Average garden fencing costs per metre in the UK
In the UK, new garden fencing typically costs between £55 and £110 per linear metre fully supplied and installed by fencing contractors. Standard overlap (lap) panels represent the most budget-friendly choice, while robust vertical closeboard (featheredge) panels and contemporary horizontal slatted screens sit at the premium end.
Opting for concrete slotted posts and concrete gravel boards increases upfront material costs by 25% to 35% compared to timber, but prevents ground-level wood rot and extends fence lifespan from 10 years to over 25 years.
Fence heights, boundary rules, and planning laws
Under UK planning guidelines, you can erect a fence up to 2 metres (approx. 6ft 6in) high in your back garden without planning permission. Fences adjacent to a highway or vehicular road are limited to 1 metre high without planning permission.
Always check your property deeds (title plan) to establish boundary ownership (indicated by "T-marks"), and consult your neighbours before replacing shared boundary fencing.
Worked example: 15-metre garden boundary in the Midlands
Replacing a 15-metre garden fence with 6ft closeboard panels, concrete slotted posts, concrete gravel boards, and one garden gate.
A 15-metre run requires 8 panels (1.83m wide each), 9 concrete posts, 9 concrete gravel boards, and 18 bags of Postcrete. Materials total £720. Contractor installation labour totals £600 (£40/m). Old fence removal and disposal adds £150, resulting in a total installed cost of approximately £1,470.
Inputs for the fencing cost calculator
Fence boundary length (m)
Total boundary length in metres to be fenced.
Fence height
Standard height: 3ft (front garden), 4ft, 5ft, or 6ft (back garden privacy).
Panel style
Overlap / waney lap, closeboard / featheredge, or acoustic / decorative slatted.
Post material
Treated timber wooden posts or slotted concrete posts.
Gravel boards
None, treated timber, or recessed concrete gravel boards to raise panels above damp ground.
Garden gates
Number of matching pedestrian gates with latch and hinges.
Labour & removal
Professional installation vs materials-only DIY, plus clearance of old fencing.
CALCULATOR QUESTIONS
UK garden fencing cost calculator questions
How high can a back garden fence be in the UK without planning permission?
You can build a garden fence up to 2 metres (6.5 feet) high without planning permission, provided it does not border a public highway where the limit is 1 metre.
Are concrete fence posts better than wooden posts?
Yes. Concrete posts never rot in damp ground and do not require ongoing preservative treatments, lasting 25+ years compared to 8 to 15 years for treated softwood timber.
How wide is a standard UK fence panel?
Standard UK fence panels (lap, featheredge, or slatted) are 6 feet wide (1.83 metres), with heights ranging from 3ft to 6ft.
How many bags of Postcrete do I need per post?
Standard practice is to use 1.5 to 2 bags of Postcrete (rapid-setting concrete) per fence post for a sturdy 2ft deep post hole.
Which side of the fence is my responsibility?
Check your property deeds; a "T" mark pointing into your boundary indicates you own and are responsible for maintaining that fence.