# Temecula fence planning checklist

> A printable fence planning checklist for Temecula-area homes: the property line, HOA approval, neighbor notice, height limits, DigAlert and questions for every quote.

URL: https://caskfencetemecula.com/resources/

Printable checklist

For anyone planning a new or replacement fence, gate or wall around Temecula. It lists what to settle before anyone digs: where the line is, what the HOA and the neighbor need, the height and permit questions, DigAlert, and what to ask every estimate to spell out.

Get the checklist

See what is inside

Made to print and take on the walk along the line.

## What the checklist covers

### Where the line is

An old fence is not proof of the property line. Settle the line before anything else, because every other step builds on it.

- Find the corner pins or survey markers, or the recorded map for the lot.
- If the line matters to you or the neighbor and the pins can't be found, a licensed land surveyor can mark it.
- Note any easements on the title or map; a fence built across one may have to come out later.

### The neighbor and the HOA

Two pieces of California law shape the paperwork. Under Civil Code 841, neighbors are presumed to share the reasonable cost of a boundary fence, and anyone who wants to share the cost gives 30 days' written notice first. Under Civil Code 4765, an association that requires approval has to answer in writing.

- If the fence is shared, send written notice to the neighbor at least 30 days before work starts, with the plan and the cost you propose to share.
- Read your HOA's architectural guidelines for height, material, color and caps.
- Submit the plan and keep the association's written decision with your records.

Read the statute: [California Civil Code 841](https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/codes_displaySection.xhtml?lawCode=CIV&sectionNum=841).

### Height, permits and the pool

The 2025 California Residential Code exempts fences up to 7 ft from a building permit, but cities, counties and HOAs set their own height limits by yard, confirmed for each address.

- Confirm the height allowed in the front, side and rear yards and at corners for your address.
- In Temecula, a wood, vinyl or metal fence over 6 ft, a masonry wall and a retaining wall each have their own permit fee line.
- For a new or remodeled pool in Temecula, the enclosure is at least 5 ft, gates swing away from the pool and close and latch on their own, and a temporary fence goes up when construction starts.
- In high fire zones, plan a noncombustible section where a fence or gate meets the house; state rules for the five feet next to a home are moving that way.

### Before anyone digs

California law requires a DigAlert ticket at least two working days before excavation, and that includes post holes.

- Make sure a DigAlert ticket is open and the utility marks are down before the first hole.
- Mark sprinkler lines, low-voltage lighting and pool or spa lines yourself; utility locators don't mark private lines.
- Check that the contractor holds the right California license: C-13 for fences, C-29 for masonry, C-8 for concrete. Above the state's small-job limit, the work needs a licensed contractor.

### What every estimate should spell out

Comparing quotes is easier when each one answers the same questions.

- Material, height, post type and post spacing.
- How posts are set, and what happens if rock or hardpan turns up.
- Each gate: width, hardware and how the gate post is supported.
- Tear-out and haul-away of the old fence and footings.
- Who handles the permit, the HOA submittal and DigAlert.
- How the bottom of the fence meets the ground, if a dog has to stay in.

### Fill in before you call

A few facts make the first conversation much more useful.

- Property address and ZIP
- Rough length of the line
- Material and height you want
- Number and width of gates
- Flat, some slope, or steep
- Old fence to remove: yes or no
- HOA: name and any guideline you have
- Shared with a neighbor: yes or no
- Pool on the property: yes or no
- Any deadline: sale, pool inspection, HOA date