Thirty years of fences that are still standing

It depends on length, height and the ground. Most garden runs land between a few hundred pounds for repairs and a few thousand for a full replacement with concrete posts. You get a fixed written price before we start, so the number never moves after the work begins.

In most back and side gardens the limit is 2 metres. Next to a road or public path at the front it drops to 1 metre. Trellis on top counts towards the height. If your home is listed or in a conservation area, different rules apply. This gets checked before anything is built.

There is no automatic rule in the UK, whatever the neighbours say. Your title deeds are what counts. If the deeds are silent, the side the posts face is often a clue, and a friendly word with your neighbour before work starts saves trouble later.

Legally, usually not, if the fence is on your land and within height limits. A quick heads-up still avoids bad blood, and fitting can be done entirely from your side so nobody else’s garden is disturbed.

Treated timber panels on concrete posts usually give 20 years or more. Timber posts are always the first thing to fail because they sit in wet ground. That is why concrete posts and gravel boards are worth the extra where the budget allows.

A typical garden run is a day or two including taking the old fence away. Long runs or tricky access take longer, and you get told that before the job starts, not during it.

It leaves with us. Removal and disposal are part of the quote, and the garden is left swept.