A handyman for Foster City's lagoon-side houses and townhomes
Almost every exterior change in Foster City, even replacing a fence, window or door with the same thing, needs a city planning permit, and many neighborhoods add homeowners association approval on top. So on these houses and townhomes, built from 1964 on dredged fill around the lagoon, the useful work is repairing what exists and scoping anything bigger properly.
Foster City lists fences and decks among the exterior changes that need a planning permit, including most replacements, so repair is often the sensible first step. Replacing broken fence boards and rails, re-securing loose posts, swapping cracked deck boards and tightening railings keep an existing structure sound without changing it. When a whole fence line or deck frame has failed, the job becomes a replacement that needs the permit, and in an association neighborhood written HOA approval as well. A handyman visit can show which of those you are looking at. More about fence, deck and gate repair
Doors and windows: adjust before replacing
New windows and exterior doors fall under Foster City's permit rules, and the city publishes a separate handout on window and door modifications. Before starting that process, it is worth getting the existing units working. Common fixes include realigning an entry or patio door that no longer latches, replacing worn weatherstripping and door sweeps, adjusting or replacing window locks and handles, and rescreening. Small fixes like these can put off a replacement, and the paperwork that comes with it, for a long time. More about door and window repair
Trellises, patio covers and side gates
Trellises, patio covers and gazebos are named among the exterior changes that need a Foster City permit, which makes keeping existing ones in good shape worthwhile. A handyman can replace rotted lattice and slats, tighten and replace corroded connectors, re-hang side-yard gates that have dropped, and sand and refinish weathered wood so it lasts. Anything that involves new posts, new footings or enlarging a cover is a permitted project for a licensed contractor. More about carpentry, shelves and trim
TV mounting in townhomes and condos
In Foster City's townhomes and condominiums, the obvious wall for a TV is often the one shared with the neighbors. A mount on a party wall carries sound through, and association rules may limit what can be fixed to it, so an exterior wall or a partition inside your own unit is usually the better choice. A handyman will locate the studs, keep clear of plumbing and wiring, and route cables inside the wall with a low-voltage kit rather than adding an outlet. More about tv mounting
How the houses here are built
Single-family houses, townhomes and condominiums built from 1964 onward in neighborhoods with water names such as Dolphin Bay, Treasure Isle and Sea Colony, arranged around the city's lagoon.
The city stands on about 18 million cubic yards of sand dredged from San Bruno Shoal and pumped onto Brewer Island through the 1960s, at roughly sea level behind a levee. Engineers kept buildable land within about 1,100 feet of the lagoon so it would drain, which is why the water is never far from any house.
Flat, open bayfront ground about six feet above sea level leaves decks, fences and patio covers exposed to wind off the bay, the same wind that draws windsurfers to Mariners Point.
Good to know before a job in Foster City
City permits and association approval
A planning permit is required for almost all exterior changes to any building in Foster City, whether new construction or a replacement, and the city names fences, decks, windows, doors, room additions, trellises, patio covers and gazebos. Many of the original neighborhoods also have their own homeowners associations, which require written approval before exterior work and review details down to colors and materials; the Harborside association went through the city for a change to its exterior color palette. City approval does not stand in for association approval, and association approval does not replace the city's.
The levee and the lagoon
In 2014 FEMA found that Foster City's levee did not meet minimum flood-protection requirements. Voters approved Measure P in 2018, and between October 2020 and February 2024 the city raised and widened the levee with steel sheet piles, concrete floodwalls and earthen embankments, sized for projected sea level rise to 2100. Inside the levee, the 218-acre lagoon was designed as the drainage system for low ground: gates take in bay water, and in the rainy season pumps send it back out to the bay.
How a request works
Describe the job
A sentence and a photo or two is enough. It takes about a minute.
A local handyman gets in touch
By call or text, to ask what the photos don't show and give you a price.
You decide
Agree a time and price with the handyman directly, or don't. Requesting costs nothing.
Questions from Foster City homeowners
Do I need a Foster City permit to replace my fence with an identical one?
According to the city, a planning permit is usually required for an exterior change whether it is new construction or a replacement, and fences are on the list. Repairing an existing fence board by board is a different kind of job. Confirm your specific project with the Community Development Department before tearing anything out.
My HOA approved new windows. Do I still need the city?
Yes. In Foster City the association's written approval and the city's planning permit are separate. Getting one does not substitute for the other, and windows and doors are among the exterior changes the city reviews. The city also publishes a handout specifically on window and door modifications.
What did the Foster City levee project change?
Built between October 2020 and February 2024 with Measure P funding, it raised and widened the bayside levee using steel sheet piles, concrete floodwalls and earthen embankments. The goal was to meet FEMA standards, keep properties out of mandatory flood insurance and allow for sea level rise projected to 2100.
Can a TV go on the wall I share with my neighbor in a Foster City townhome?
It can be done, but it is rarely the best spot. A shared wall transmits the sound of the TV and the mount into the next unit, and your association may have rules about it. An exterior wall or an interior partition within your own home avoids both issues and is just as secure when mounted into studs.
Checked against these public sources in September 2026. Rules change: confirm anything permit-related with the city or town of Foster City before work starts.
