A new 1.8m garden fence in Birmingham and the West Midlands typically costs £60–£135 per metre supplied and fitted, depending on the style. Lap panels sit at the bottom of that range, featheredge near the top, and slatted contemporary fencing costs more again at £130–£190 per metre. Concrete posts add about £10 a metre, and taking the old fence away adds £8–£15 a metre.
These are the ranges our quote form uses for a new fence. They include materials, labour and taking the waste away. They are indicative: the fixed price comes from the local specialist once they have seen your photos or the site.
Fence prices per metre by style
All figures are per metre run at the standard 1.8m (6ft) height, with timber posts.
| Fence style | Per metre at 1.8m | 10m run | 20m run |
|---|---|---|---|
| Post and rail | £40–£65 | £400–£650 | £800–£1,300 |
| Lap (overlap) panels | £60–£90 | £600–£900 | £1,200–£1,800 |
| Featheredge (closeboard) | £95–£135 | £950–£1,350 | £1,900–£2,700 |
| Slatted or hit-and-miss | £130–£190 | £1,300–£1,900 | £2,600–£3,800 |
| Not sure yet | £80–£130 | £800–£1,300 | £1,600–£2,600 |
Lap panels are the cheapest close-boarded option: pre-made panels slotted between posts. They are quick to fit but the thin boards can warp and split within ten years or so.
Featheredge is built on site, board by board, onto rails fixed between posts. It takes longer and uses more timber, which is why it costs more, but it is stronger, easier to repair one board at a time and usually lasts longer.
Slatted fencing (horizontal slats with gaps, or hit-and-miss boards on both faces) is the most expensive because it uses planed timber and is fitted by hand.
Post and rail is an open fence for marking a boundary or keeping pets in, not for privacy.
Height changes the price
Lower fences use less timber and shorter posts, and taller fences use more. The quote form applies these factors to the 1.8m rate:
| Height | Factor | Lap per metre | Featheredge per metre | Slatted per metre |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Under 1m | × 0.6 | £36–£54 | £57–£81 | £78–£114 |
| 1.2m | × 0.8 | £48–£72 | £76–£108 | £104–£152 |
| 1.8m | × 1.0 | £60–£90 | £95–£135 | £130–£190 |
| 2m or more | × 1.25 | £75–£113 | £119–£169 | £163–£238 |
For example, featheredge at 1.2m is £95 × 0.8 = £76 at the low end and £135 × 0.8 = £108 at the high end.
A fence over 2m high needs planning permission, and so does one over 1m next to a road used by vehicles or its footpath. Those jobs are priced after a free survey. See how high can a garden fence be? and the 1m rule next to a road.
Extras that add to the per-metre price
| Extra | Typical cost |
|---|---|
| Concrete posts instead of timber | add £10 per metre |
| Taking away the old fence | £8–£15 per metre |
| Replacing a single panel | £90–£140 per panel |
| Replacing a broken post | £120–£180 per post |
| Minimum charge for any fencing job | about £400 |
Concrete posts with gravel boards do not rot at ground level, which is where most timber posts fail. Most homeowners who are replacing a fence choose them for that reason.
Removal covers taking down the old panels and posts, digging out old post footings where they are in the way, and taking everything to a licensed tip.
Worked examples
These use the ranges above. The fixed price will depend on what the specialist sees.
15m of featheredge at 1.8m, concrete posts, old fence removed
| Item | Low | High |
|---|---|---|
| Featheredge, 15m × £95 / £135 | £1,425 | £2,025 |
| Concrete posts, 15m × £10 | £150 | £150 |
| Removal, 15m × £8 / £15 | £120 | £225 |
| Total | about £1,700 | about £2,400 |
30m of lap panels at 1.8m, concrete posts, old fence removed
30m × (£60 + £10) = £2,100 at the low end and 30m × (£90 + £10) = £3,000 at the high end. Removal adds 30m × £8–£15 = £240–£450. The total is about £2,340–£3,450.
8m of lap panels at 1.2m, timber posts, nothing to remove
8m × £48 = £384 and 8m × £72 = £576. The low end is under the £400 minimum, so the range comes out at about £400–£580.
What pushes the price up or down
- Length. Longer runs cost less per metre because set-up and travel are spread over more fence.
- Ground conditions. Heavy clay, which is common across Birmingham and the Black Country, is slower to dig. Old concrete footings, buried rubble and large roots along the line all add time.
- Slopes. A sloping garden needs the fence stepped or raked, which takes more cutting and more posts. Steep or stepped sites are priced after a survey.
- Access. If everything has to be carried through the house, or the van is more than 50m away, expect about 15% more. No side access for a mixer or barrow adds time too.
- Gravel boards and capping. A concrete or timber gravel board keeps the panels off the soil. Capping and counter rails on featheredge add a little but help the fence last.
- Keeping the old fence. If the old fence stays up until the new one is in, or a neighbour's fence is being kept, the fitter has to work around it.
What is included
A fixed price for a new fence should normally include:
- setting out the line and agreeing it with you
- digging post holes and setting posts in concrete or postcrete
- gravel boards, rails, panels or boards, and capping where specified
- taking the old fence and waste away, if you asked for removal
- leaving the garden swept and tidy
Ask whether treated timber is pressure-treated, whether the price includes staining, and what happens if the fitter hits a buried service. Before any work starts, it helps to know who owns the boundary: see who owns the fence?
How to get a fixed price
- Measure the run along each side you want doing. A rough figure to the nearest metre is fine.
- Fill in the quote form. You get an instant price range based on the figures on this page.
- Add photos of the whole fence line, the access from the road and anything in the way.
- We pass your enquiry to one local fencing specialist. They contact you and confirm a fixed price, or arrange a free visit if the job needs one.
We only pass work to firms whose public liability insurance we have seen, with the expiry date recorded, and whose identity and trading name we have confirmed. See how we check firms.
Fitting a gate at the same time? See the driveway gates cost guide.
Questions
How much does a 6ft fence cost per metre?
A 1.8m (6ft) fence costs about £60–£90 per metre with lap panels and £95–£135 per metre with featheredge, supplied and fitted with timber posts. Add about £10 a metre for concrete posts.
Is featheredge worth the extra cost over lap panels?
For most back gardens, yes. Featheredge is stronger, stands up better to wind and can be repaired one board at a time. Lap panels are cheaper but tend to need replacing sooner.
How much does it cost to take an old fence away?
Usually £8–£15 per metre, depending on how the old posts were set and how much waste there is. That covers taking it down and disposing of it at a licensed site.
Can I just replace a few panels?
Yes. Panels cost about £90–£140 each and posts £120–£180 each, but most firms have a minimum charge of around £400 a visit. If several posts are failing, a full replacement often works out better value. See fence repair.
Do I need permission for a new fence?
Not usually, if it is no higher than 2m, or 1m next to a road used by vehicles. Listed buildings and conservation areas have tighter rules.
How long does a new fence take to put up?
A typical 15–20m garden fence takes one to two days. Concrete around the posts needs time to set before panels go in, which is why some jobs run over two visits.