New Fence Installation in Kent, WA
A new fence is a big job. The company should measure, check your property line, pull the permit if one is needed, and set posts deep enough to stay straight.
- Cedar privacy fence. Cedar boards are the common choice in western Washington because they handle wet weather better than many woods.
- Pressure-treated posts with cedar boards. Treated posts resist ground rot in Kent's wet soil better than cedar posts do.
- Vinyl fence. It does not rot or grow moss in the rainy months.
- Chain link fence. A low-cost choice for large lots, and slatted chain link counts as sight-obscuring under Kent code.
- Wood fence repair and post replacement. Wet winters rot posts and loosen boards, so many Kent fences need repair after a storm season.
Post bases sit in wet soil for months. Treated posts last longer than cedar posts, which can rot at the ground line in 15 to 20 years in wet Seattle-area soil.
Seattle-area windstorms have brought gusts near 70 mph. A solid privacy fence catches wind like a sail, so strong posts and good footings matter.
Typical prices in Kent
| Job | Typical range | Basis |
|---|---|---|
| Wood privacy fence, per linear foot installed (Pacific Northwest) | $33-$58 | regional 2025 |
| Western red cedar fence, per linear foot installed (Seattle and Portland, by grade) | $35-$90 | regional 2025 |
| Example job: 150 ft cedar privacy fence on a sloped Seattle lot, total | about $8,250 (about $55 per foot) | regional 2025 |
| Cedar privacy fence, per linear foot installed (Seattle and Portland) | $45-$100+ | regional 2026 |
| Whole vinyl fence job, typical total | $4,000-$7,300 | national 2025 |
| Whole chain link fence job, typical total | $2,450-$4,000 | national 2025 |
Ranges, not quotes. Your price depends on the job.
Kent rules that apply
Kent follows the 2021 International Building Code, which lets owners build a fence 7 feet or shorter without a building permit. A taller fence, a masonry wall, or a fence on a parcel with critical areas or shoreline may need a permit. Exempt work must still follow every other city rule, like the corner sight rule. Call the Kent permit center to confirm before you build.
- On a corner lot in a residential zone, nothing may block the view between 2.5 feet and 10 feet above the street grade inside the corner triangle. The triangle runs 20 feet back along each street line from the corner.
- The side yard along a side street on a corner lot must be at least 10 feet wide, unless a larger yard is required.
- Access points for cars must be built so drivers can see. This covers driveways next to a new fence.
- A fence 7 feet or less is exempt from a building permit under the 2021 International Building Code that Kent has adopted. Exempt work must still follow other city rules.
- In Kent code, a 100 percent sight-obscuring fence is solid wood, metal or similar material that fully hides the view at 6 feet above the base. A basic sight-obscuring fence can be chain link with slats in every row.
- Kent code counts fence posts as structures.
- The city building official has no duty to find or mark your lot lines. You are responsible for knowing where your property line is.
- Washington law lets a court order removal of a structure built on purpose to spite or annoy a neighbor.