Fence Installation & Repair in Preston

Pressure-treated timber is the cheapest solid privacy option and the most common; chain-link is cheapest overall but offers no privacy; composite and vinyl cost more up front but need almost no maintenance. Choose on lifetime cost — a cheap timber fence you re-stain every two years can cost more over a decade than composite.

An itemized quote lists: fence type and height, total length, number and type of gates, post material and setting method (concrete vs driven), removal and disposal of the old fence, and whether the price is per linear unit or a lump sum. A one-number quote with no length or material is impossible to compare.

Replace a few rotten posts or panels and repair wins on cost. But once a third or more of the posts are failing, the fence is leaning, or the timber is widely rotten, patch repairs become throwing good money after bad — a full replacement is usually cheaper per year of life.

Ask for photos of recent fences in Preston and, ideally, an address you can drive past — fencing quality shows in post-setting and line, which you can see. Confirm they handle the permit/boundary check and get the length, material and gate count in writing before booking.

Boundary responsibility depends on your deeds/title, not a universal rule — often each owner maintains one side, or costs are shared for a jointly-owned fence. Talk to your neighbour and check your title before building on a boundary; disputes over line and cost-sharing are the most common fencing headache.

Installed cost runs roughly AUD 75-200 per metre depending on material (timber paling at the low end, Colorbond mid, brick/aluminium higher), with a typical backyard commonly AUD 3,000-8,000. Compliant pool fencing is priced separately.

For a boundary fence, you generally share the cost of a 'sufficient' fence with your neighbour — serve the required notice in writing before building. If you want something fancier than sufficient, you typically pay the difference yourself.