Fencing and Boundaries in Milton Keynes

As a guide, supplied and fitted closeboard or featherboard fencing runs about £90 to £150 per metre in the MK area. Panel fencing can be a little cheaper, and composite costs more but lasts longer. Post condition and access affect the price, so a quick site visit gives you a firm figure.

Usually not. You can put up a fence up to 2 metres high anywhere in your garden without permission. The limit drops to 1 metre if the fence borders a road used by vehicles. Above those heights, or next to a listed building, you will need planning permission.

It depends on your priorities. Closeboard timber looks right against MK's brick-built homes and is easy to repair, but it needs treating every few years. Composite and metal panels cost more up front and last far longer with almost no upkeep, which suits people who would rather not think about it again for a decade.

On clay, posts should go in at least 600mm deep, and 750mm for a 2 metre fence, set in a concrete collar with a drainage gap at the base. Clay holds water, so posts that are too shallow work loose or rot at ground level. Getting the depth right is what keeps a fence standing through wet winters and wind.

A standard garden fence run of 15 to 20 metres usually takes 1 to 2 days. If old posts are set in concrete or access is tight it can take a little longer. Posts often need a day for the concrete to set before panels go on, which we plan around.