Installing new concrete fence posts - quote reasonable?

CaptainWales

Hi. Two of my 6ft concrete posts fell during the storm - turns out they were only in the ground 1 foot and not adequately concreted in. The same is probably true of the other 4 posts I have.

I might now have to have all the posts fixed and have been quoted nearly £600 to reinstall 6 posts I already have in. The day will take 2 men a day. Majority of that is obviously labour and then would have to pay for concrete (2 bags per post).

Does this seem reasonable? I've read online that any post should be buried at least 2 ft in the ground but don't know if that's correct (if so, I might have to get taller posts to stop it happening again).

TIA

ps I hate bad weather!!! 

GDB2222

Are you planning to concrete in the same posts? 

If I understand correctly the posts are 6 feet long altogether, and you have 1 ft in the ground and 5 ft above it. How tall is the fence? What’s the soil like?

You may need taller posts, I’m guessing, in which case £600 concreting in the old ones may be a waste of money.

henry24

How can you concrete in a post that already has concrete around it, you can't dig it out and put it back deeper 

CaptainWales

Only had rubble / stones supporting them, no real concrete.

Yes - posts are 6ft. Gravel board 1ft, panel 4ft - so total of 5ft above ground, 1ft of post in ground.

Ground itself is soil. Posts have held well for at least 5 years which suggests to me not much movement in ground.

They are thinking of using postcrete not concrete. 

GDB2222

Postcrete is fine concrete that sets quickly. It must have an accelerator in it.

One foot in the ground is not enough. But, it will work for a while. Long enough for the workmen to get paid. 

The right job is to get 7 feet posts. I certainly wouldn’t want to pay £600 for the sort of bodge that you are talking about. 

CaptainWales

That is also an alternative - I've been quoted about £150 more for that. 

Eldi_Dos

CaptainWales said:

Only had rubble / stones supporting them, no real concrete.

Yes - posts are 6ft. Gravel board 1ft, panel 4ft - so total of 5ft above ground, 1ft of post in ground.

Ground itself is soil. Posts have held well for at least 5 years which suggests to me not much movement in ground.

They are thinking of using postcrete not concrete. 

This is DIY- able if you are not adverse to a bit of light digging.

Remove the existing soil to a depth of 150mm for around 500mm from post,place a dry mix in to within 40mm of soil surface and tamp down with spade, add water and mix with spade.Leave and do not let anyone shake it for minimum of a week an then backfill.

Edit: Just do them one at a time if you are worried about fence becoming unstable while you are doing the work.

CaptainWales

Eldi_Dos said:

CaptainWales said:

Only had rubble / stones supporting them, no real concrete.

Yes - posts are 6ft. Gravel board 1ft, panel 4ft - so total of 5ft above ground, 1ft of post in ground.

Ground itself is soil. Posts have held well for at least 5 years which suggests to me not much movement in ground.

They are thinking of using postcrete not concrete. 

This is DIY- able if you are not adverse to a bit of light digging.

Remove the existing soil to a depth of 150mm for around 500mm from post,place a dry mix in to within 40mm of soil surface and tamp down with spade, add water and mix with spade.Leave and do not let anyone shake it for minimum of a week an then backfill.

Edit: Just do them one at a time if you are worried about fence becoming unstable while you are doing the work.

How easy is it though to get the posts level? That would be my main concern. It is also a fence which runs between me and my neighbour, so wouldn't want to get it "wrong"

CliveOfIndia

CaptainWales said:

Eldi_Dos said:

How easy is it though to get the posts level? That would be my main concern.

It takes a bit of fiddling around but it's not difficult.  First off, make sure the top of the post is level with the one next to it - use a long straight piece of wood laid on the top if you don't have a spirit level that's long enough, then rest your spirit level on that.  Or, if you're on sloping ground and you need the posts to "step down" between each one, then use a long piece of string tied between the first and last posts, this will give you a guide as to the height that each one needs to be.  Actually, you could use the string method even if you want them all the same height.

In terms of getting each individual post square, start of by getting it roughly right.  Add the concrete, then check each vertical with a spirit level (check all 4 sides).  Use a decent length of timber to secure it - one end hammered into the ground, the other end nipped up tight against the post, lying at an angle, if you see what I mean.  Concrete will take ages to set, so you can fiddle around as long as you like, adjusting each side, tapping the pieces of wood with a hammer, until it's spot on.