Panel systems
Close-board (feather-edge) fencing on timber or concrete posts, standard overlap panels, hit-and-miss panels for wind-loaded exposed sites, decorative-topped panels for feature runs, and picket fencing for front boundaries.
Fencing · Highworth · Swindon · Cotswolds
Fencing Contractor
in Highworth, Swindon
& the Cotswolds
Panel and close-board fencing supplied and fitted properly: posts set straight and solid, panels aligned, tops level. Fencing that survives more than one wet winter.
40 years' experience · Family-run · Free site visits · Fully insured
40 yrs
on the tools since 1988
3
family team on every job
3–5 days
for a written estimate
£5m
public liability insured
Overview
Fencing that stays standing after the first storm.
Fencing looks simple. So does bricklaying, until it starts falling over. The two biggest killers of a domestic fence are badly-set posts and rushed installation, and both are avoidable if the person putting it in cares about it lasting.
What the service covers
Close-board fencing, feather-edge panels, lap-panel fencing, hit-and-miss panels, decorative-topped panels, brick-piered fencing (piers built by us, panels dropped in between), post-and-rail fencing for larger plots, gates and gate hanging, and repair of storm-damaged runs.
Who it's for
Homeowners whose fencing is falling over. Landlords needing a boundary refresh. Buyers of new-build homes with tired developer-grade fencing. Owners of larger plots wanting a proper post-and-rail run.
When it's needed
Fence has come down or is leaning after wind. Posts are rotting at ground level. Panels are broken, missing slats, or have worked loose. New boundary being installed. Replacing a temporary fence with a proper one.
Why installation matters more than product
Any timber merchant sells decent fencing. What separates a five-year fence from a twenty-year fence is what's happening at ground level: post depth, concrete mix, protection at the base, and level fitting.
The cost of getting it wrong
How badly-installed fencing fails.
The failure modes are predictable.
Posts snap at ground level
Untreated wood, shallow set, no concrete collar: posts rot exactly where you can't see, and snap in the next storm.
Panels sag between posts
Post spacing wrong, gravel boards missing, panels sitting on soggy ground: timber warps and the whole run distorts.
Boundaries drift
Fence lines put in without setting out to the actual boundary can end up over-line: a neighbour dispute waiting to happen.
Gates drop in a season
Gate posts under-specified for the weight and swing. Every gate needs its own consideration.
Common mistake, Most common mistake: replacing panels without replacing the posts. Old rotten posts kill new panels within a couple of years.
Our process
Our fencing process.
Straightforward and honest.
- 01
Site visit & measure
We walk the boundary with you, measure accurately, and agree on style, height and any gates.
- 02
Written estimate
Materials, labour and waste removal itemised within 3–5 working days.
- 03
Old fence out, posts in
Old fencing lifted and taken away. Posts dug to proper depth, concreted, and left to set.
- 04
Panels & finish
Panels fitted, gravel boards installed, caps and tops trimmed level. Site left tidy.
The benefits
Why our approach to fencing pays off.
Posts set at proper depth
Not the two-spade-shove of a rush job. Posts to correct depth, concrete-set, with a collar above ground level.
Gravel boards fitted as standard
Panels off the ground so they don't sit in wet soil and rot from the bottom up.
Level tops, straight lines
Fence lines that look right, and tops that don't step and jog between panels.
Gates that swing properly
Gate posts sized and set for the gate they're carrying. Ironmongery fitted to spec.
Brick piers where wanted
Because we're bricklayers, brick-piered fencing is a natural fit: proper piers with panels between, not decorative brackets pretending to be piers.
Waste taken away
Old fencing, broken panels and spoil removed at completion.
In detail
Fencing, in detail.
Types, materials and situations.
Post options
Pressure-treated timber posts (most common, longest life when set properly), concrete posts (near-permanent, panels slide in), and steel-supported timber posts (a hybrid that puts steel in the ground and timber above).
Brick-piered fencing
Where a property warrants a stronger boundary: brick piers built to proper foundations at panel spacing, with fencing panels installed between. Popular on Cotswold-fringe properties and larger front boundaries.
Gates
Timber gates single and double, from garden side gates to driveway gates. Gate posts sized for the weight of the gate and the swing loading: a job gates often fail on when installed cheaply.
Repairs
Storm-damage repairs to individual panels or posts, matching in existing runs where we can, and rebuild of sections where wind has taken a longer run down.
Recent works
Recent fencing and other jobs from around the patch.
How deep should fence posts be set?
Rule of thumb: a third of the post length in the ground, minimum. On exposed sites we go deeper. Posts always set in concrete with a collar above ground level.
How long will a properly installed fence last?
Fifteen to twenty years is realistic for pressure-treated close-board on properly set posts. Cheap panels on shallow posts can be down inside five.
Can you replace just a section, or do we need the whole run?
Either. If the posts are sound we can replace panels only. If posts are rotten, replacing panels without replacing posts is a false economy.
Whose fence is it: mine or my neighbour's?
That's between you and your neighbour's deeds. We'll only work on fencing you're clearly entitled to work on and, where it's boundary, we recommend a quick conversation with the neighbour first.
Do you install gates?
Yes: pedestrian, garden and driveway timber gates, with posts sized to the swing load.
Do you supply the timber or do I?
We supply as standard from local timber merchants: quality and treatment we know. If you've got specific product in mind, we'll work with it.
How quickly can you fit new fencing?
Depends on the season. Storm damage runs busy for a few weeks after a big blow. We'll give you a realistic date, not an optimistic one.
Do you cover the villages as well as Swindon?
Yes: Highworth, Faringdon, Shrivenham, Lechlade, Fairford, Cirencester, Witney and Burford all part of the regular patch.
Related trades
Other work handled by the same family team.
Patios & Hard Landscaping
Patios, garden walls, turfing, decking and fencing: the outdoor build, handled in-house.
Read moreBricklaying
Fair-faced brickwork, garden walls, arches and repairs: built by the family that's been doing it since 1988.
Read moreGeneral Building
Structural alterations, load-bearing work and repairs from a three-person, in-house team.
Read moreReady when you are
Get a free estimate for fencing.
Free site visit at a time that suits. Written, itemised estimate in 3–5 working days. Staged payments, nothing due before we start.
Family-run since 1988
£5m public liability
Free site visits
Bank transfer or cash