Close Board Fencing Cost 2026: £145–£190/m

Quick answer

Closeboard costs £145–£190/m supplied and fitted on typical 12–26m London runs. An indicative 18m total is £2,610–£3,420 for standard ground and clear access. The agreed specification sets posts, gravel boards, rails and fixings. Old-fence removal and disposal are optional extras. New installs and full replacements start from £1,200; short runs use a higher per-metre band.

Get a figure for your exact run with the fencing cost calculator, or send three photos for a free indicative estimate.

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, with spacing matched to the chosen construction and site
• 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
• Labour to dig new post holes, set new posts plumb and level, and finish the run

Supply & fit, with old-fence removal and disposal available as an optional extra selected on the estimate form. Concrete-post removal and buried obstructions require separate assessment.

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

Illustrative totals using the current run-length bands, standard ground and clear access. Height and finish are confirmed for your job; optional removal and disposal are not included:

Note our minimum job is from £1,200 — this is a floor, not a promise that all short runs cost £1,200. Crew mobilisation, setup and travel mean shorter runs cost more per metre.

What pushes the price up

Per-metre rates assume flat, accessible ground without buried obstructions. 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
• Optional old-fence removal and disposal — priced separately for the existing structure and waste volume. The survey fee is separate and depends on drive time
• 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 at £115–£145/m on typical runs 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, managed installation from survey to handover — one contract, one team, one number.