The short answer
Replacing a garden fence in the UK typically costs somewhere around £80 to £180 per panel supplied and fitted, or roughly £60 to £130 per metre for a standard 1.8m timber fence, once you include new posts, gravel boards, fixings and labour. A whole average rear garden run of about 15 to 20 metres often lands somewhere in the £1,000 to £3,000 bracket. The figure swings with panel type (basic overlap is lowest-cost, closeboard and composite cost more), whether you use concrete or timber posts, ground conditions, access, and the cost of removing and tipping the old fence. Getting like-for-like quotes that all include posts and waste removal is the only way to compare fairly.
Fence replacement is rarely just the cost of the panels. Posts, gravel boards, fixings, labour and skip charges all add up, and quotes vary widely depending on what is and isn't included.
Fence replacement cost
- Per panel, supplied + fitted~£80–£180
- Per metre (1.8m timber)~£60–£130
- Average rear garden run~£1,000–£3,000
- Concrete post (each)~£25–£45
- Labour day rate (two fitters)~£300–£500
What goes into the cost of replacing a fence
A replacement fence is a kit of parts plus the labour to build it. Pricing each element separately makes a quote far easier to read:
- Panels: the visible boards. Basic overlap (waney lap) panels are the lowest-cost; closeboard (featheredge), tongue-and-groove and composite cost progressively more.
- Posts: either pressure-treated timber or concrete. Concrete posts cost more up front but outlast timber and resist rot at the base.
- Gravel boards: a board along the bottom that keeps the panel off wet ground. Concrete gravel boards are common and protect the panel from rotting.
- Postcrete and fixings: fast-setting concrete to fix posts, plus brackets, clips and screws.
- Labour: usually charged as a day rate per fitter, or built into a per-panel price.
- Waste removal: tearing out and tipping the old fence, often a skip or grab charge or a flat disposal fee.
When you see a low headline price, the question to ask is what it leaves out — posts and waste removal are the items most often missing.
Typical costs by fence type
The single biggest driver of cost is the type of fence you choose. The figures below are indicative ranges for a standard 1.8m high fence, supplied and fitted with new posts:
| Fence type | Per panel (fitted) | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Overlap / waney lap | ~£80–£120 | Lowest-cost, lighter timber, shorter life |
| Closeboard / featheredge | ~£110–£170 | Stronger, longer-lasting, made on site or in panels |
| Tongue-and-groove | ~£120–£180 | Solid, more private, heavier |
| Composite | ~£200–£400+ | Highest up-front cost, very long life, low maintenance |
Indicative figures for guidance only. Actual prices vary by region, supplier, timber grade and site conditions.
Posts, labour and waste — the hidden two-thirds
On many jobs the panels are less than half the bill. The rest is posts, labour and disposal:
- Posts: a concrete post typically costs around £25 to £45 each and a treated timber post rather less, but a fence needs one more post than it has panels, so a 10-panel run needs 11 posts.
- Labour: two fitters working a day rate of roughly £300 to £500 between them can usually replace several panels a day on a straightforward run; awkward ground or removing concreted-in old posts slows that down.
- Waste removal: old timber, broken posts and concrete are heavy. A small skip or a grab-away charge of £150 to £300 is common, more if there is a lot of concrete to break out.
- Concrete-in repairs: if the old posts were set in concrete, digging out those footings is some of the hardest work on the job and adds time.
This is why a per-metre or per-panel figure that includes everything is more honest than a panel-only price that leaves the groundwork to be 'priced later'.
What makes one quote dearer than another
Two fitters can price the same fence very differently, and it usually comes down to a handful of site and specification factors rather than one being unfair:
- Post material: a quote built around concrete posts and gravel boards costs more up front than one using treated timber posts, but it lasts far longer, so compare like with like.
- Panel grade: a basic overlap panel and a heavy closeboard panel sit at opposite ends of the price range even at the same height, so check what panel each quote assumes.
- Ground conditions: clay, stony soil, tree roots or old concrete footings to break out all add digging time, and a fitter who has seen the site will price that in.
- Access: a garden reached only through the house or a narrow side return is slower to work in, which a realistic quote reflects.
- VAT status: a VAT-registered contractor adds 20% that a smaller sole trader below the threshold may not, which alone can explain a sizeable gap.
The way to compare fairly is to insist each quote itemises panels, posts, gravel boards, labour and waste separately, so a low headline figure that has quietly left out the groundwork is easy to spot.
How to budget for a full replacement
To estimate a whole-garden replacement, measure the total run in metres and work in fence 'bays' of about 1.8m (a standard panel width). A few practical pointers:
- Measure the run, not the perimeter: you only pay for the boundaries you are replacing, which may be one, two or three sides.
- Add for posts and gravel boards: these are per-bay costs that a panel-only estimate ignores.
- Factor access: if panels and spoil must be carried through the house or down a narrow side return, labour rises.
- Consider doing the strip-out yourself: removing the old fence and clearing the line is unskilled work that can lower the labour bill, though you still have to dispose of the waste.
- Plan for posts to outlive panels: spending more on concrete posts now means future panel swaps are quicker and lower-cost because the posts stay put.
As a rule of thumb, a complete rear-garden replacement of 15 to 20 metres in basic overlap with concrete posts often falls in the £1,000 to £2,000 range, while closeboard or composite on the same run pushes well past that. The honest budgeting approach is to price the full kit of parts plus labour and waste, rather than anchoring on the panel price alone.
Frequently asked questions
Is it lower-cost to replace just the panels and keep the posts?
Yes, if the existing posts are sound. Slotting new panels into good concrete posts avoids the groundwork and disposal of old footings, which is some of the most expensive labour. But if the posts are rotten or leaning, replacing them at the same time is more sensible than fitting new panels to failing supports.
Do I need to remove the old fence first, and does that cost extra?
The old fence has to come out before the new one goes in, and yes, strip-out and disposal are part of the cost. Some quotes include it; others price it separately. Removing concreted-in posts and tipping the waste is heavy work, so always check whether removal and disposal are in the figure.
Will replacing a fence add VAT to the price?
A VAT-registered fencing contractor will add VAT to the labour and materials. Many smaller sole-trader fitters are below the VAT threshold and do not charge it. The quote should make clear whether the price shown includes VAT, so you are comparing totals on the same basis.
Sources & further reading
- Checkatrade — fencing cost guide
- MyJobQuote — cost of fencing
- HouseholdQuotes — fence installation cost
Figures on this page are typical UK ranges drawn from published sources and depend on your specific garden. They are guidance, not a quotation.