Fencing is priced by the metre, so the single most useful number you can give an installer is the length of each run. A tape measure, a notepad and ten minutes are enough. Add the height you want, whether the ground slopes, any gates, whether the old fence needs taking away and how an installer will get to the garden, and you will get a price range that holds up when the specialist visits.
You do not need to be exact to the centimetre. Rounding each run to the nearest half metre is fine.
What you need
- A tape measure, ideally 10m or longer. A long builder's tape or a measuring wheel is easier than a short steel tape.
- A notepad or your phone.
- Someone to hold the other end, if possible.
- A rough sketch of the garden from above.
Steps
- Sketch the garden from above. Draw the house and each side of the garden you want fenced. Label each run: left side, right side, back, and any short return pieces.
- Measure each run along the boundary line. Measure from where the fence starts, usually the corner of the house or an existing wall, to where it ends. Where there is an old fence, measure along it. Write the length on your sketch.
- Add up the total length. This is the figure the price is based on. A typical semi's back garden is often 20–40m of fencing across three sides.
- Decide the height. Most garden fences are 1.8m. Check the rules before going higher: the limit without planning permission is 2m, including any trellis, and 1m next to a road. See how high can a garden fence be? and the 1m rule.
- Check the slope. Stand at one end and look along the run. If the ground falls noticeably, note roughly how much and where. Panels will be stepped, which needs more careful work and slightly taller posts.
- Measure any gate openings. Measure the width between the walls or posts where a gate will go, and note whether it is a side gate or a wide driveway opening. Gates are priced separately.
- Note what is there now. Old panels, posts in concrete, a wall with a fence on top, a mesh fence or nothing at all. Say whether the old fence needs removing and taking away.
- Look for obstacles along the line. Large roots, sheds or garages on the boundary, drains or manhole covers, raised beds, a patio running up to the fence, or a retaining wall where the ground is higher on one side.
- Check access. How will materials get to the garden? A side gate, through the garage, or only through the house? Note the narrowest width, and whether there are steps.
- Take photos. One along each run from end to end, one of the side access, and close-ups of anything awkward. Photos let an installer spot problems before they visit.
Working out panels and posts
Standard fence panels are 1.83m (6ft) wide. To estimate panels for a run, divide the length by 1.83 and round up. A 15m run needs 9 panels (15 ÷ 1.83 = 8.2) and 10 posts. You do not need to do this for a quote, but it helps you compare quotes and check a panel-only repair.
Featheredge fences are built in place with rails and boards rather than panels, so they fit any length without cutting panels down.
Which side are you measuring from?
Measure on your own side. If the fence is shared or belongs to your neighbour, sort out ownership before ordering. See who owns the fence?. If your neighbour is sharing the cost, agree the length and style together.
Turning your measurements into a price
Fencing is priced per metre at 1.8m high. Indicative West Midlands prices, supply and fit, waste included:
| Fence type | Per metre at 1.8m |
|---|---|
| Post and rail | £40–£65 |
| Lap panels | £60–£90 |
| Featheredge | £95–£135 |
| Slatted | £130–£190 |
| Extra | Cost |
|---|---|
| Concrete posts instead of timber | about £10 per metre |
| Removing the old fence | £8–£15 per metre |
| Timber side gate | £250–£450 |
| Metal side gate | £400–£700 |
A worked example: 15m of featheredge at 1.8m on concrete posts, with the old fence taken down and removed, comes to about £1,700–£2,400. The smallest fencing jobs start from about £400.
Lower fences cost less: under 1m is about 60% of the 1.8m rate, 1.2m about 80%. Fences over 2m cost about 25% more and need planning permission. Difficult access, such as no way in except through the house, adds to the cost. See the fence cost per metre guide, and our new fence, fence repair and side gates pages.
When you use our estimate, you enter the length, height and style, and we pass your enquiry to one local specialist, who confirms a fixed price.
Common measuring mistakes
- Measuring the garden, not the fence. If the fence stops short of the house, or joins a wall, measure only the fence.
- Forgetting short returns at the house end or around a corner.
- Leaving out gate openings or counting them as fence.
- Missing the slope. A garden that falls a metre over its length needs stepped panels.
- Assuming the old fence is yours to replace.
Questions
How accurate do my fence measurements need to be?
To the nearest half metre is fine for an estimate. The installer will measure exactly before ordering materials. The main thing is not to miss a whole run or a return.
Should I measure the length including the gate?
Measure the fence and the gate opening separately. Gates are priced on their own, and the fence price is per metre of fence only.
How many fence panels do I need for 10 metres?
Divide by the panel width of 1.83m and round up: 10m needs 6 panels and 7 posts. Featheredge is built to length, so panel counts do not apply.
Do I need to measure my neighbour's side?
No. Measure along the boundary on your side. If the ground is higher on one side, note it, as it affects post lengths and possibly the planning height.
What photos help most with a fence quote?
A photo along each run from one end, one of the access route to the garden, and close-ups of anything unusual, such as a slope, a wall base or roots near the line.