Find Fencing Contractors in the UK

There are many different types of fences, not just in terms of material, but structural design and purpose. Speaking broadly, fences fall into one of these three categories:

• Decorative fencing acts as an attractive backdrop for your outdoor spaces, but also provides border definition, increased privacy, and a moderate level of security

• Privacy fencing is primarily concerned with creating a barrier that blocks views from the surrounding vicinity, making it a common choice for residential properties

• Security fencing is intended to deter would-be trespassers with a robust physical barrier that delays and even inhibits anyone attempting to enter your property

While these different types of fences are distinct in terms of their goal, you’ll often find there’s overlap between them. Many decorative fences provide security and privacy, while privacy fence panels can certainly be attractive. Whether you’re having a new fence installed or an existing fence repaired, you’ll likely want to choose a fence solution that excels in your priority areas.

These are the main purposes of fences, but there are different structural designs to choose between too. These include:

• Featherboard or closeboard fence panels

Made using partially overlapping vertical featheredge boards that are laid over horizontal support rails, closeboard fencing is well-liked for its versatility, affordability, and ease of installation. While closeboard fences are usually wooden, you will find this design in plastic and vinyl fencing as well.

• Lap fencing

One of the UK’s most popular fencing types, lap fences are constructed from wooden slats arranged horizontally and supported by upstanding frames. Fitting between wooden and concrete fence posts alike, lap fence panels are quietly effective, though not quite as robust as closeboard fence panels.

• Slatted fence panels

In general, slatted fence panels come in two forms: single and double slatted. Consisting of horizontal slats positioned closely with only small gaps in between, slatted fence panels provide a modern, stylish appearance but come with a higher price tag.

As you can probably guess from the name, double slatted fence panels have two layers of horizontal slats stacked on top of each other, creating a denser appearance with less visibility through the gaps between the slats. This doesn’t just boost privacy but wind resistance, too.

• Hit and miss fencing

Sometimes called alternating board or Venetian fencing, hit and miss fencing is characterised by alternating vertical wooden boards with small gaps between them. This arrangement delivers a pattern of solid and open sections along the length of the fence panel.

• Picket fencing

Most popular in the United States, a classic picket fence is comprised of spaced-out, upright wooden boards connected by two horizontal rails. Generally painted white, the wooden boards are pointed at the top, giving them their distinct style. For many, this is the most traditional type of decorative fencing.

• Combination fencing

With combination fencing, you usually take a lap or closeboard fence panel base and attach a lattice fence top. This gives you the practical performance that you need with scope for injecting a splash of visual splendour. Given the nature of combination fencing, you’ll have plenty of opportunities to mix and match your favourite styles, materials, and colours.

• Acoustic fencing

The purpose of acoustic fencing is to stop excessive noise from entering your property from the surrounding area. Most acoustic fencing is made from timber and either reflects or absorbs the noise to keep it away from your property. In busy residential areas, this can give you much-needed peace and quiet.

• Natural screening

Providing decent wind resistance and privacy, natural screening is a form of fencing where materials like reeds, willow, or bamboo are fastened together into long, rolled sheets. Reed, willow, and bamboo screens act as beautiful backdrops in your outdoor spaces, making them a popular choice for decorative fencing needs.

• Lattice fencing

A lattice fence is a framework of intersecting wood that creates a decorative display ideal for climbing plants. Lattice fencing, alone, is really only suitable for decorative purposes in your garden’s interior, but it can be combined with lap or closeboard fencing – combination fencing – if you want the best of both worlds.

There are also different types of fence posts to go along with fence boards. For example, some fences will have wooden fence posts, while in other cases you might want to install concrete fence posts, which tend to be stronger.

If you’re not sure which of these fence types best suits your project, be sure to ask your chosen fencing contractor for guidance.

More often than not, you will not need planning permission to build, alter, or remove fencing. Still, there are specific circumstances where planning permission is required. You might need planning permission if any of these conditions apply:

• Fence panels are taller than 2 metres in height from ground level

• Highway-adjacent fence panels are taller than 1 metre in height from ground level

• Fencing falls within or forms a boundary with listed buildings

• Article 4 restrictions apply under the General Permitted Development Order

• Fencing falls within a conservation area

Providing these conditions don’t apply to your planned fence installation, you probably won’t need planning permission. With that said, there’s no harm in checking your local authority’s guidance just to make sure.

In the UK, fence panels come in various widths and even custom sizes. The standard width of a fence panel is 6ft (1.83m), though. You can use this to estimate how many fence panels you’ll need for your property’s next fence installation and the cost of completing that installation, too.

If you decide you'd prefer custom fence panel widths, that's something fencing manufacturers and suppliers can help you with. You should expect to pay more for these custom-made fencing panels, though, compared with prefabricated units.

In general, garden fences must be no taller than 2 metres in height from the ground. If the fence is in your front garden, you might be restricted to 1 metre from the ground, although moving the fence back 2 metres from any adjacent highway (road or pavement) will allow you to build a 2-metre tall fence.

If you’re planning on building a fence higher than these height restrictions, you’ll need planning permission from your local authority – and there’s certainly no guarantee they’ll agree to your request. Remember, fencing contractors can offer advice on planning your new fence installation.

Yes, fencing contractors install gates as well as fences. Often, these professionals will handle the installation of both of these components as part of one package. This goes for wooden, plastic, composite, and metal fencing alike.

Of course, you can have gates added to many different parts of your property, including existing fences. Garden gates, decorative fence gates, and driveway gates are all common choices for homeowners. Most of these gates are manual, but automatic or electric gates are a premium alternative that could give your property an extra feeling of luxury.

Like most other products and materials, there’s a wide range of choices when it comes to installing electric gates. Unsurprisingly, this means the cost of electric gates varies a lot, too. Bearing that in mind, you should expect electric gates to cost somewhere between £2,500 and £8,000, including both the gate materials and installation.

Some systems might require additional installations – and further costs – as well, though. Common accompaniments include intercom systems, motors, and groundworks. Depending on what you need, this could increase your costs by hundreds or thousands of pounds.

You can learn about potential groundwork expenses by reading our guide on how much groundworks cost.

If you’re not sure whether you or your neighbours own a fence, don’t panic. Start by checking the title plans for information. Look for the T-mark that indicates who is responsible for the boundary and its upkeep. If it’s on your side of the boundary, you own the fence.

When there are T-marks on both sides of the boundary, you likely have joint responsibility with your neighbour. If you don’t have the title plans, you can get your hands on this documentation through an application to the Land Registry.

If you want to replace your fence, you might need your neighbour’s permission in specific situations. When the fence is entirely on your property, you can alter, remove, and replace the fence as you see fit. If it’s on a shared boundary, it’s probably best to speak to your neighbour about your plans.

If you remove or alter a fence that is shared with your neighbour, it could result in a legal dispute and, potentially, compensation for damage to your neighbour’s property. For this reason, it’s always best to be clear about what you’re planning and seek agreement early on.

Contrary to popular belief, you don’t own a side of a fence with your neighbour owning the other side. You either own the fence, co-own the fence with your neighbour, or don’t own the fence at all. Accordingly, if your neighbour owns the fence, you must ask their permission to paint it.

If the garden fence is jointly owned, you’ll need to come to an agreement with your neighbours. Just like you’ll need their permission to make changes, they’ll need permission from you. With this in mind, it should be relatively easy to negotiate an agreement where you both get what you’d like.