Zircon Construction is a general contractor based in Twin Falls, and Filer is part of our core service area. We scope your project, give you a written price, and schedule and manage the vetted subcontractors who do the roofing, fencing, landscaping or window work. You get one contract and one point of contact.
What makes Filer projects different
A fair town surrounded by farm ground
Filer was established in 1906 as the end of a railroad branch line from Twin Falls. It’s named for Walter G. Filer, general manager of the Twin Falls Water and Land Company, who supervised construction of the Milner diversion dam. About 2,740 people lived in Filer in the 2020 census.
Since 1916 it has been home to the Twin Falls County Fair and Rodeo, the Magic Valley Stampede, which usually runs from the end of August into early September.
Housing in Filer is a mix of older homes in the original town, newer homes on the edges, and rural properties on surrounding farm ground. The city is working through an update to its comprehensive plan, which guides where new growth goes. Older schoolhouses like the Union School and the Pleasant Valley School are on the National Register of Historic Places, a sign of how long people have been farming here.
Canal water and caliche
Filer is inside the Twin Falls Canal Company service area, the south-side system that serves Filer, Buhl, Kimberly, Hansen, Murtaugh, Castleford and Twin Falls. Rural and edge-of-town properties may have canal shares and ditches or pipelines running along property lines. Before we set fence posts or trench for sprinklers, we locate any irrigation lines and check for easements.
The ground here is typically wind-deposited silt over basalt, and state geologists note a hard caliche layer is common where the soil meets the rock. Its depth changes from lot to lot, so post holes and footings can go easily on one property and slowly on the next.
Weather: open, dry and gusty
Filer sits at about 3,780 feet on flat, open ground between Twin Falls and Buhl. Summers are dry across this part of the valley, and winters bring freezing nights and some snow. The National Weather Service in Pocatello issues wind advisories and high wind warnings for the Magic Valley, and with few windbreaks, fences and roofs in Filer take the full force of those gusts.
Permits: City of Filer
Inside city limits, building permits go through Filer City Hall at 300 Main Street. The city posts its applications and forms on the City of Filer website, and building rules are in Title 8 of the Filer City Code.
Fences have their own chapter covering fences, hedges and walls. Rural properties outside city limits go through the Twin Falls County Building Department. We confirm the rules with the right office before any work starts.
Our services in Filer
Roofing
Homes and outbuildings in Filer sit in the open, so wind damage to shingles, ridge caps and flashing is a common reason to call. We’ll tell you whether a repair will hold or the roof is due. For shops and barns on acreage, metal roofing is worth pricing. See our roofing service.
Fencing
Filer projects range from backyard privacy fences in town to ranch fence and gates on farm ground. Fences near canals or ditches need to leave room for access, and caliche can change how posts are set. Our fencing service covers residential and light ranch fencing.
Landscaping
If your property has canal shares, we can design sprinklers or a pump setup to use irrigation water instead of house water. Water-wise beds and rock suit Filer’s dry summers. See our landscaping service.
Windows
Older homes in Filer may still have single-pane or early double-pane windows that leak air in wind and lose heat on cold nights. We size replacements for your openings and handle any permit the city requires. See our window replacement service.
Nearby areas we also serve
- Twin Falls, a short drive east
- Buhl, just west
- Kimberly and Jerome
- Burley and Mini-Cassia
We also serve Castleford and Hagerman. See all our service areas.
Common questions
Where do I get a building permit in Filer?
Inside city limits, go through Filer City Hall at 300 Main Street. Outside city limits, the Twin Falls County Building Department handles permits. Rules change, so confirm with the city or county before you start.
Can I build a fence along my irrigation ditch?
Often yes, but you may need to leave access for the ditch and respect any easement. Check your deed and talk with your irrigation provider first. We’ll look for ditches and buried lines before we lay out the fence.
Do you schedule around fair week?
We try to. The county fair and rodeo usually run from the end of August into early September, and traffic near the fairgrounds picks up. We’ll plan deliveries and crew days with that in mind.
Get a free estimate in Filer
Tell us what you have in mind. We'll set up a time to look at it and send you a clear, itemized price, with one person managing the job from start to finish.