Fence Installation in Hillsborough, NJ
Hillsborough is one of the largest townships in Somerset County, and it fences like it: long rear lot lines, farm fields, horse properties, wooded parcels off Amwell Road and the Route 206 corridor, alongside the newer subdivisions. A fence here is often a few hundred feet, not a few panels — and the planning questions are different from a small suburban lot. Where are the easements? How far back is the road right-of-way? Will the line cross a drainage swale?
Solanos Fence installs vinyl, black aluminum, WPC composite, wood, post-and-rail and chain link fencing in Hillsborough, NJ, for homes, farms and businesses. We also sell fence materials for pickup at our Fairfield shop. Hillsborough is part of our Somerset County service area.
Hillsborough Fence Rules: No Permit for a Standard Fence — but Placement Is Everything
Hillsborough is unusual among local towns: according to the township's own fence construction guidance (issued jointly by the Planning & Zoning, Engineering and Building Departments), a standard six-foot fence on a residential property does not require a permit. That does not mean anything goes. The township's rules are about where the fence sits:
- Over six feet, or a pool barrier, changes things: Any fence proposed over six feet high, or any fence used as a pool barrier, requires a permit from the Building Department. Commercial and business properties need approval/permits from Planning & Zoning for any fence.
- No fences in easements: Fences cannot be installed within any easement on the property — utility, storm sewer, drainage swale or conservation easements included. The township does not keep surveys on file, so your own property survey is the source for easement locations.
- Stay out of the road right-of-way: No fencing in the right-of-way along your frontage. That strip — where sidewalks and utilities sit — is typically 10 to 15 feet from the edge of the roadway, which surprises owners of deep-frontage lots who assume the line starts at the pavement.
- Sight triangles at intersections: Fences cannot block sight visibility at road intersections, even where no sight triangle easement appears on your survey. The township's property maintenance code likewise bars fences or vegetation that obstruct sight visibility at intersections and driveways, and prohibits fences in any right-of-way or easement.
- Call before you dig: The township instructs owners to call for a utility mark-out before any fence installation.
- A few feet in from the line: The township recommends having property lines located by a licensed surveyor, and suggests installing the fence a few feet inside your line so you can maintain the back side of the fence without stepping onto your neighbor's property.
On a large Hillsborough parcel, these placement rules — not the permit office — are what shape the project. We walk the proposed line with the survey in mind before quoting a final layout.
Township references: Hillsborough Township — Fence Construction guidance and Hillsborough Code Chapter 188, Land Use and Development, on ecode360.
Built for Big Lots: Long Runs, Farms and Horse Properties
A 300-foot rear line is a different job from a 60-foot suburban backyard. Post spacing, gate placement for mowers and equipment, and transitions around trees, swales and outbuildings all drive the price and the finished look.
Post-and-rail is the natural fit for a lot of Hillsborough land: it marks long boundaries without closing off the view, and it suits the township's farm and equestrian character. In the township's Agricultural District, the code even calls for board or split-rail buffer fences along residential lot lines next to deed-restricted farmland. For paddocks and animal areas, tell us what the fence has to contain — a decorative rail fence and a working animal fence are built differently, and we will spec the layout for the actual job.
We recently prepared an estimate for a Hillsborough homeowner for about 190 feet of white vinyl privacy fencing with four gates — a typical scale for the township's larger lots, where multiple gates for yards, pools and equipment access are the norm rather than the exception. If your project is in that range, we can price it the same way: by the layout, not just the footage.
Fence Styles for Hillsborough Properties
Post-and-Rail and Wood Fencing
For acreage, frontage along country roads and traditional farm-style properties, post-and-rail and wood fencing define the space while keeping the open feel. Wood privacy styles also work for smaller in-town lots that back to neighbors. We quote these by layout, terrain and gate count.
White Vinyl Privacy Fencing
For backyard privacy on subdivision lots and around pools and patios, white vinyl privacy fencing is the low-maintenance standard. Our panels are six feet high by eight feet wide with 2-inch by 7-inch rails — the six-foot height that fits Hillsborough's standard no-permit residential fence. Vinyl privacy with a Victorian picket top is also available for a more decorative look.
Black Aluminum Fencing
Black aluminum fencing suits frontage, gardens, driveways and pool enclosures where you want a finished, open look. For pools, our 54-inch black aluminum pool-barrier style is the relevant option — and remember, a fence used as a pool barrier requires a Building Department permit in Hillsborough, whatever its height. Pool compliance depends on the full enclosure: gates, hardware, spacing and clearances.
WPC Composite Fencing
WPC composite fencing gives a modern, solid privacy look with the fence set on 3x3-inch aluminum posts. It is a good middle ground for homeowners who want privacy with a more contemporary finish than standard white vinyl.
Fence Installation Prices in Hillsborough
Current installation specials start at $23 per linear foot for six-foot white vinyl privacy fencing and $28 per linear foot for 54-inch black aluminum pool-barrier fencing. A 150-linear-foot minimum project applies, and the prices apply within our service areas. Gates and removal of an existing fence are priced separately. Post-and-rail, wood, WPC and other layouts are priced by free estimate — on long runs, the layout matters more than the per-foot rate.
See our fence installation deals for the current terms.
Fence Materials for Hillsborough DIY and Farm Projects
Installing your own fence or extending an existing run? Our Fairfield shop stocks white vinyl panels and posts, black aluminum panels and posts, and WPC packages for pickup. Bring your measurements or a sketch of the line — on a long run, we will help you count panels, posts and gates so you do not come up short mid-project. Call ahead to confirm stock.
Browse fence materials for sale.
Frequently Asked Questions — Hillsborough
Do I need a permit to put up a six-foot fence at my Hillsborough home?
For a standard residential fence of six feet or less, the township's fence guidance says no permit is required. A permit from the Building Department is required if the fence is over six feet high or serves as a pool barrier, and commercial properties need Planning & Zoning approval. Permit or not, the placement rules still apply: no fences in easements, in the road right-of-way, or blocking sight triangles at intersections.
My lot is large and partly wooded. How do we know where the fence can go?
Start with your property survey — the township does not have surveys on file, and easements for utilities, drainage swales and conservation areas decide where posts can and cannot go. The township recommends having a licensed surveyor locate the lines, and suggests setting the fence a few feet inside your line so you can maintain the outside face. We review the proposed line against the survey during your estimate.
Can I fence a paddock or a long farm boundary?
Yes — post-and-rail and wood fencing are built for exactly that, and the township's Agricultural District standards use board and split-rail styles along farmland boundaries. Tell us during the estimate what the fence needs to do (mark a boundary, contain animals, keep deer out of a garden) so we spec the height, rail count and gates correctly. A decorative rail fence alone is not secure animal containment.
Request a Free Fence Estimate in Hillsborough, NJ
Call 973-220-7638 or contact Solanos Fence online. Tell us your approximate footage, whether the lot is a subdivision lot or acreage, and any gates you need — estimates are free.
Solanos Fence, LLC| 1275 Bloomfield Ave, Building 3, Suite 51, Fairfield, NJ 07004 | NJ Home Improvement Contractor Lic. #13VH06388200