Fencing advice for Great Yarmouth homes
Choosing a fencer in Great Yarmouth: seven things to check
A fence is hard to judge on the day it goes up. New timber always looks smart. You find out how good the job was two winters later, when the wind has had a go at it.
So the checking has to be done at the start. These seven points sort a careful fencer from a quick one.
The seven checks
1. How deep will the posts go?
This one question tells you most of what you need. You want to hear two feet or more for a six foot fence, in concrete. A vague answer is an answer.
2. What are the posts made of?
Concrete, or timber with something to protect the foot. If timber, ask the size. Slim posts are too light for a six foot fence in an exposed garden.
3. Is the timber pressure treated?
Pressure treated timber lasts far longer than dipped. The fencer should know which they are buying.
4. Are gravel boards included?
If not, the timber sits on wet soil. Ask for them to be priced in.
5. What happens to the old fence?
Taking it down and away should be a line in the quote, with a figure. MyJobQuote's fence installation guide suggests about £35 a panel where removal is charged as an extra.
6. Who is doing the work, and are they insured?
Ask who will be on site and if they carry public liability insurance. Fencing means digging near drains and cables, and working on a line you share with someone else.
7. Can I have it in writing?
A proper quote, with the items below listed, sent by email or text. A figure said over the gate is not a quote.
What a written fencing quote should list
- The length of fence, in metres or panels
- The height, with the gravel board
- The type of panel or board, and its treatment
- The posts: material, size and depth
- Gravel boards and capping
- Any gate, with its fittings
- Removal of the old fence and the waste
- The total, and VAT if it applies
- A rough date and how long it will take
With that in hand you can compare quotes fairly. For the going figures, see fencing prices in Great Yarmouth or the cost calculator.
Deposits and paying
For a small repair, pay when it is done. For a full fence, a deposit towards materials is normal, with the rest due when you have walked the finished run. Be wary of a demand for the whole sum up front.
Pay in a way that leaves a record, and ask for a receipt. Citizens Advice can explain where you stand if a job goes badly.
Signs of a rushed job
- A knock at the door after a storm, offering to do it today for cash
- No address and a mobile number only
- A price given without measuring
- Pressure to decide on the spot
- Reluctance to say how deep the posts go
- A figure far below anyone else's
After a big blow, people travel in from elsewhere looking for quick fence work. Some are fine. A fencer who works around Great Yarmouth week in, week out has a name to keep here, and knows what this coast does to a fence.
The morning the fencer arrives
- Move pots, furniture and anything fragile away from the line
- Tell next door the day before
- Keep the dog indoors while the boundary is open
- Say where the drains and any buried cables run, if you know
- Walk the finished fence with the fencer and push a few posts before you pay
Common questions
Which fence company is the best?
There is no league table worth trusting. The best fencer for you is one who measures before pricing, answers the post depth question without a pause, lists everything in writing and works in your area often enough to care about their name.
Should I get more than one fencing quote?
For a full fence, yes: two or three. Check each is for the same length, height, posts and removal, or you are comparing different jobs.
Ask a local fencer about your boundary
Good fencers are busiest just when you need them, in the weeks after the first gales. Asking before the rush gives you time to compare and a better pick of dates.
Describe the fence and name your part of Great Yarmouth. The quote is on the house.