Fence replacement is for when a run has gone past repair: several posts leaning, panels soft or split, and every storm bringing a bit more down. Instead of patching it again, the old fence comes down completely and a new one goes up in its place. We take down and remove the old fence, posts and concrete, then build the new fence in the style you have chosen.
If you are not sure whether your fence needs repairing or replacing, our repair or replace guide walks through the signs.
Taking the old fence away
The old panels, boards, rails and posts are taken down and removed, so you are not left with a pile in the garden. Old posts are dug out along with the concrete around them, because new posts set beside old lumps of concrete end up off line and badly supported. Where a hedge, climbers or shrubs have grown into the fence, these are cut back enough to work.
Checking the boundary line
A replacement fence normally goes back on the same line as the old one. Before work starts it is worth confirming that line, because old fences can drift over the years. If you share the fence with a neighbour, speak to them before the work, so nobody is surprised when the old fence comes down.
Choosing the new fence
A replacement is a chance to change the style, not just renew it. Closeboard and panel fences remain the most common, but many people move to slatted, hit and miss or composite. It is also the right time to change the posts, for example from timber to concrete, and to add gravel boards so the new panels stay off the soil.
- Closeboard, panel, slatted, hit and miss or composite
- Timber or concrete posts
- Gravel boards along the base
- A new gate in the same run if needed
What a replacement estimate covers
The written estimate sets out the length and height of the run, the new fence style, the post type, gravel boards, any gate, and the removal of the old fence. Things that affect it include access to the garden, how much concrete there is to break out, changes in ground level and how much vegetation is in the way. Our guide to the cost of installing a new fence explains these factors in more detail.
Repair or replacement?
If only one or two posts or panels have failed, a repair is usually the better choice. Replacement makes sense when the problems run along the whole fence.
How a fence replacement runs
Send us photos and rough measurements, we send a written estimate, then we visit to confirm before work starts. We cover London and Hertfordshire. The old fence is only taken down when the new materials are ready, so the garden is open for as short a time as possible.