Finger in the air estimate - new fence.

[David]

A friend is getting quotes to replace a fence. The fence is 20 metres long.

He has initially specified lapped boards and wooden posts (concrete posts another option).

The fence needs a gate about half way along.

The old fence needs removing.

He has been quoted 3 men for 2 days and a total cost of around £3,500.

Does this seem reasonable?

Next door had their fence replaced (estimated 20 metres) by 3 men in less than a day including making them move their proposed fence line which took a chunk out of our garden to go around next door's apple trees which had become integral with the old fence. Cheeky sods!

I suspect there may be an allowance for clearing bits of tree and shrubbery which have grown into and over the old fence, but £3.5k seems a bit stiff.

House is in a nice part of town which may attract a premium quote, of course.

Anyway, what is the going rate per metre of a board fence?

I assume concrete posts and gravel boards and standard fence panels might be cheaper, as well.

TIA

Dave R

[Brian Gaff]

Well, myself I'd suggest just over half what you suggested provided there are not mega problems with levels and lots of old concreted iin stuff to get out. However, it can be cheaper to get those slotted concrete posts and slot in ready made panels that you can then paint yourself for added protection.

Brian

[Rednadnerb]

It was 10 years ago but we had quotes of about £3k for 50 metres of fe nce. I will never use wooden posts again, despite reassurances about pressu rised treatment etc once in the ground it is only a matter of time before t hey rot through. We replaced them with concrete 4 years ago.

[alan_m]

Or not paint them at all and make them last longer

The water based fence paints of today only change the colour for 6 months before they flake off.

[The Natural Philosopher]

Not so. a year after painting mnates fence it still looks the same color and it aint flaked off because just soaked in

[tabbypurr]

60' for £3,500 is £350 per 6' panel & post. What do you think?

NT

[Kevin H]

Had 3 quotes to replace a 13m panel and post fence (most posts broken!) wit h a feather edge fence. Two quotes of £1400 and one of £1800. I d id it myself for £500 which included buying a decent post shovel. Took a weekend to take down the old fence and break up/burn and dig the 6 600mm holes and get the posts in, and another 2 part time weekends to cut the re bates for the arris rails and fix the boards

[alan_m]

Albeit a 5 years back, I paid £800 for a slightly longer length of fencing which included: Removal and disposal of old wooden 3ft high fence panels and old wooden posts. Replace with concrete posts, concrete barge boards and 6 ft high fence panels.

No shrubbery needed to be cleared (grass on both sides of the fence). It was 1 man for 4 days.

I would say that the quality of the fence was medium - much better than my nieghbours fence but not as good as that just erected by the neighbour to my mothers house. My mothers nieghbour said he paid £22 per panel (only the panels - no posts or labour) from a mate in the trade. This better quality fencing will have added perhaps another £100/150 to my £800 bill.

My mother has just had a quote for the replacement of 6 off 6 foot panels of this same quality fencing of £350. The exiting concrete posts are not going to be replaced except one that will be replaced/adjusted. The quote includes the disposal of the old wooden 6 ft panels. The work will include the cutting back and disposal of shrubbery which has grown through the existing fence from both sides. Access for a couple of panels is restricted but the person doing the quote has seen the layout. There is full cooperation from the neighbour for hacking down their shrubbery and access etc.

[David]

Price is for continuous run, not for panels, but it does seem too high.

I am looking for suggestions of a reasonable price (as posted).

Cheers

Dave R

[David]

Panels have a finite lifetime (our current lot have lasted around 7 years IIRC) although they are the basic ones and you can buy much higher quality for a few tens of pounds more.

The mate I am asking on behalf of helped me put in the fence including concrete posts but we are 7 years down the road now and don't fancy all the hassle.

The main issue I see with fence panels is that you tend to grow stuff against them and then the replacement cycle involves a lot of hackery. So something which lasts, say, 15 years may be worth some extra money.

I am contemplating replacing the panels with concrete gravel boards to provide a much longer term fence. We have already replaced two panels and it has worked very well (apart from requiring two big hairy arsed builders to lift the gravel boards into place).

Cheers

Dave R

[Dave Plowman (News)]

Find out the cost of the panels etc. Then see if the labour costs seem reasonable. It only needs one (semi) skilled person - the others labourers. And can't see why it needs three people.

[tabbypurr]

obviously

a lot too high.

Labour rate depends where you are. You can look up he cost of the panels & posts you want & people have reported how long how much length of fence too k to do.

For simple jobs like this if you know what to do a practical nonhandyman th at's willing to work per hour is usually much cheaper.

NT

[Harry Bloomfield]

David pretended :

I would suggest at least using one gravel board per panel, to lift any wood up from the ground. Any wood permanently wet on the ground, will rot quite quickly.

[David]

To be clear, I am talking about no wood at all but a number of gravel boards stacked on top of each other.

This gives a concrete fence/wall which doesn't rattle in the breeze, doesn't rot, and stores heat from the afternoon sun to radiate back.

Cheers

Dave R

[alan_m]

And everywhere I've seen it done it looks like s***e

[David]

Yes, a common solution for the less salubrious areas.

Painted with exterior paint it looks remarkably good.

Cheers

Dave R

[tabbypurr]

It's also expensive. Fine where needed, but not really where not.

NT

[Steve Walker]

They do have some advantages:

I prefer wedges to stop the panels rattling in the wind and replacing them as and when needed.

SteveW

[David]

The main aim is to use it as a heat store - it faces West and so the afternoon/evening sun will warm it. This should help plants, shrubs etc near the wall. Also us when sitting there.

I assume that it is cheaper than getting in a bunch of brickies to build a wall.

Cheers

Dave R

[tabbypurr]

timber fences don't store heat.

NT