New Fence Installation in Fulbourn - What Happens from First Visit to Final Tidy

Step one: looking at the boundary before anything else

Before we talk materials, height or price, we need to see the boundary. A site visit tells us things that no photograph or phone call can: whether the ground is level or sloping, where roots or buried rubble might be lurking, whether there are neighbouring structures to work around, and whether the existing posts are worth keeping or need to come out entirely.

This stage matters because the approach and the price change significantly depending on what the ground is doing. A twenty-metre run on flat, clear soil is a straightforward job. The same length with a one-metre drop, a row of mature shrubs to work around and a concrete path to core through is not. Getting the survey right at the start means there are no surprises when the work begins.

We also look at the boundary itself - not just the fence on it. If there's any uncertainty about where the legal line runs, it's better to flag this before posts go in than after. We set our work back from the boundary line where there's any doubt, and we'll point you to your title plan if you need to check.

Step two: agreeing the specification and the price

Once we've seen the site, we can confirm the right fence type, post spacing, height and fixing method for your specific boundary. These decisions affect the price, and the price should be agreed before any material is ordered or any ground is broken.

For a standard timber panel installation in Fulbourn, typical supply-and-fit costs run from around £60 to £100 per metre at 1.8 metres high. Close-board fencing runs from around £90 to £130 per metre for the same height. The actual figure for your job will depend on fence length, ground conditions and the specification you choose.

The quote should set out what is included: removal of the old fence (if applicable), post fixing method, panel or board type, any gravel boards at the base, and waste disposal. If something isn't listed, ask. These are not things to assume.

Step three: ordering and preparing

Once the specification is agreed, materials are ordered. Pressure-treated timber posts, panels or boards, arris rails, gravel boards, post fixings and any concrete or postcrete are sourced and scheduled for delivery to site. We don't start digging until the materials are confirmed, because a half-dug run of post holes left open overnight is a hazard and a nuisance.

If the job requires a skip for old fencing, this is arranged in advance. Some jobs - particularly where old posts are set deep in concrete - produce more spoil than expected, so we plan for waste removal at the start rather than dealing with it at the end.

Step four: removing the old fencing

Where the old fence is coming out, this is usually the first physical task on the day. Panels or boards are removed first, then the rails, then the posts. Posts that have been in the ground for many years can be difficult to extract, particularly if they were set in a large concrete plug. In some cases, grinding the post down to ground level and leaving the concrete in the ground is the most practical approach - this doesn't affect the new installation as long as the new post locations don't coincide with the old ones.

Rotted posts sometimes pull out easily because the timber has lost structural integrity at the base. When this happens, it's a reminder that the old fence was genuinely at end of life rather than just looking tired - which is useful to know.

Step five: marking out and digging

Post positions are marked along the run before any digging starts. Standard post spacing for panel fencing is 1.83 metres centre-to-centre to match the standard panel width; close-board spacing can vary. Getting the spacing right from the start avoids having to cut panels or rearrange the run mid-job.

Post holes are dug to the correct depth. As a general rule, the post should be set at least a third of its total length below ground. For a 2.4-metre post supporting a 1.8-metre fence, that means a hole depth of around 800 mm. In soft or unstable ground, we go deeper. In ground with buried rubble or tree roots, the digging takes longer and we clear the obstruction properly rather than working around it.

Where a mechanical post driver or hole borer is appropriate, we use one. Hand digging in confined spaces - alongside walls, close to structures or in small gardens - is often the only practical option.

Step six: setting the posts

Posts go in before any rails or panels are fitted. Setting in concrete or post mix is the most common method; the posts are checked for vertical alignment with a spirit level and braced while the mix cures. This is not a stage to rush. Posts that are set slightly off vertical look worse as the panels go on, and a post that isn't plumb at this stage will affect every panel along the run.

Where ground conditions suggest metal post supports are more appropriate, these are installed at this stage instead. The post is then slotted into the support and checked for alignment before rails or panels are attached.

On sloped ground, we discuss with you beforehand whether the fence will step down the slope in stages (stepped panels) or follow the gradient continuously (raked close-board). Both are valid; the choice depends on the look you prefer and the degree of slope.

Step seven: fitting rails, boards or panels

Once posts are set and the mix has cured, the fence body goes up. For panel fencing, panels are lifted into position between posts and fixed with panel clips or screws. For close-board, arris rails are fixed to the posts first, then featherboard boards are nailed on individually, each one overlapping the last by around 25 mm. Gravel boards are fitted at the base to keep the lowest boards off the soil.

A capping rail along the top of the fence protects the top edge of the boards from rain and extends the life of the fence. Post caps do the same for the post tops. Both are included in a well-specified job.

Step eight: finishing and clearing up

When the fence is complete, we check the run is level, that panels are secure, that all fixings are properly driven and that nothing has been left loose. Any off-cuts, packaging, old fencing materials and spoil from digging are cleared from the site and taken away. The garden should be left in the same condition it was in before we started, minus the old fence and with a new one in its place.

If you're in Fulbourn and want to know exactly what the job on your boundary involves, call us to arrange a survey. We'll walk the line with you and give you a clear picture before any commitment is made.