How much does fencing cost in the UK? (2026 prices per metre)
In 2026, garden fencing in the UK costs roughly £90–£180 per metre supplied and fitted, with the typical average near £110–£120 per metre. Budget lap-panel fencing starts around £40–£70 per metre; composite runs £120–£200 per metre. Most gardens come to a total of £1,000–£2,500.
Fencing is priced by the length of the boundary, not by the job, so the per-metre rate is the number to plan around. Multiply your run in metres by the rate for the style you want and you have a working budget before a contractor visits. Below is the breakdown by fence type, labour, ground conditions and the rules that decide how high you can build and who pays for the boundary.
Cost per metre
A standard 1.8 m timber fence, supplied and installed, is £90–£180 per metre, and most homeowners pay close to £110–£120 per metre once panels, posts, gravel boards, concrete, fixings and labour are added together. The big variable is style: an overlap (lap) panel fence can be done for £40–£70 per metre, mid-range closeboard (featheredge) is £60–£100 per metre, and composite is the outlier at £120–£200 per metre.
When you read a quote, check whether it is a supply-and-fit price or a panels-only price. The gap between the two is the entire labour and groundwork cost, and it is the main reason two quotes for "the same fence" look so different.
Cost by garden size
Because the price is linear, a length table is the fastest sanity check. These figures assume a standard 1.8 m closeboard or good-quality lap fence with concrete posts and gravel boards, supplied and fitted, at 2026 rates.
| Boundary length | Approx. panels (1.83 m) | Supply & fit total | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5 m | 3 | £450 – £900 | Often hits a contractor's minimum charge |
| 10 m | 5–6 | £900 – £1,800 | One side of a terrace garden |
| 15 m | 8 | £1,350 – £2,700 | Common full rear boundary; about 1.5 days' work |
| 20 m | 11 | £1,800 – £3,600 | Two sides of a mid-size garden |
| 30 m | 16 | £2,700 – £5,400 | Large or corner plot; usually 2–3 days |
Small jobs rarely scale straight down. Most fencing contractors have a minimum day rate, and some will not send a two-person team out for fewer than about seven bays (roughly 13 m), so a 5 m repair can cost nearly as much as a 10 m one. For the whole-project total by garden size rather than just the per-metre rate, see our guide to how much it costs to fence a garden.
Cost by fence type
Fence type is the biggest lever on price, from about £15 per metre for post-and-rail up to £200 per metre for premium composite. The table shows the 2026 supplied-and-fitted rate per metre alongside the supply-only cost of a single 6ft (1.83 m) panel.
| Fence type | Supplied & fitted (per metre) | Panel only (6ft / 1.83 m) | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Post and rail | £15 – £35 | n/a (rails) | Paddocks, open boundaries |
| Chain link | £25 – £45 | n/a (rolls) | Security, low cost, no privacy |
| Picket | £30 – £55 | £20 – £35 | Front gardens, decorative |
| Lap / overlap (waney edge) | £40 – £70 | £20 – £60 | Budget privacy fencing |
| Closeboard / featheredge | £60 – £100 | £25 – £100 | Exposed or sloping gardens |
| Woven / hurdle | £55 – £95 | £30 – £70 | Rustic screening |
| Hit and miss | £75 – £110 | £60 – £80 | Windy sites; looks equal both sides |
| Concrete post-and-panel | £60 – £120 | £90 – £180 | Low maintenance, rot-proof |
| Slatted / Venetian | £90 – £140 | £50 – £120 | Contemporary gardens |
| Metal / aluminium | £90 – £180 | £80 – £200 | Durability, wind resistance |
| Vinyl / PVC | £80 – £160 | £70 – £190 | No painting, consistent look |
| Composite | £120 – £200 | £90 – £180 | 20+ years, near-zero maintenance |
Timber panels cover most UK back gardens and climb in price with strength: lap is cheapest but storm-prone, closeboard uses vertical featheredge boards on arris rails and copes far better on exposed or sloping ground, and hit-and-miss lets wind through instead of catching it like a sail (see our buyer's guide to fence panel types and sizes for full dimensions and post matching). The non-timber options — composite, aluminium, concrete — cost more up front and less over their life, needing little more than an occasional wash for 20 years or more.
What the price includes
A supply-and-fit per-metre price normally covers the panels, posts, gravel boards, postmix or rapid-set concrete for each hole, all fixings, and the labour to dig, set and hang everything, plus clearing the offcuts. It does not automatically include removing your old fence, skip hire, treating or painting the new timber, or fitting a gate — each is a separate line to confirm.
The hidden third of a fencing bill is the below-ground hardware. Timber posts are £10–£25 each and concrete posts £15–£40 each; a 1.8 m fence needs one post about every 1.83 m plus an end post. A concrete gravel board adds £13–£16 per bay and each hole takes one to one-and-a-half bags of postmix at £5–£12. Across a 15 m fence that kit alone is commonly £250–£450.
Labour and old fence removal
Labour is £250–£500 per day for a contractor or small team in 2026 — roughly £33–£67 per metre, or £50–£80 per panel, on a straightforward run. A 15 m boundary takes about 1.5 days. Rates are higher in London and the South East and lower in the North and rural areas. Because setting the first and last post takes the same effort on any run, per-metre labour looks expensive on tiny jobs.
Removing an existing fence and disposing of the waste adds £10–£25 per metre, or about £35 per panel — the cost is in digging out concreted-in posts. Around three in four replacement jobs include removal. Disposal is separate: a mini or midi skip is £120–£170 and a 6–8 yard skip £220–£300, more for heavy concrete waste. For how contractors structure day rates, fixed prices and VAT on top of this, see our guide to what fencing contractors charge in the UK.
What changes the price
After fence type, the cost drivers are the ground, access, height and location. Any one can move a quote by 20% or more.
| Factor | Effect on cost |
|---|---|
| Heavy clay, chalk or rubble ground | +£20–£40 per metre (slower digging) |
| Restricted access (carry through the house) | More labour time; no fixed figure |
| Going from a 4ft to a 6ft fence | +15–30% (more timber, longer posts, more wind load) |
| London / South East vs rest of UK | +£100–£250 per day on labour |
| Peak season (spring / early summer) | Higher quotes, longer lead times |
DIY vs professional
Fitting a fence yourself cuts the cost to £45–£110 per metre in materials only, against £90–£180 per metre supplied and fitted — roughly half. On a 15 m garden that is £600–£1,000 saved, in exchange for one or two weekends of hard work and the hire of a post-hole digger. DIY makes sense for a like-for-like panel swap where the concrete posts are sound; it makes least sense on a long run or in heavy ground, where a mis-set post line shows for years. A professional typically charges £200–£220 per panel all in for a full replacement.
Planning permission and boundaries
You do not need planning permission for a fence up to 2 m high, or 1 m next to a highway used by vehicles. These are Permitted Development rights for England, and they still apply in 2026. Height is measured from ground level, and a trellis topper counts — a 1.8 m fence with a 0.3 m trellis is a 2.1 m structure. Listed buildings get no Permitted Development for fences; conservation areas and Article 4 directions have tighter rules. Replacing a fence at the same height almost never needs permission.
Responsibility for a boundary falls on its owner, shown by a T-mark on the Land Registry title plan: the stalk of the "T" points into the property that must maintain that side. An H-mark means it is shared. Many older title registers carry no mark at all, in which case the boundary is usually treated as shared — agree the specification and split the invoice with your neighbour in writing before work starts.
Worked example: a 14 m rear boundary
A 1.8 m closeboard fence, concrete posts and gravel boards, supplied and fitted, replacing an old lap fence that must be removed. 2026 mid-range prices.
| Line item | Quantity | Cost |
|---|---|---|
| Closeboard panels (1.83 m) | 8 | £360 – £640 |
| Concrete posts | 9 | £180 – £315 |
| Concrete gravel boards | 8 | £110 – £130 |
| Rapid-set postmix | 12 bags | £60 – £120 |
| Fixings, clips, caps | — | £30 – £50 |
| Labour (2 people, ~1.5 days) | — | £500 – £900 |
| Remove old fence + disposal | 14 m | £180 – £350 |
| Total | 14 m | £1,420 – £2,600 |
That is roughly £100–£185 per metre all in, which is where a fair 2026 quote for this specification should land. A quote far below it is probably panels-only or leaves out removal; a quote far above it should come with a reason, such as very poor ground or no vehicle access.
Frequently asked questions
How much is fencing per metre in the UK in 2026?
Supplied and fitted, a standard 1.8 m garden fence costs about £90–£180 per metre in 2026, averaging £110–£120. Budget lap fencing runs £40–£70 per metre and composite £120–£200 per metre.
How much does it cost to fence a typical garden?
Most UK gardens come to £1,000–£2,500 for a supplied-and-fitted timber fence, averaging about £1,500. A 10 m run is roughly £900–£1,800 and a 20 m run £1,800–£3,600, depending on style and ground.
What is the cheapest type of fencing?
Post-and-rail is cheapest at £15–£35 per metre, then chain link at £25–£45 per metre. For a private garden boundary, lap (overlap) panels are the cheapest solid option at £40–£70 per metre fitted.
How much does a 6ft fence panel cost?
A 6ft (1.83 m) panel costs £20–£60 for lap, £25–£100 for closeboard, £60–£80 for hit and miss and £90–£180 for composite. Fitting one panel into sound existing concrete posts adds £50–£80 in labour.
How much does fencing labour cost per day?
A fencing contractor or small team charges £250–£500 per day in 2026, higher in London and the South East. Most garden jobs take one to two days, and many firms apply a minimum charge for short runs.
How much does it cost to remove an old fence?
Removing an old fence adds £10–£25 per metre, or about £35 per panel, mostly labour to dig out concreted posts. Disposal is separate: a skip is £120–£300 for common sizes, more for heavy concrete waste.
Does a new fence need planning permission?
Not if it is 2 m or less, or 1 m or less next to a road used by vehicles. Height is measured from ground level and a trellis topper counts. Listed buildings, conservation areas and Article 4 areas have tighter rules.
Who is responsible for the fence between two houses?
Whoever the Land Registry title plan marks as owner, shown by a T-mark pointing into their property. An H-mark means it is shared. With no mark, common on older homes, the boundary is usually treated as shared and the cost split by agreement.
Is it cheaper to install a fence myself?
Yes. DIY materials are £45–£110 per metre against £90–£180 supplied and fitted, so it roughly halves the cost. It suits a like-for-like panel swap with sound posts, not a long run or heavy ground.
How long does a garden fence last?
Pressure-treated timber lasts 8–20 years with re-treatment every one to three years. Composite lasts 20–25 years, and aluminium, steel and concrete 20–30 years or more. Concrete posts outlast timber posts whatever the panel.
A quick note
Indicative 2026 UK figures from published cost guides and installer pricing. Rules cited are for England — Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland differ, and boundary disputes are a matter for a solicitor. Your site, access and local market decide the real number, so get three like-for-like quotes. See our full disclaimer.