Pricing a new fence - how much?

jenny-wren

The fence separating us and our neighbours needs to be replaced. It's currently made up of 3 x 3 inch posts and 6ft x 6ft lap panels but the fence is very exposed and, over time, strong winds means that the posts come loose (even if they are concreted in) and the panels twist and the boards come apart. With the strong winds at the minute it's propped up to prevent it falling into the garden!

Could anyone give me a rough idea of how much it might cost to get someone in to replace it with a fence of the same height consisting of upright posts, cross rails and then vertical boards on both sides of the rails (with gaps between the boards to let the wind through and the boards on one side offset from the boards on the other side to keep the garden private from the neighbours)?

The existing fence is 37ft long by 6ft high and is on a slight slope (about 20 inch rise from one end to the other).

I realise we could buy the wood and do it ourselves but we have a huge list of other jobs to do and don't have the time (and the neighbours aren't exactly approachable so we don't want to have to seek access to their garden ourselves). We would be happy to source the materials ourselves and pay someone to do the work if that would keep the costs down a bit.

solarstone

This sounds like you want alternate board fencing with either 5 or 6 posts based on that length.

Your biggest expense is going to be the boards, by my reckoning at 75mm width with a 10mm overlap each for privacy you'd need about 150 of them, which is over £200. Then with the posts (4 inch prob better if windy), rails, nails, gravel boards, post mix, you're looking at about another £150+.

SailorSam

Where i live seems to be a windtrap, the panels were always getting blown out, what i did to cure it was to tie the panels togethor.
Near to the top and the bottom of each panel i drilled a small hole, threaded thin wire through a couple of times, around the concrete post and then onto the next panel
So each panel is secure at 4 points and joined to the next one via the post..
Since i did this i've not had any trouble even in the strongest of winds.

SailorSam

If you do need to buy new boards see if you can find a reclamination yard in your area, some work i wasdoing i managed to buy used floorboards a lot cheaper than new, If you wanted wooden posts, you may be able to get some joists and cut them down.

flea72

weve just installed concrete posts, gravel boards, and closeboard fencing, its cost roughly £60 per section - so based on that you would be spending at least £400 for the materials, plus the cost of someone to install it

Flea

Francesanne

My Mum was quoted £700.00 for two panels and 3 posts around 18 months ago. My husband bought the panels from B&Q and did the work himself. It was hard work but it saved my old Mum a small fortune.

jenny-wren

Yes, it's alternate board fencing we thought would be best. We have it at the front of the house and it has managed to withstand gale force winds. Just wish we could stop the neighbours cat shredding the boards with his claws.

If we can source the wood etc cheaply roughly how much would someone charge to erect the fence and how long would it take? We'd pull the old fence down.

The only other option is to buy the materials now, wait until the summer and hope that the neighbours go on holiday for long enough for us to do the job ourselves!!

sujman

flea72 wrote: »

weve just installed concrete posts, gravel boards, and closeboard fencing, its cost roughly £60 per section - so based on that you would be spending at least £400 for the materials, plus the cost of someone to install it

Flea

About 2.5 years ago, it cost me the equivalent of £15 per section for fitting. However, I was getting 18 sections fitted so economies of scale do play a part. Having said that, when I recommneded the company to my brother who was having 6 sections fitted, they too charged £15 per section for that job.

Oh... and it took 2 guys 3/4 of a day to fit all 18 sections. I watched them for a bit, they worked hard and worked fast, no faffing - so others may take longer for a job that big.