Edinburgh and the Lothians · Landscaping & Outdoor Spaces

Fencing and gates in Musselburgh

Typical time on site: 1–3 days for a typical garden. Guide price in Musselburgh: £1,150–£2,900 including VAT.

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

Free survey in Musselburgh

Tell us about the job and we will be in touch to arrange a visit.

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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.

Addresses across EH21 fall within our coverage for new fencing and gates, so if your home is in Musselburgh we can arrange a survey on a day that works for you. We inspect the existing building, discuss materials and layout, and then price the agreed specification in writing. Expect a guide range of £1,150–£2,900 including VAT before that visit.

Guide price
£1,150–£2,900 inc VAT
Time on site
1–3 days for a typical garden
Postcodes
EH21
Planning rules
Scotland
Local area
East Lothian
Survey
Free, with a written quote

How much do new fencing and gates cost in Musselburgh?

To help you plan, we show what new fencing and gates typically costs in Musselburgh instead of holding figures back for a sales call. The range is £1,150–£2,900 with VAT, using rates in Scotland that are about 4% below the national guide. A free survey then fixes your actual price.

Type of jobWhat it usually involvesGuide in Musselburgh
Repairs or a short runReplacing a few panels and posts, or a short run of up to about 6m.£300–£850
Typical garden boundaryAbout 20m of panel or closeboard fencing with concrete posts and gravel boards.£1,150–£2,900
Composite or long runs with gatesComposite or premium fencing, longer runs, or a driveway gate.£2,900–£6,700

Your price depends mostly on:

  • Total length and height of fencing
  • Post type: concrete, timber or aluminium
  • Ground conditions, slopes and removal of the old fence
  • Number, size and type of gates

What’s included?

  • Removal and disposal of the old fence and posts
  • 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
  • Gates hung with hinges, latches and locks
  • 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.
Slatted or hit-and-missHorizontal or alternating boards for a modern look that lets air through.
Side and driveway gatesTimber, metal or composite gates with secure latches and locks.

Local housing and new fencing and gates

Edinburgh's New Town is a planned Georgian sandstone townscape within a World Heritage Site, and districts such as Marchmont and Leith have Victorian tenements. Bungalows and villas fill the suburbs, Midlothian has former mining villages, Livingston was built as a new town, and East Lothian villages often have red pantile roofs.

Listed and conservation-area homes need careful window and stone repairs. Bungalows commonly suit loft conversions and dormers, and suburban semis take extensions and garage conversions.

For new fencing and gates in Musselburgh, this means checking things like wall construction, roof structure and existing services before we put a figure on paper.

Do you need permission in Musselburgh?

Because Musselburgh falls under Scotland's rules, the guidance below is the version relevant to you. Before sending a price, we check your property's position with the council.

In Scotland, gates, fences and walls up to 2 m high are usually permitted development, with a 1 m limit in front of the house or next to a road.

A building warrant is not needed for ordinary garden fences.

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

How does the job run?

  1. Survey and measure

    We arrange a free site survey on a date convenient to you. We measure up, look at the existing structure and access, and discuss your plans for new fencing and gates so the price reflects your home.

  2. Price and scope agreed

    We turn the survey notes into a written quote. The price is fixed for the specification we agree, and the document sets out materials, scope and payment stages in plain language.

  3. Plan and prepare

    Next comes planning the work itself. We set a start date that suits you, line up the right trades, and make sure any approvals for new fencing and gates are in place before the first day on site.

  4. On site to finish

    During the work we protect the areas around it and tidy up at the end of each day. Once complete, we check the finish, remove our materials and hand over paperwork such as building control sign-off where it applies.

Why homeowners choose us

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.
Guide prices shown upfrontYou can see typical price ranges, including VAT, before you contact us, so you can judge whether a project fits your budget.
Coverage across the UKWe take on projects in England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, and plan each one under the rules for the nation it is in.
One contract, several tradesJobs that need builders, plasterers, electricians and decorators come under a single contract, so you are not coordinating separate firms yourself.

Common questions

Do I need planning permission in Musselburgh?

It depends on the work, the size of the project, your property type and whether the building is listed or in a conservation area. Musselburgh is in Scotland, so Scotland's rules apply. Many smaller jobs need no planning application, but some still need building control approval. We check what applies to your address before quoting.

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.

How do I make my fence last longer?

A fence lasts longer when timber is kept off the soil and protected from moisture. Gravel boards beneath the panels, concrete posts and keeping plants and soil away from the fence all help. Treat timber with a preservative or stain every few years, and replace damaged boards promptly. Composite fencing needs only occasional washing.

Is the price fixed?

Yes, for the specification we agree. Your written quote sets out exactly what is included at a fixed price. It only changes if you ask for something different, or if a problem the survey could not reasonably reveal later needs extra work. In either case we explain the change and confirm it in writing before going ahead.

How high can my fence be?

Fence height limits depend on planning rules, your home's location, whether it is listed or in a conservation area, and which UK nation you live in. In England, fences up to 2m high are usually permitted development, reduced to 1m next to a road used by vehicles. Higher fences need planning permission. We check the rules for your boundary before quoting.

Also covering areas around Musselburgh

We survey and quote throughout Musselburgh's EH21 postcodes and in surrounding places such as Bonnyrigg, Edinburgh and Penicuik. The process and pricing approach are identical in each of them.

Ready for a written price?

Start with a free site survey for new fencing and gates in Musselburgh. You'll receive a written quote showing exactly what is included and how the payments are staged.

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