Where we build decks and fences

City limits decide which rules apply to your yard

Before any digging, it helps to know who sets the rules for your lot. Inside city limits, permits and inspections usually go through that city's codes office. Outside them, the county typically handles it, and its requirements may not match the city next door. Nashville works a little differently. The Metro government handles permits for most of Davidson County, but a few separate cities inside the county, such as Belle Meade and Goodlettsville, keep their own city governments and rules, so check with that city. Our guide to deck permits in Tennessee explains how the process usually goes once you know your office.

HOA review is common in some areas and rare in others

Newer subdivisions in fast growing towns such as Spring Hill and Mount Juliet often come with covenants and an architectural review committee. Those committees usually want a say on fence style and height, and many ask to see deck plans before work starts. Older in town streets often have no HOA, though a few areas sit inside a historic district or zoning overlay that reviews exterior changes. Downtown Franklin and parts of Nashville are examples. Rural acreage usually has neither. Read your deed restrictions and ask before the plan is final.

What the ground is like from town to town

Much of Middle Tennessee has clay soil that swells when wet and shrinks during dry spells. Footings and fence posts that reach firm ground are less likely to shift out of line as the seasons change. In parts of Rutherford and Wilson counties, limestone lies close to the surface, and the cedar glades there are a sign of thin soil over rock. Around Murfreesboro and Lebanon, a post hole can stop short at rock. That seldom rules out a project, but breaking rock or changing the footing plan takes longer.

The ground rolls more as you head east toward Cookeville and McMinnville, closer to the Cumberland Plateau. On a sloped lot, a deck tends to sit higher at its outer edge, which can mean taller posts and longer stairs. A fence on a grade has to either step down in level sections or follow the ground. Each option gives a different look and leaves different gaps at the bottom.

Lake and river lots

Several towns on the list sit on large lakes. Old Hickory Lake borders Hendersonville and sits near Gallatin, Percy Priest Lake sits near Smyrna and La Vergne, and Center Hill Lake is close to Smithville. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers manages all three, so work near the shoreline answers to the Corps as well as the city or county. Lake yards often slope toward the water, so decks can run tall, and many owners want railings and fences that keep the view open. Along rivers like the Duck and the Harpeth, low ground can stay soft after heavy rain, and a lot in a mapped flood zone may need extra review.

Acreage and farm country

Lots get bigger once you leave the suburbs. Around Eagleville and Shelbyville, many homes sit on acreage with pasture or a barn, and the country around Shelbyville is known for horse farms. Fence work there usually means long runs and gates wide enough for a tractor, often around animals. Calling Tennessee 811 gets utility owned lines marked, but a private line run out to a barn or well usually will not be marked, so point those out before anyone digs.

Why your yard matters more than your town

Two yards on the same street can need different plans, and a photo rarely shows how much the ground falls away from the back door. Standing in the yard answers that. It also shows where water runs after a storm and whether a trailer can reach the back corner. Before you plan, find your property pins and think about where you will walk through a gate most often. Those details shape an estimate more than the name of your town does.