Chain link is the most fence for the money and it is still the right fence for a lot of yards: a dog yard, a property line on a big lot, around a garden or a kennel. The difference between a chain link fence that looks like a ballfield and one that disappears into the yard is the color and the install. Black vinyl coated mesh and posts almost vanish against trees and lawn; galvanized is cheaper and fine along a back lot line.
The install starts with the terminal posts, the heavier posts at every corner, end and gate, set in concrete below frost and braced. Line posts go between them at an even spacing, set in concrete or driven depending on the soil. The top rail runs through the line post caps and into the terminals. Then the mesh is hung, stretched with a come-along from one terminal to the next until it is drum tight, tied to the top rail and the line posts with wire ties, and a tension wire runs along the bottom so a dog cannot push under it. Gates hang on the terminal posts with the hinges and latch from the maker.
Before the first hole, the property line is checked, Gopher State One Call locates buried utilities, and the city's fence permit and setback rules are checked for your address. An old chain link fence coming out first is cut, rolled and hauled with the posts pulled.
What you supply
- The fence line and gate locations drawn on a plat or an aerial photo
- Height, and galvanized or black vinyl coated
- Your property pins located, or a survey if the line is in doubt
- A word with the neighbors on shared sides
What JMB supplies
- The city's fence permit pulled and the setback rules checked
- Gopher State One Call locate before digging
- Posts, top rail, mesh, tension wire, ties and gate hardware, delivered
- Terminal posts set in concrete below frost and braced; line posts set between them
- Mesh stretched tight with a come-along and tied, bottom tension wire run
- Walk and drive gates hung, plumbed and latched
- Old fence cut, rolled and hauled if there is one, and photos in your job folder
How it is priced: per linear foot
Quoted in writing from your photos, with a reply within one business day. What moves the number:
- Total feet and the number of gates, with a drive gate costing more than a walk gate
- Height of the fence
- Galvanized vs. black vinyl coated mesh and posts
- Corners, ends and gates, each of which adds a terminal post in concrete
- Soil and roots along the line, which set how fast the posts go in
- Old fence to remove first
- Privacy slats woven into the mesh
Send an aerial photo with the line and gates drawn on it and a photo along each run. The feet, gates and color set the quote.
How long it takes
A typical backyard: terminal posts set the first day, line posts, rail, mesh and gates the second. A long property line on acreage: two to three days.
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 reply within one business day. Prefer a look in person? A free in-home estimate is always an option.
- 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
Black vinyl coated chain link
Black mesh, posts and rail that fade into the yard. The chain link people pick when they do not want it to look like chain link. Costs a bit more per foot than galvanized.
Galvanized chain link
Plain silver mesh and posts for a back lot line, a kennel or a garden where cost matters more than look. The same posts and stretch.
Dog yard chain link
A fenced section of the yard for the dog, with a bottom tension wire so it cannot push under, a taller height for a jumper, and a gate that self-closes.
Chain link with privacy slats
Vinyl slats woven into the mesh for screening along a street or a neighbor. Added at install or to an existing fence.
Chain Link Fence Installation — Galvanized or Black Vinyl Coated: questions, answered
Is chain link fence good for dogs?
Yes, it is the most common dog fence for a reason: the dog can see out, which keeps most of them calmer, and it does not blow over. The details that matter are a tension wire along the bottom so the dog cannot push the mesh up and go under, a height that matches the dog, and a gate that closes behind you. A digger needs the mesh buried or a barrier along the bottom.
What makes a chain link fence sag?
Mesh that was never stretched tight, or terminal posts that leaned because they were set shallow or without a brace. A new fence is stretched with a come-along until it is drum tight before it is tied, and the terminals are in concrete below frost. A sagging older fence can usually be re-stretched and re-tied if the posts are sound, and we do that too.
How deep do chain link fence posts go in Minnesota?
Below frost, in concrete, for the terminal posts at corners, ends and gates, since those take all the pull of the stretched mesh. Line posts carry less load and go in concrete or are driven, depending on the soil. A terminal post set shallow tips in a few winters and takes the whole run with it.
Black or galvanized chain link?
Black vinyl coated if you will look at the fence from the house or the patio; it disappears against trees and lawn. Galvanized if it is a back lot line or a kennel and the price matters more. The coating also protects the wire. Both go on the same posts and the install is the same.
Do I need a permit for a chain link fence?
In most metro cities, yes, and there are rules on height and on how close to the property line and the street it can go. We check the city's fence permit and setback rules for your address and pull the permit as part of the job. The property pins have to be found first; if they cannot be, a survey settles it.
Can you replace just a section of chain link fence?
Yes. A run that was hit by a car or crushed by a tree is cut out between the nearest posts, the bent posts replaced, and new mesh stretched into the gap and tied in. Matching galvanized is easy; matching an older black fence is close but not exact. A sagging section with sound posts is re-stretched instead of replaced.
Recent JMB work, from our job log
59 installs recorded across 30 Twin Cities communities since Dec 2025. Window and door installs for homeowners, builders and dealers. Counts come straight from our job log; no customer names.
Get a written quote for this job
Three photos and a sentence is enough: a reply within one business day, or ask for a free in-home estimate. Or text the photos to 763-204-2099.
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Read morePage reviewed October 1, 2026 · JMB Builders LLC, MN license BC809005 · All landscaping pages
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