Fencing woes

kittykat23uk

H all,

I need your opinions. We had a handyman replace a large section of our fence with new concrete posts and concrete kickboards and wooden panels. We were concerned that the end panel wasn't sitting right in the post and called him back to sort it out. He said it was sorted, this was in July. Now we have discovered that the post has shifted and the panel has fallen out and broken. He seems to be trying to fob us of claiming it is the high winds. But my question is, surely the post shouldn't move if properly concreted in? some of the posts have not moved at all and seem fine, a couple look wobbly though. :mad:

He should fix this right?

How long should we expect a fence of this sort to last for?

We were expecting it should be good for at least 10 to 15 years, that's why we insisted on the concrete posts. None of the other fences in the area had been downed and we've had a bit of wind but not gales or anything. What come back do we have?

Thanks

Jo

bobhawke

The fence post shouldn't move at all. It should be sunk a couple of feet in to the ground in concrete.
As for how long the fence should last, it will depend on the quality of the fence panels used and how exposed the area is I've seen fence panels that a stiff fart would shred to pieces.

Did he give you a quote in writing detailing what he would do? Did he give you any sort of guarantee for his work?
You could try send him a recorded letter detailing your grievances, give him 2 weeks to rectify it and if he doesn't then you will take court action against him.

keystone

When you gets these panels they are still very wet either from the newness of the timber or from the tratment process. As they dry out they shrink (sometimes by a substantial amount). So panels that fitted snugly in the post slots six months ago will now be rattling in those slots when it blows. This is a universal problem with cheaper end of the range panels where the timber is basically carp anyway.

If the post in question wasn't exactly in the correct place in the first instance (as you seem to have discovered in July) then as the panel concerned has dried out it no longer fits at all and has fallen. I doubt very much that the post has moved TBH.

The cheapest solution is a new panel but it will need packing to ensure that it stays within the post slots especially when it has dried out. If your handyman got the post position slightly out of whack leading to this then I would suggest an amicable solution is he supplies the panel and you make the adjustments as it dries out.

Cheers

keystone

bobhawke wrote: »

You could try send him a recorded letter detailing your grievances, give him 2 weeks to rectify it and if he doesn't then you will take court action against him.

Why oh why have we got into the mindset in this country that, when things go slightly wrong, one of the first things we think of doing is to threaten litigation?

Cheers

bobhawke

Why oh why have we got into the mindset in this country that, when things go slightly wrong, one of the first things we think of doing is to threaten litigation?

If he hasn't done what he said he would do and he refuses to fix his rubbish work then the only thing to get these people moving is the threat of violence or court action.
The fence post shouldn't wobble in the ground. Any idiot can tell if it is the fence post wobbling or if the panel is wobbling.

kittykat23uk

Thanks everyone.

It is the actual post that has shifted out of position, he said he fixed it before, but it has actualy moved again. Another post is leaning and has a bit of a wobble to it. Some of the other posts seem to be fine and have no give in them at all. So I think it's the foundations of some of the posts, and/or the last post just isn't quite in the right position. I have a written quote but no guarantee, but he has agreed to come round and hopefully sort it out, but he is still blaming the wind, so I'll see what happens when he comes.

Jo

keystone

bobhawke wrote: »

If he hasn't done what he said he would do and he refuses to fix his rubbish work then the only thing to get these people moving is the threat of violence or court action.

Ahh I see you be of the old pickhandle brigade then.

The fence post shouldn't wobble in the ground. Any idiot can tell if it is the fence post wobbling or if the panel is wobbling.

You are overreacting. I have offered an alternative explanation as to why the panel has fallen out. Thats just as valid on the basis of evidence thus far presented as insufficient concreting. The post may not have shifted causing the panel to fall out it may only appear to have shifted because the panel has fallen out. Do you see what I mean?

Would you care to show me please where the OP says it is wobbling in the ground? There is an enormous difference between "look wobbly and are wobbly" And don't use the word idiot (in whatever direction you are pointing it) please until you are in possession of the facts.

If the handyman has completely b......d it up then it is absolutely correct that he should fix it or face the consequences. It might, of course, have been a cheap job in the first instance. You can have a cheap job or you can have a proper job - what you can't have is a cheap proper job.

Cheers

keystone

kittykat23uk wrote: »

Thanks everyone.

It is the actual post that has shifted out of position, he said he fixed it before, but it has actualy moved again. Another post is leaning and has a bit of a wobble to it. Some of the other posts seem to be fine and have no give in them at all. So I think it's the foundations of some of the posts, and/or the last post just isn't quite in the right position. I have a written quote but no guarantee, but he has agreed to come round and hopefully sort it out, but he is still blaming the wind, so I'll see what happens when he comes.

Jo

Thanks for the clarification. None of them should have moved or have any give and a single bag of postfix in each posthole at the time of installation would have ensured that this was the case. Did he use anything at all? Actually it doesn't matter because he has agreed to come back again and sort it out without the sledgehammer approach. Let us know how you get on.

Cheers

bobhawke

Ahh I see you be of the old pickhandle brigade then

Personally I don't like court, I would much rather solve the problem myself
Don't let him fob you off saying the wind did it. Unless there was a tornoado or hurricane in the area recently then poor workmanship and or laziness is the problem here.

keystone

bobhawke wrote: »

Personally I don't like court, I would much rather solve the problem myself

He He.

Don't let him fob you off saying the wind did it. Unless there was a tornoado or hurricane in the area recently then poor workmanship and or laziness is the problem here.

Agree 100% = that has to be a total BS excuse and shows complete lack of imagination if thats the best he could come up with at the time.

Cheers

kittykat23uk

Thanks everyone, sorry if I didn't make things clear to begin with. I believe he did usesome sort of concreteesque material (post fix or the like) but I imagine that the foundations either didn't have enough or were not deep enough. I'll let ou know how we get on with getting him to fix this.

Thanks,

Jo

PS Please can we keep this civil?:)