Close Board Fencing Cost: Supply and Fit Prices

Quick answer

Close board fencing (also called closeboard, feather edge or featherboard) is a timber fence built from overlapping vertical feather edge boards nailed to horizontal arris rails, set between posts with gravel boards along the bottom. Supply and fit in London runs from £175 per metre for a standard 6ft close-boarded run, including posts, gravel boards, rails, boards, concrete and labour. An 18-metre back garden boundary typically lands between £3,200 and £4,000 depending on access and ground conditions.

What is close board fencing?

Close board, close boarded, feather edge and featherboard fencing all describe the same thing: a fence built board by board on site, rather than from pre-made panels. Each feather edge board is tapered — thick on one edge, thin on the other — and overlapped by roughly 15mm so there are no gaps once the timber settles and moves with the weather.

Because it's built in situ from individual boards, close board fencing is more solid, more wind-resistant and generally longer-lasting than a standard overlap panel fence. It's the specification most London contractors, including us, recommend as the sensible middle ground between budget overlap panels and premium options like slatted or hit-and-miss fencing.

What's included in the supply-and-fit price

A proper close board estimate isn't just "boards and posts". Here's what should be inside the per-metre figure:

• Posts — timber or concrete, typically at 2.4–3m centres
• Gravel boards — the bottom board that takes ground contact and rot, so the main boards don't have to
• Arris rails — the triangular horizontal rails the feather edge boards are nailed to (usually two or three per bay depending on height)
• Feather edge boards — the vertical, tapered timber boards that form the visible face
• Post supports — postcrete or a concrete mix, set to the correct depth for the ground
• Fixings — galvanised nails and screws that won't rust and streak the timber
• Removal and disposal of the old fence
• Labour to dig out old posts, set new ones plumb and level, and finish the run

If a price is missing any of the above, it isn't a genuine like-for-like comparison — it's usually a stripped-back version that gets topped up once work starts.

Close board fencing cost per metre in London

These are London supply-and-fit rates for standard ground conditions and reasonable access. Use the fencing cost calculator for a figure based on your own run length and postcode, or get a free indicative estimate from three photos.

Worked examples: 10m, 18m and 30m runs

Assuming a standard 6ft close board fence with timber posts and normal access:

Note our minimum job is from £1,200 — so very short runs (under around 8m) will usually be priced at the minimum rather than a straight per-metre rate, because setup, disposal and travel time don't scale down with the fence length.

What pushes the price up

Per-metre rates assume flat, accessible ground and a straightforward strip-out. Several things move the price above the baseline:

• Access — narrow side returns, no rear vehicle access, or a need to carry materials through the house or over a neighbouring garden
• Ground conditions — clay, rubble, tree roots, or hardcore that makes post holes slower to dig
• Slopes and level changes — stepped or raked panels take longer to set out and fit than a flat run
• Concrete posts — more durable than timber but a different fixing method and a higher material cost; see our guide on concrete vs wooden fence posts
• Disposal in inner London boroughs — tip fees and van access vary a lot by postcode, which is why our estimate is drive-time tiered from your nearest GoodFence base
• Boundary disputes or shared ownership — if it isn't clear whose fence it is, work can be delayed; see whose fence is it: UK boundary rules

How long does close board fencing last

With timber posts set in concrete, pressure-treated boards and decent site drainage, a well-built close board fence should last 15 to 20 years before major sections need replacing. Concrete posts extend the structural life of the frame well beyond that, even if the boards themselves eventually need renewing. Areas prone to standing water or poor drainage will shorten this — that's a ground condition worth flagging before work starts, not after.

When close board is the wrong choice

Close board isn't always the right answer:

• If you want maximum airflow and a contemporary look, slatted fencing with gaps between boards is a better fit and sheds wind loading more easily
• If you want a textured, higher-end finish with alternating board faces, hit-and-miss fencing gives privacy from both sides at a higher price point
• If budget is the main driver and the fence isn't a high-wind or high-visibility boundary, standard overlap panels from £145/m may be perfectly adequate
• If the boundary is genuinely shared, get ownership straight first — see our boundary rules guide — before committing either neighbour to a spec they didn't agree to

Getting an accurate price

We price in two steps. First, a free indicative estimate from three photos and your postcode at /estimate — enough to tell you roughly where your job will land, at no cost and no obligation. Second, only if you want a fixed price, an optional fixed-price survey (£30 to £150 depending on drive time from your nearest GoodFence base) where we measure properly, check ground conditions and access, and give you a fixed price. If you go ahead, the survey fee is credited in full against the job.

We work across London and the South East, including Bromley, Croydon and Watford. One company, our own fitters, start to finish — one contract, one team, one number.