Reasonable or not - Fence install?

We paid a professional fencing contractor to put some concrete fence posts, concrete kick panels and 6' panels in. As you might expect working up to another long ago done similar fence at right angles to the new one - the panels did not quite work out at full panels, there was an 18" gap to be filled. This was quoted for as a separate job to the rest, at £65 for a part panel to be put in.

The part panel has been just pushed in, with no fixing to the already fixed post which has no socket on its face and no concrete kick board, just sat on the bare ground to rot. Fair enough I suppose if they had thrown it in for nothing, but probably not if you are paying £65 for the job to be done properly. What does the panel think, before I start growling down the phone?

Reply to
Harry Bloomfield
Loading thread data ...

Harry,

To me it would be a no-brainer. The contractor quoted for the job (presumably) stating what would be involved to complete the job to match in with the other works - ergo, that has not happened and I personally would be on the telephone politely telling him that there was a problem with his work, question his reasons for doing the job that way, and if there was no valid reason for that, asking to return and rectify the problem.

Cash

Reply to
Cash

Adam

Reply to
ARWadsworth

Being you, Adam, I thought 'cement mixer' and then 'contractor' and 'concrete overcoat'!!

Sorry... .-)

Reply to
Bob Eager

No need to be sorry. All that is buried under my patio is an old Vauxhall Carlton:-)

Adam

Reply to
ARWadsworth

If I come across this situation I raid the 'damaged panels' corner of my supplier & find a panel where I can cut out the piece I need. Get them for half price. You would need to buy a complete gravel board, so £25 max for the materials, leaves him £40 for the labour. No more than an hour to cut the gravel board & screw a batten onto the concrete post.

He isn't going to be out of pocket if he does this properly & he should.

Reply to
The Medway Handyman

I would have thought cutting down to size would be a regular thing for them to need to do, so they would have odd bits to do it with anyway. You could manage 4x 18" fill-ins from a full 6' wide set.

Thanks for the replies - I'll be on the phone in the morning. What really miffed me, was that I spent a weekend clearing the fence line of stumps, over hanging branches, old fence posts and roots in the way of the new posts. Basically the job could not have been made easier for them.

I would think a back to back pair of U brackets would be the obvious way to fix a panel to a post lacking a slot, rather than trying to drill a reinforced concrete post?

Reply to
Harry Bloomfield

If the fence is at the front of the property I always make the panels all of equal width. For pickets I use a calculator to space the pickets evenly between posts to avoid that extra-big or extra-small gap at one end. I'll bet nobody else does this :)

Reply to
Matty F

Matty F was thinking very hard :

There were no aesthetic concerns, the odd panel was to fit right at the far end, at the rear.

Reply to
Harry Bloomfield

With panels and concrete posts it's best to use standard sizes to simplify replacement. The posts should outlast the panels at least twice. New panels can be slid in easily.

Reply to
<me9

I watched someone down the road trying to do it in a slightly gusty breeze. I wish I'd had a camera phone at the time...

Reply to
Andrew Gabriel

I've lifted mine out a few times (with help) to get a ladder up, but only on days suitable for working up ladders. I *don't* go near ladders when windy after getting a shock when the ladder lifted from the wall whilst I was attempting to finish a painting job.

Reply to
<me9

HomeOwnersHub website is not affiliated with any of the manufacturers or service providers discussed here. All logos and trade names are the property of their respective owners.