Fencing Contractors in Aylesford

Start with the boundary and the privacy you need.

Show the full fence line, corners and gate openings. Decide whether the priority is screening a patio, enclosing the garden, containing pets or replacing a failing boundary. Check the proposed height and sightlines from the house and seating area.

For your Aylesford garden, show the back boundary, side passage and any frontage as separate runs. Identify where the fence meets paving, a retaining wall or a gate, and show the finish you want from the seating area. Include changes in level and retained planting. Mark sections that should remain so a replacement quote does not assume the whole garden perimeter needs changing.

Confirm the boundary line and permission for the work before setting out. A replacement should follow an agreed line; the position of an old fence alone should not be used to resolve uncertain ownership.

Compare fence construction, not just the style name.

Closeboard commonly uses overlapping feather edge boards. It may be built along the boundary using boards and rails or supplied as ready-made panels. Closeboard and feather edge therefore overlap as descriptions; compare the actual construction and supports.

Panel fencing uses complete sections between posts. Existing spacing and supports must suit the proposed replacements. Include the panel dimensions, fixing method and condition of the posts when requesting a like-for-like change.

Slatted fencing offers a different balance of privacy and openness. Spacing and viewing angle affect screening, so consider neighbouring sightlines before choosing from a photograph. Discuss the complete support and fixing arrangement for the site’s exposure.

Choose posts and gravel boards with the fence.

Timber and concrete posts differ in appearance and compatibility with the fencing above and between them. If existing posts are to stay, they need to be stable, sound and suitable for the new sections.

Gravel boards can keep main timber panels or boards away from soil where the construction allows. Include their height with the panel and any trellis when agreeing the total fence height.

A sloping boundary may need stepped sections or construction that follows the ground. Discuss the finish from both sides and any gaps at the base, particularly for pets. Ground conditions and the specified fence determine the support detail; one post-hole recipe does not suit every boundary.

Garden gates and access through the boundary.

Include gate openings in the initial measurements. Agree the clear opening, swing direction, hinges, latch and any access needs for bins or garden equipment.

A gate needs suitable supports and enough clearance to open across the adjoining ground. Photograph existing paths and changes in level so the gate and paving can be considered together. Matching boards or slats can connect the gate visually with the fence without overlooking its hardware and support requirements.

Can the damaged section be repaired?

Read our Aylesford fence repairs guide

Broken boards or a damaged panel may be replaced while sound sections remain. A leaning, loose or decayed support needs assessment as well as the visible fence. Replacing boards alone will not correct an unstable post.

Send a view along the whole run and close-ups of posts, rails and fixings. Where several supports or sections have failed, replacing a larger part of the boundary may be more appropriate. Keep clear of unstable fencing while an assessment is arranged.

How much does fencing cost in Aylesford?

The installed price depends on length, finished height, construction and working conditions. A timber supply price, panel price or hourly rate does not include every part of a fitted boundary.

For a 30-metre fence, measure each straight run and mark corners, gates and changes in level. Thirty metres gives the length, but it does not establish the number of panels or posts until the construction and spacing are agreed. A single straight boundary and several shorter runs can involve different fitting work even when their total length is the same.

Compare written quotes covering:

• The measured run, total height and agreed fence construction.
• Removal of old fencing, post extraction and waste disposal.
• Posts, supports, panels or boards, rails and fixings.
• Gravel boards, corners, gates and finishing details.
• Access, additional ground work, labour and VAT treatment.
• Exclusions, provisional items and the proposed programme.

Ask whether a labour-only or daily rate includes removal, old concrete extraction, waste handling and gate fitting. A supplier’s panel price covers a component rather than the complete boundary. Send access photos as well as measurements, and compare the supplied-and-fitted total with the same materials, disposal and VAT treatment included.

What is the 2 metre fence rule?

Planning Portal guidance for England gives usual height limits of 1 metre next to a highway used by vehicles, including its footpath, and 2 metres elsewhere, measured from ground level. It also describes certain work to an existing fence above those limits where its height is not increased.

Listed buildings and their boundaries, Article 4 directions and planning conditions can affect permission. Taking down fencing in a conservation area may also require permission.

Check the proposed total height, including gravel boards and trellis. A 7ft fence is about 2.13 metres, above the usual 2 metre limit. Read the Planning Portal fencing guidance and confirm property-specific requirements with Tonbridge and Malling Borough Council before work begins.

Does a neighbour have to pay half the fence cost?

Do not assume that a shared boundary means a 50:50 bill. Establish ownership and any maintenance responsibility from the title register, deeds or an existing agreement before arranging the work. The side with the posts and rails, or whether the fence is on the left or right of the garden, is not a reliable ownership test.

Discuss the specification and any proposed contribution before commissioning a replacement. Record what has been agreed, including access and the sections being changed. Where responsibility is disputed, resolve it or obtain appropriate advice before authorising changes. HM Land Registry’s boundary guidance explains what property records can and cannot show, and GOV.UK covers boundary agreements between neighbours.

Installation, access and timber care.

1. Agree the line and specification. Confirm boundary position, height, style, posts and gate details.
2. Plan preparation. Identify retained features, old fence removal, disposal and working access.
3. Fit the agreed construction. Install the supports and sections with suitable alignment and fixing details.
4. Check and hand over. Review the finish and gate operation, and explain the supplied materials’ care requirements.

Ask how ground and weather conditions could affect the programme and how access will be maintained during fitting. Follow the guidance for the actual timber and treatment; keep accumulated soil and debris away from vulnerable sections and check supports and fixings periodically.

Questions about fencing in Aylesford

Plan the fencing with the wider garden.

Explore our Aylesford landscaping services and Aylesford patio installation if the project includes new paths or seating areas. Share the whole brief so boundaries, paving and access can be planned together.

See our fencing services across Kent for the wider service. Send details of any commercial or security boundary requirement so we can confirm whether the proposed work is suitable.