Garden Fence Cost London 2026: Real Prices per Metre
Real 2026 London prices for replacing a garden fence, by fence type, with a worked example for a typical back garden.
Quick answer
For a typical 12–26m run in London, supply and fit is £115–£145/m for overlap, £145–£190/m for closeboard, £170–£200/m for slatted, £175–£200/m for hit-and-miss and £320–£380/m for composite. Old-fence removal and disposal are optional extras. New installs and full replacements start from £1,200.
Garden fence cost by type (London, 2026)
| Fence type | Cost per metre (supply and fit) | Typical finish |
|---|---|---|
| Overlap | £115–£145/m | Budget, panel-based, shortest lifespan |
| Closeboard | £145–£190/m | Solid, built board by board, no gaps |
| Hit-and-miss | £175–£200/m | Alternating boards, privacy from both sides |
| Slatted | £170–£200/m | Contemporary, airy, spaced boards |
| Composite | £320–£380/m | Low-maintenance, doesn't rot or need treating |
These indicative bands follow our current pricing model for typical runs, standard ground and clear access. Short and long runs use different bands. Posts, height, finish and optional extras affect the estimate; a survey confirms the fixed price. Use the fencing cost calculator to get a figure for your specific run, or get a free indicative estimate from three photos and your postcode.
What a typical 18m back garden replacement costs
Most London terraced and semi-detached back gardens have somewhere between 15 and 20 metres of boundary fence to replace. Using 18m as a typical figure:
| Fence type | Indicative supply-and-fit total |
|---|---|
| Overlap | £2,070–£2,610 |
| Closeboard | £2,610–£3,420 |
| Hit-and-miss | £3,150–£3,600 |
| Slatted | £3,060–£3,600 |
| Composite | £5,760–£6,840 |
If your garden is smaller than this, remember the minimum job is from £1,200 — the minimum is a floor, not a fixed price for every short run. Crew mobilisation, setup and travel do not shrink in line with length. Removal and disposal remain optional extras.
What drives the cost up or down
The per-metre figures above assume flat ground and reasonable access. In practice, several things move a job above the baseline:
- Access — no rear vehicle access, narrow side returns, or materials needing to be carried through the house
- Ground conditions — clay, roots, rubble or old foundations that slow down digging post holes
- Slopes — stepped or raked panels take longer to set out than a flat run
- Posts — concrete posts cost more upfront than timber but last significantly longer; see concrete vs wooden fence posts
- Old fence removal and disposal — an optional extra, priced for the existing fence and waste volume; this is separate from the survey fee, which depends on drive time
- Boundary ownership — if it isn't clear whose fence you're actually replacing, that needs resolving first — see whose fence is it: UK boundary rules
Why cheap estimates come back higher
A low headline price is usually low because something's missing, not because the job is genuinely cheaper. The most common gaps we see in cut-price estimates:
- No gravel boards, so the main fence boards sit on or near the ground and rot early
- Timber posts priced as if the ground is perfect, with concrete posts or extra digging added as a "surprise" once work starts
- Disposal not agreed in advance, billed only after the old fence has been removed; optional removal should be listed separately before you accept
- Panel counts rounded down, so extra panels appear as a change order partway through
- No allowance for access difficulty, discovered on the day rather than priced in advance
The way to avoid this is a proper site visit before a fixed price is given — not a phone-quoted figure based on a rough description.
How our two-step estimate works
We don't give a binding number over the phone, because we can't see your ground, your access or your boundary from a description. Instead:
- Free indicative estimate — submit three photos and your postcode at /estimate. We review the photos and send an indicative range; this is not an instant automated estimate.
- Fixed-price survey, only if you want one — from £30, tiered by drive time from your nearest GoodFence base. We measure the run properly, check ground conditions, access and boundary ownership, and give you a fixed price on the spot. If you go ahead with the job, this fee is credited in full against the price — you don't pay it twice.
This means the number you agree to is the number you pay, whether the job is in Bromley, Croydon, Watford or anywhere else across London and the South East.
The bottom line
For typical London runs, overlap is £115–£145/m, closeboard £145–£190/m and composite £320–£380/m supplied and fitted. Old-fence removal and disposal are optional extras, and the final price depends on the agreed specification and site conditions. Get a free estimate at /estimate, or run your own numbers through the fencing cost calculator first.
One company, managed installation from survey to handover — one contract, one team, one number.
