Fencing advice

Usually not. Under permitted development, a fence, wall or gate can generally be up to 2 metres high, or up to 1 metre where it's next to a highway, which includes a footpath. Above those heights you'd normally need planning permission.

Different rules can apply to listed buildings, in conservation areas, where an earlier planning permission or an Article 4 direction removes these rights, and on some open-plan estates. If any of those might apply, check with BCP Council before you commit. The Planning Portal guidance on fences, gates and garden walls is a good starting point.

There's no general rule that you own the left or right fence. The best starting point is your title plan and deeds, which you can get from HM Land Registry. Some plans show "T" marks on the side responsible for a boundary, but many don't. If it's unclear, agree it with your neighbour before work starts, ideally in writing.

There's no general legal requirement, but it's common courtesy, and often the expectation, for the smoother face to point outwards with the posts and rails on the owner's side. Some properties have covenants on this, so check your deeds if you're unsure.

If the fence is on your land, you don't usually need their agreement, but it's sensible to talk to them first. You do need their permission to go onto their side to work, and for a shared boundary you should agree the plan together.

It depends on the length, height, style and posts, and on the ground and access. As a rough guide from typical jobs:

• Small jobs, such as a short run, a few replacement panels or a repair: roughly £300 to £900
• Most garden fence replacements: roughly £900 to £2,000
• Long boundaries, corner plots or more involved work: can be over £2,000

For panel or closeboard fencing, the price calculator gives an estimate for your length and height in a couple of minutes. We confirm the price after seeing the site.

Most garden fences take one to three days. Longer runs, difficult access, taking an old fence and its concrete out first, or bad weather can add time. We'll tell you how long your job should take when we quote.

• Length and height of the run
• Style and materials, especially the type of posts
• Removing the old fence and any old concrete
• Ground conditions, roots and slopes
• Access to the garden
• Gates, corners and changes of level

That's why we look before we quote. Photos and rough measurements help us give an early idea.

Timber posts look natural and suit closeboard. Concrete posts don't rot and make it easy to lift out and replace panels, but have a more practical look. Steel and composite systems give a slim, modern finish. See posts compared.

Often, yes, if most posts are solid. One or two failed posts can be replaced or braced with a concrete spur, and damaged boards or panels swapped out. If most posts are rotten at ground level, replacement is usually better value. Fence repairs.

Keep people and pets clear, don't try to push it back up, and photograph it from both sides before anything is moved. Then call or text us the photos. After a storm.

Yes, just ask. Hedgehog Street suggests a gap of around 13cm by 13cm so hedgehogs can travel between gardens. It's simplest to plan it into a new fence, usually in the gravel board. Talk to your neighbour first if it's a shared fence. Hedgehog Street has more on making gardens hedgehog-friendly.

Not always. If we can get into the garden through a side gate or lane, we can often work while you're out. If access is through the house, someone will need to be there. We'll agree this when we book the work.

Pressure-treated timber is protected and can be left to weather naturally. If you'd like a colour, new treated timber is often damp from treatment, so let it dry out before staining and follow the stain maker's guidance.