DATA-BACKED GUIDE · UPDATED JULY 2026
Garden fencing cost in the UK for supply and fit
New fencing sounds simple until you price it and realise the posts, the ground and the removal of the old panels all add up. The cost depends on the length of the run, the panel style, and whether you use timber or concrete posts. Two gardens of the same size can end up on very different totals once a slope, a stretch of clay, or a skip of old panels enters the job. The real prices below come from actual jobs, so you can see what a supply-and-fit run genuinely came to rather than a rough guess.
The quick version
- Length of run and panel height are the main things pushing the total up or down, since fencing is priced by the metre.
- Concrete posts and gravel boards cost more up front but tend to outlast timber posts, which rot where they meet the soil.
- Clearing and disposing of the old fence is real labour, so check whether it is in the quote or added on afterwards.
- Difficult ground, slopes and tree roots slow the digging and can lift the price well above a flat, easy-access garden.
- A sole trader below the VAT threshold can quote lower than a VAT-registered firm for the same job, which is one reason prices spread so widely.
- Whose fence it is matters before you spend a penny. Check the boundary belongs to you, or agree it with your neighbour, before ordering materials.
What people actually paid
Real prices, in people's own words
- £1,152“Cost £1152”
- £1,500“I paid about £1,500 for 6 overlap panels with concrete posts”
- £2,000“Cost just under £2k.”
- £2,880“We had 18 panels with concrete posts and gravel boards fitted for £160 each”
Genuine amounts posted publicly. We publish the price and the quote, never the person.
Why the price varies so much
Fencing is priced by the metre, so the length of your boundary is the starting point before anything else is decided. After that, panel choice makes a big difference. A basic lap panel is cheaper than featheredge or a closeboard fence built on site, and taller panels use more material and catch more wind, which means sturdier posts are needed to hold them. The posts themselves are a real fork in the road. Timber posts are cheaper but can rot where they meet the soil, while concrete posts with gravel boards cost more at the start and usually last far longer, so the cheaper quote today is not always the cheaper fence over ten years. Ground conditions matter more than people expect. Digging post holes in soft soil is quick, but clay, rubble, tree roots or a slope all slow things down and add labour, sometimes forcing the posts to be stepped down a gradient rather than run in a straight line. Ownership and access play a part too. A fence on a shared boundary may need agreement with a neighbour before work starts, and there is no single rule that says which side of a boundary owns which fence, so it is worth checking before any work is booked. A trade who has to carry materials through a house or down a narrow side return, rather than straight off a van, will usually price that time in. Taking away the old fence and skipping the waste is another line that some quotes include and some leave off, so two prices that look close on paper can mean very different amounts of work. Who does the job matters too. A sole trader working alone and below the VAT threshold will often price differently to a larger firm with a team, and materials carry 20% VAT regardless of who fits them. Regional labour rates and how busy local trades are also move the price, so the same job can cost noticeably different amounts depending on where in the country you are and the time of year you book it.
How to pay less
- Measure your run accurately before you ask around, so every quote is priced on the same length.
- Get three quotes and check each one states whether removing and disposing of the old fence is included, since this line sometimes gets left off to make a number look smaller.
- Consider concrete posts and gravel boards. They cost more now but often save you replacing rotten posts and re-hanging panels in a few years.
- Ask how the trader will get materials and spoil in and out. A narrow side passage or blocked rear access adds labour that a wider access garden won't.
- If a fence sits on a shared boundary, agree the split and the style with your neighbour before work starts, so the cost and the choice of panel are not disputed afterwards.
- If you are buying materials for a larger job on a card, Section 75 can offer some protection on the spend.
Common questions
Are concrete or timber fence posts better value?
Timber posts are cheaper to buy and fit, but they tend to rot at ground level over time. Concrete posts with gravel boards cost more up front and usually last much longer, so they often work out better value across the life of the fence.
Does the quote include taking the old fence away?
Not always. Removing panels and posts and skipping the waste is real work, and some quotes leave it out to look cheaper. Always ask, and compare the real prices below on a like-for-like basis including disposal.
Why is fencing on a slope more expensive?
Sloping or awkward ground makes digging post holes slower and can mean stepping the panels down the gradient, which uses more posts and more labour. Clay, rubble and tree roots have the same effect, so difficult ground lifts the price.
Who is responsible for paying for a boundary fence?
There is no single rule that says which side of a shared boundary you own, so check your deeds or agree it with your neighbour before you commission any work. Sorting this out first avoids paying for a fence on a line that turns out not to be yours to replace, and it stops disputes over the style once the work is done.
Does it matter if the trader is not VAT registered?
It can explain part of a price gap between quotes. A sole trader below the VAT threshold does not add 20% VAT to their labour, which can make their quote lower than a VAT-registered firm doing similar work. It is worth asking directly rather than assuming the cheaper quote is cutting corners.
Does the type of panel affect the price by much?
Yes. A basic lap panel is quicker to fit and uses less material than featheredge or a closeboard fence built up on site panel by panel. Taller and heavier panels also need sturdier posts to stand up to wind, so the panel style is one of the first things that shifts a quote up or down.