Costs & pricing
Fence Panel Cost by Type: A Panel-Level Breakdown
Panel price is only half the story: what you pay per panel changes sharply depending on whether fitting, posts and gravel boards are included.
Panels are sold and priced individually, which makes them easy to compare on paper and easy to misjudge once you add up a whole boundary. This guide works panel by panel rather than metre by metre, since that's how most suppliers and installers actually quote.
Figures below are indicative guide ranges based on the kind of work we quote across London and Hertfordshire — they are not a quotation. Every job is priced after a free site visit, and the written price we give is the price you pay.
Panel prices, supply only
A standard 1.8m x 1.8m panel bought supply-only typically ranges from around £35 for a basic lap panel up to £90 or more for a heavier featheredge or composite panel, before you've added posts, gravel boards, fixings or a single hour of labour. Buying supply-only can look like a saving until you price the posts, concrete, tools and disposal separately and realise the labour was most of the job all along.
Supply and fit, panel by panel
Once fitting is included, the per-panel figure typically climbs to somewhere between £110 and £220 depending on panel type and post system, because labour, concrete, gravel boards and haulage are now folded into that number. This is the figure that actually matters for budgeting, since it reflects what leaves your account rather than what a panel costs sitting in a builders' merchant.
- Lap panel, supply and fit: usually the cheapest per-panel figure, shortest expected life
- Featheredge panel, supply and fit: mid-range cost, noticeably sturdier under wind load
- Composite panel, supply and fit: highest per-panel figure, backed by a 25 year expected lifespan and no re-staining
What actually changes the per-panel figure
Post type is the biggest single lever: timber posts keep the per-panel cost down but move the failure risk to ground level within a decade, while concrete posts cost more per panel but remove that weak point. Panel height, panel thickness and whether trellis toppers or capping rails are specified all move the figure too, and a slatted or hit-and-miss panel built for an exposed site typically costs more per unit than a standard flat panel of the same height.
Waste, gaps and why panel count rarely divides evenly
Boundaries are almost never an exact multiple of 1.8m panels, so a real quote nearly always includes at least one cut or narrower infill panel to close a gap correctly rather than leaving an odd-width space. This is a normal and necessary part of a proper installation, and it's worth asking whether a quote has accounted for it, since a figure based purely on 'boundary length divided by 1.8' will usually undercount the panels actually needed.
When panel-by-panel pricing stops making sense
Sloping gardens, stepped boundaries and closeboard fencing built as a continuous vertical-board run rather than pre-made panels don't price cleanly per panel at all, since the boarding is cut and fitted board by board on site. In those cases we quote per metre run instead, which is a fairer reflection of the labour involved than forcing a stepped garden into a flat-panel calculation.
Frequently asked
How much does a single fence panel cost supplied and fitted?
Typically £110 to £220 per standard 1.8m panel including posts, concrete and fixings, depending on panel type and post system.
Is buying panels supply-only actually cheaper?
Sometimes on paper, but by the time you've added posts, concrete, tools, transport and disposal, the saving against a supply and fit quote is often smaller than expected.
Why does a composite panel cost more per unit than a lap panel?
Composite panels use a different manufacturing process and are built to last around 25 years without re-staining, which is reflected in the higher per-panel price.
Do gravel boards add much to the per-panel cost?
A modest amount per panel, but they protect the bottom of the panel from ground moisture and are worth including rather than treating as optional.
What happens if my boundary doesn't divide evenly into 1.8m panels?
A proper quote allows for a cut or narrower infill panel to close the gap cleanly, which is a normal part of the job rather than an extra charge to be alarmed by.
Is closeboard fencing priced per panel too?
No, closeboard is normally priced per metre run since it's built board by board on site rather than supplied as pre-made panels.
Does panel height change the per-unit price much?
Yes, a 1.8m panel costs noticeably more than a 0.9m or 1.2m panel of the same type, since it uses more timber and needs a stronger post to support it.
Want this priced properly for your garden?
Free site visit across London and Hertfordshire, a written specification, and a fixed price. No obligation.