England · Landscaping & Outdoor Spaces

Fencing and gates in Cornwall

Typical time on site: 1–3 days for a typical garden. Guide price in Cornwall: £1,200–£3,100 including VAT.

New close-board timber fence with concrete posts and a side gate

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Fencing installation is setting fence posts into the ground, usually in concrete, and fixing panels or boards between them to mark a boundary, add privacy or keep children and pets in, with gates fitted where access is needed.

We handle new fencing and gates as a managed project across Cornwall: one contract, one contact, and trades working to an agreed specification. Coverage includes Redruth, Falmouth, St Austell and Truro and their surroundings. In England the consent rules have their own details, which we check for you. Typical prices in the South West fall within £1,200–£3,100, VAT included, and are fixed in writing after a survey.

Guide price
£1,200–£3,100 inc VAT
Time on site
1–3 days for a typical garden
Planning rules
England
Price level
About 2% above the national guide
Towns listed
7
Survey
Free, with a written quote

How much do new fencing and gates cost in Cornwall?

Here is how the guide price for new fencing and gates breaks down in Cornwall. We start from national figures and adjust for the South West, which comes out about 2% above the national guide. The resulting range, VAT included, is £1,200–£3,100, and a survey, at no cost to you, firms it up.

Type of jobWhat it usually involvesGuide in Cornwall
Repairs or a short runReplacing a few panels and posts, or a short run of up to about 6m.£300–£900
Typical garden boundaryAbout 20m of panel or closeboard fencing with concrete posts and gravel boards.£1,200–£3,100
Composite or long runs with gatesComposite or premium fencing, longer runs, or a driveway gate.£3,100–£7,100

The main things that change the figure:

  • Total length and height of fencing
  • Fence style and material: panels, closeboard or composite
  • Ground conditions, slopes and removal of the old fence
  • Number, size and type of gates

What do you get?

  • Removal and disposal of the old fence and posts
  • Concrete or timber posts set in concrete
  • Concrete or timber gravel boards to keep panels off the soil
  • Panels or boards fixed level or stepped to follow the ground
  • Post caps and capping rails where specified
  • Site cleared and waste removed
Lap or overlap panelsLower-cost panels for marking boundaries, quick to install.
Closeboard or featheredgeVertical boards on rails, strong and solid for privacy and exposed sites.
Composite fencingLow-maintenance boards in aluminium or concrete posts that do not rot or need painting.
Side and driveway gatesTimber, metal or composite gates with secure latches and locks.

Housing across Cornwall

Older Cornish homes are often built of granite or slatey local stone, with slate roofs and sometimes slate-hung walls facing the weather. Cob cottages survive in places, Truro and Falmouth keep Georgian and Victorian streets, and many towns have rendered post-war houses, bungalows and newer estates on their edges.

Stone and cob properties often need breathable lime render, careful repointing and roof repairs. Post-war and newer homes commonly benefit from new windows, roofline renewal, external rendering and single-storey extensions.

Cornwall faces Atlantic gales, driving rain and salt-laden air, so render, pointing and window hardware on exposed elevations need a suitably robust specification.

Planning and building rules in Cornwall

Homes in Cornwall come under the regulations for England, summarised below. We don't rely on general rules alone: we confirm the position for your address with the council before a quote goes out.

In England, fences, walls and gates up to 2 m high are usually permitted development, or up to 1 m where they are next to a road used by vehicles or its footpath. Listed buildings, conservation areas and estates with planning conditions can be stricter.

Building Regulations do not apply to ordinary garden fences, but boundary lines should be agreed with your neighbour first.

Rules change and every property is different, so we check the planning history and constraints for your address before we quote.

The four stages

  1. We look at the job

    First, someone visits your home in Cornwall to see the space, take measurements and note anything that could affect the work, such as access or the condition of what is there. There is no charge for this visit.

  2. Your fixed price

    We put everything into a written, fixed-price quote: the specification, what's excluded, staged payments and the expected time on site. Take whatever time you need to decide; there's no pressure to commit.

  3. Booking the work

    Before anyone starts, we confirm the programme in writing, check whether consents are required and arrange deliveries. If a skip or scaffolding on the road needs a permit, we apply for it.

  4. Finish and handover

    On site, the agreed plan is followed and any change is put in writing first. At completion we do a final clean, go through the snagging list with you and leave you with the relevant documents.

How we work

One point of contactA single named contact handles your project from the first survey to the final handover, so you always know who to call with a question.
Free site surveyWe visit your home to measure up and discuss the work at no cost, and there is no obligation to go ahead once you have our price.
Tidy, protected work areasFloors, furniture and access routes are covered and protected while we work, and the site is tidied at the end of every working day.
Realistic timetablesWe give you an honest estimate of time on site at the quote stage and keep you informed if anything affects the programme once work starts.

Frequently asked questions

Are concrete posts better than timber?

Concrete posts do not rot and are the most durable choice for panel fences, especially on exposed sites. They are heavier and more utilitarian in appearance. Timber posts look more natural and suit closeboard and featheredge fences, but they eventually rot at ground level, even when treated. Aluminium posts suit composite systems. We recommend posts based on your fence style and exposure.

How do you fence a sloping garden?

On a sloping garden, fence panels are usually stepped, so each panel is level and set slightly higher or lower than the one before, with the gap below filled by a gravel board. Closeboard fences can instead follow the slope, giving a smooth top line. The choice depends on how steep the slope is and the look you want. We discuss both at the survey.

Who do I deal with during the job?

One point of contact manages your project from survey to handover. They schedule the trades working under our contract, keep you updated on progress, and are the person to call with any question. You don't need to coordinate builders, electricians or decorators separately, because that is part of what we do.

How much does a new fence cost?

About 20m of new panel or closeboard fencing with concrete posts costs £1,200–£3,100, including removal of the old fence. As a guide, allow roughly £55–£130 per metre plus a small fixed cost for removal and waste. Lap panels sit at the lower end, while closeboard, slatted and composite fencing cost more. Gates, slopes and hard ground add to the price. We confirm a fixed price after measuring.

Can I stay at home during the work?

In most cases, yes. Most people can live at home throughout, and we plan the work to keep disruption down by protecting floors, agreeing working hours and keeping access routes clear. Bigger jobs affecting kitchens, bathrooms or heating may mean a short spell with reduced facilities, and we talk this through with you at the survey.

Towns in Cornwall

Below is our list of Cornwall towns for new fencing and gates. If yours isn't shown, we may still cover it, so it is worth asking us directly.

Ready for a written price?

Get a written quote for new fencing and gates at your Cornwall home. The survey costs nothing, and there's no obligation to go ahead once you have seen our figure.

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