How much does a new fence cost in Cambridge?

A new timber close-board fence in Cambridge typically costs between £120 and £250 per metre supply and fitted, depending on height, ground conditions and the timber grade used. Concrete posts and gravel boards push the price toward the higher end, but they significantly extend the life of the run. Decorative or composite panels, hardwood close-board and bespoke gates add further cost. The best way to get an accurate figure is to have someone walk the boundary with you - we offer a free site measure and quote across Cambridge and the surrounding villages.

What drives the price of a new fence up or down?

The main cost factors are panel or board style, post material (timber versus concrete), fence height, the number of gates, and how difficult the ground is to work in. Rocky or heavily rooted ground in areas like Cherry Hinton or Trumpington can add time and therefore cost. Removing an old fence also adds to the price, as does disposing of treated timber, which cannot go to a standard skip. Telling a contractor all of this upfront means you get a quote that reflects the actual job, not an estimate that grows on the day.

How long do different types of fence last?

Pressure-treated softwood close-board panels typically last 15-25 years when fitted with concrete posts and gravel boards and kept treated. Untreated or poorly treated timber close to the ground can start to rot within 5-8 years in the damp Cambridgeshire climate. Concrete panel fences can last 40 years or more; composite panels are generally rated by manufacturers at 25 years or longer without painting or staining. Metal railings and galvanised steel fences, if the coating is maintained, can outlast all of them.

Should I choose timber or concrete fence posts?

Concrete posts are the better long-term choice for most domestic fences because they do not rot at ground level, which is the most common reason a timber run fails prematurely. Timber posts treated with a UC4-rated preservative (suitable for ground contact) will last considerably longer than untreated or UC3 timber, but they will still eventually decay in the wet, clay-heavy soils found across much of South Cambridgeshire. For a boundary that needs to last 20 years or more with minimal intervention, concrete posts paired with a gravel board are the standard recommendation. Timber posts suit applications where a more natural look is a priority and the owner is prepared to monitor and re-treat them.

What is the difference between timber, metal and composite fence panels?

Timber panels are the most affordable upfront, offer a natural look and are easy to cut to size, but they need regular treatment and will eventually rot if neglected. Metal fences - wrought iron, galvanised steel or powder-coated aluminium - suit period Cambridge properties and front boundaries where security and appearance matter; they cost more but need less maintenance once the coating is intact. Composite panels are made from a mix of recycled wood fibre and plastic; they will not rot, do not need painting, and have improved significantly in appearance over the past decade. The right choice depends on your budget, the setting, and how much upkeep you are willing to do.

How tall can my fence be without planning permission?

In England, you can erect a fence up to 2 metres tall without planning permission, provided it is not next to a highway or public footpath. If your boundary adjoins a road, pavement or public right of way, the permitted development limit drops to 1 metre. Conservation areas - and Cambridge has several, including large parts of the city centre and many village settings - may impose additional restrictions, and your title deeds or lease may contain covenants that limit height or materials further. If you are unsure, check with South Cambridgeshire District Council or Cambridge City Council before starting work, as enforcement action can require you to remove a fence at your own expense.

Which side of the fence is mine and how do I find out?

There is no universal rule in England that dictates which boundary belongs to which neighbour - it depends entirely on the title deeds for your property. The Land Registry title plan sometimes shows a 'T' mark on the boundary line; the 'T' points toward the owner responsible for that boundary. If your deeds are unclear, the next step is to look at the conveyancing documents from when you bought the house, or commission a boundary report. Assuming your neighbour owns a fence just because it faces a particular way is one of the most common causes of boundary disputes, so it is worth checking rather than guessing.

Should I repair individual panels or replace the whole run?

If fewer than a third of the panels or posts in a run are damaged and the rest of the fence is structurally sound, targeted repairs are usually better value. However, if the posts are beginning to rot at ground level, replacing panels while leaving the posts in place is a short-term fix - the whole run will need to come down within a few years anyway. A fence that is more than 15-20 years old and showing widespread deterioration is almost always cheaper to replace in full than to repair piecemeal over time. We can assess a run honestly and tell you which approach makes financial sense for your specific situation.

My fence was blown down in a storm - what should I do, and does insurance cover it?

Photograph the damage before touching anything, then check whether the downed fence is on your boundary or your neighbour's, because that determines who is responsible for the repair cost. Most standard UK home insurance buildings policies cover storm damage to fences, but many set a low sub-limit (often £500-£1,000) and some exclude fences entirely, so check your policy schedule before assuming you are covered. Temporary measures - securing a loose panel with a batten, or removing a section that is a hazard - are sensible, but do not undertake full repairs until you have spoken to your insurer, as they may want to send an assessor. Cambridge experiences significant storm events in autumn and early spring, and we can usually prioritise emergency call-outs for security or safety-critical damage.

What are gravel boards, why do I need them, and how far apart should fence posts be?

A gravel board is a horizontal board or concrete slab fitted at the base of the fence, between the posts, to sit on or just above the ground - it takes the brunt of soil moisture and grass contact, protecting the more expensive panels above it. Without a gravel board, the bottom of a timber panel sits directly on damp soil and will typically begin to rot within a few years, particularly in the heavier soils of the Cambridge area. Standard fence post spacing in the UK is 1.83 metres (6 feet) centre to centre, matching the width of a standard fence panel. Posts decay fastest at the point where they enter the ground, because that zone cycles between wet and dry; concrete posts or a concrete spur repair system eliminate this problem entirely.

Why Checking a Fencing Company's Reviews Really Matters

Why Reviews Tell You More Than Any Sales Pitch

Any fencing company can describe itself as professional on its own website. Reviews written by real homeowners cannot be edited or dressed up in the same way. When you read through a company's reviews, you get a picture of what actually happened on someone else's property - the finish on the fence panels, whether the posts were set properly, how the team left the garden at the end of the day.

For a job that changes how your home looks from the street and how secure your garden feels, that kind of honest detail matters far more than a polished paragraph on an About page.

What to Look for Beyond the Star Rating

A five-star average is a good starting point, but the individual written reviews are where the useful information lives. Look for comments that mention specific work - new fence installation, post setting, timber quality, or how neatly the contractor worked around existing planting. Vague reviews that only say "great service" tell you very little.

Pay attention to how recent the reviews are and whether they show a consistent pattern over time. A company with a strong run of reviews across recent months is more reassuring than one with a cluster of glowing feedback from several years ago and nothing since.

Specificity: Does the reviewer describe the actual work done, the materials used or the site left tidy?
Recency: Are positive reviews spread across recent months, not just a single older period?
Volume: A handful of perfect scores is easy to accumulate; a large, consistent body of feedback is harder to fake.
Responses: Does the company reply to reviews, including critical ones, in a measured and professional way?

Why Negative Reviews Are Not Automatically a Red Flag

Very few companies in any trade have a perfect record across hundreds of reviews. What separates a reliable fencing contractor from a poor one is not the absence of any criticism - it is how they handle it. A company that acknowledges a complaint, explains what went wrong and describes how they put it right is showing you something genuinely useful about how they operate.

Be more cautious if you see a pattern of the same complaint repeated - posts leaning within months, panels that were not treated properly before fitting, or fence repairs needed shortly after new work was completed. These are signs of a consistent problem rather than an isolated one.

Local Reviews Carry Extra Weight

Cambridge properties vary considerably - Victorian terraces with narrow side returns, newer detached homes with open-plan front gardens, and older village properties in places like Great Shelford, Histon or Sawston where boundary work can be complicated by uneven ground or mature hedgerows alongside the fence line. A review from a homeowner in the local area tells you the company understands those conditions - the clay-heavy ground that makes post setting more demanding, the exposed spots where fence panels take the full force of winter wind and rain.

National platforms show you feedback from all over the country. Google reviews tied to a local business listing tend to reflect genuine local customers. That local context matters when the job involves planning considerations too - in England, a fence or gate at the front of a property next to a road or footpath must stay at or below one metre to avoid needing planning permission, while a rear garden fence can go up to two metres. Conservation areas and listed building restrictions can change this entirely. The Planning Portal sets out the full rules, and a company whose reviews mention clear advice on this kind of question is one that takes the detail seriously.

How Reviews Can Guide the Conversation Before You Commit

Reading reviews before you make contact means you go into that first conversation better prepared. If multiple reviewers mention that the company gave them clear, straight answers about timber choices or post depths, you know what kind of questions to ask. If reviewers mention good advice on gate installation to match new fencing, you can raise that as a topic straight away rather than discovering it later.

Use what you find in reviews as a checklist for your own conversation. Ask whether pressure-treated timber is standard, how posts will be set - whether in concrete or using a drive-in bolt system - and what happens if there is a problem after the work is done. A reputable company will answer all of these without hesitation.

Reviews also flag companies that are worth avoiding for subtler reasons - rushed timelines, unexplained changes to the agreed spec, or a reluctance to give straight answers. These patterns in reviews can save you from a difficult situation further down the line.

If you are looking for a fencing company in Cambridge or the surrounding villages, we are happy to talk through what you need and give you a free, no-obligation quote. Get in touch with Cambridge Fencers to arrange yours.

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More advice

Why Checking a Fencing Company's Reviews Really Matters

Why Reviews Tell You More Than Any Sales Pitch

What to Look for Beyond the Star Rating

Why Negative Reviews Are Not Automatically a Red Flag

Local Reviews Carry Extra Weight

How Reviews Can Guide the Conversation Before You Commit

Need a price in Cambridge?

Services in this article

New Fence Installation

Fence Repairs

Gate Installation

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