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.
For a homeowner in Harpenden, planning new fencing and gates tends to begin with two questions: what will it cost, and how disruptive will it be? Our guide range is £1,250–£3,200 including VAT, and a typical job runs to 1–3 days for a typical garden. Both numbers firm up once we have seen the property, measured up and agreed exactly what is included.
- Guide price
- £1,250–£3,200 inc VAT
- Time on site
- 1–3 days for a typical garden
- Postcodes
- AL5
- Planning rules
- England
- Local area
- Hertfordshire
- Survey
- Free, with a written quote
Fencing and gates prices in Harpenden
What will new fencing and gates cost in Harpenden? Our guide range is £1,250–£3,200 including VAT. That figure is adjusted for the East of England, about 5% above the national guide, and is intended for planning a budget. A firm written price for your chosen specification follows a free survey at your home.
| Type of job | What it usually involves | Guide in Harpenden |
|---|---|---|
| Repairs or a short run | Replacing a few panels and posts, or a short run of up to about 6m. | £300–£950 |
| Typical garden boundary | About 20m of panel or closeboard fencing with concrete posts and gravel boards. | £1,250–£3,200 |
| Composite or long runs with gates | Composite or premium fencing, longer runs, or a driveway gate. | £3,200–£7,400 |
Expect these to shape the final quote:
- 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?
- Measured survey of each fence run, levels and slopes
- Concrete or timber posts set in concrete
- Concrete or timber gravel boards to keep panels off the soil
- Post caps and capping rails where specified
- Gates hung with hinges, latches and locks
- Site cleared and waste removed
Local housing and new fencing and gates
Hertfordshire is home to the first garden cities, Letchworth and Welwyn Garden City, and the post-war new towns of Stevenage, Hatfield and Hemel Hempstead. Watford and St Albans have Victorian terraces and Georgian streets, interwar semis line the commuter suburbs, and brick-and-flint cottages appear in Chiltern villages to the west.
Generally dry with chalk and clay soils; clay areas can move in long dry spells, and mature trees near houses need considering for foundations.
Whatever era your Harpenden home dates from, we plan new fencing and gates around how it is actually built rather than a one-size-fits-all specification.
Do you need permission in Harpenden?
England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland each handle planning a little differently. Harpenden comes under England, covered below, and we raise any questions with the council before your quote is finalised.
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.
How does the job run?
Survey and measure
First, someone visits your home in Harpenden 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.
Written quote
After the survey we send a quote for new fencing and gates that fixes the price for the scope we've agreed. If you want to change materials or scope, we revise it in writing before anything is booked.
Dates and permissions
We handle the paperwork side: checking whether planning permission or building control approval is needed, submitting applications where they are, and scheduling the trades and materials around your dates.
Build and hand over
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.
What you can expect from us
Fencing and gates in Harpenden: questions
How long does it take to replace a fence?
Replacing a typical 20m garden fence usually takes one to two days, including taking down the old fence, setting posts in concrete and fitting panels or boards. Longer runs, slopes, hard ground and gates take longer. Post concrete needs time to set before panels are fully loaded. We give you an expected timeline with your quote.
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.
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.
Do you cover St Albans, Luton and Hemel Hempstead?
Yes. As well as Harpenden, we cover St Albans, Luton and Hemel Hempstead and the rest of Hertfordshire. Our coverage is UK-wide, so the process is the same wherever you are: a free site survey, a quote in writing that fixes the price for the agreed scope, and one point of contact while the work is planned and carried out.
Do I need planning permission in Harpenden?
It depends on the work, the size of the project, your property type and whether the building is listed or in a conservation area. Harpenden is in England, so England'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.
Near Harpenden
Addresses in AL5 are all covered for Harpenden, along with St Albans, Luton and Hemel Hempstead close by. Give us your postcode when you get in touch and we will confirm the details.