In 40 seconds
Fencing an average UK garden usually costs roughly £1,000–£4,000, with supplied-and-fitted panel fencing commonly around £90–£170 per linear metre depending on the panel type, height and ground. Most garden fences can be up to 2 metres high without planning permission, dropping to 1 metre where the fence is next to a highway used by vehicles or a footpath beside it. Who is responsible for a boundary fence is a common dispute: there is usually no official record of which side owns it, so it comes down to your deeds, the Land Registry title plan and any boundary agreement. The honest answer is always a range, because it depends on your garden's length, the ground and the fence you choose.
Most fencing guidance is published by companies selling and fitting it, so the prices tend to be optimistic and the boundary and planning rules glossed over. The pages below give honest cost ranges, explain who really owns which fence, set out the height and planning rules, compare the panel types fairly, and say when a fence needs replacing — before you take a single quote.