Gaps under my fence after the ground settled in Gloucester?

Gaps under a fence after the ground moves are a repair question, not a replacement one, though the right fix depends on what caused the movement and how the posts are sitting now. A fence installer can quote the repair once they see whether the posts have shifted, whether the boards or panels need to come out to reset anything, and whether the gap runs the full length or only in spots.

The Fence By-law No. 2003-462, as published on ottawa.ca, requires that a fence be stable, vertical, of good-quality materials suitable for the purpose, and kept in good repair, safe and free from accident hazards (s.11, s.12). A gap at grade that leaves the fence leaning or unstable is the kind of condition the by-law addresses. Municipal Law Enforcement Officers enforce it; if you have received a notice, ask By-law Services what the order requires and by when.

For the repair itself, ask the installer to spell out in writing what they plan to do: whether they are resetting posts, adding a kick board or gravel board at the base, replacing individual boards, or some combination. Ask them to confirm the finished fence will meet the height rules for your yard, since any alteration is covered by the by-law's definition of "erect." If posts need to come out and go back in, the Fence By-law's upkeep rules still apply to the result, and the coating requirement applies to any new material that is not cedar, redwood or treated wood (s.15).

On the cost side, published Ontario installer pricing puts fence repair in a range where too few figures exist to quote reliably, so ask each installer for a written, itemised quote that separates labour, any new materials, and post work. Removal and disposal of old boards or a gravel board run roughly $5 to $15 per linear foot in published 2025-26 prices, and posts set in concrete cost more to pull. Get at least two written quotes so you have something to compare.

Before anyone digs to reset a post, check the approximate property line on geoOttawa, pull out your title documents to look for easements near the fence line, submit a locate request through Ontario Dig Authority (the Act requires it before any ground is broken, and Ontario Dig Authority asks for it at least 5 business days ahead), and ask about any private lines running to a garage or outbuilding, since we found no statement either way on whether those will be marked. If there are trees close to the post locations, check with the City's Forestry Services before digging, since the City's guide says you cannot dig within a tree's critical root zone without approval.

The most useful question to put to each installer before you agree to anything: ask them to show you, in writing, exactly which posts they plan to dig out and reset, and what they will do to bring the base of the fence back to grade.