Professional Fencing Services in Melbourne

Almost every failed fence in Melbourne failed in the same place, and it is not the palings. It is the posts — and posts are exactly what you cannot see once the fence is finished.

The short answer

Judge a professional fencing service on post depth, post spacing and concrete footings. A 1.8m fence generally needs posts around 600mm deep in concrete. Those three things decide whether the fence is straight in ten years — and because they are invisible once the palings go on, they are the first items a cheap quote removes.

Why fences lean in Melbourne

Much of Melbourne — particularly the western and south-eastern growth corridors — sits on reactive clay. Reactive clay takes up water through winter and swells, then dries out through summer and shrinks. The ground around every fence post on your boundary is moving, seasonally, year after year.

A post set deep in a proper concrete footing rides that out. The footing spreads the load and the depth puts the base below the zone where most of the moisture movement happens.

A post set shallow, or rammed into dirt without concrete, does not. It gets levered by the fence above it every time the wind blows and the soil around it loses grip every summer. Give it three or four seasons and the fence has a visible lean.

This is the same soil behaviour that cracks slabs and bows retaining walls across the city — covered in our concreting and landscaping work.

The three things that decide a fence

1. Post depth

The general rule is that roughly a third of the exposed height goes below ground. For a standard 1.8 metre fence that means posts set around 600mm deep. Deeper on exposed sites, on steep ground, or where the soil is particularly reactive.

Digging deeper takes longer and uses more concrete. It is the single most common corner cut in fencing, and it is undetectable at handover.

2. Concrete footings

Posts set in concrete, not backfilled with soil or gravel. The footing has to be sized for the post and the fence, and it needs time to cure before the fence is loaded. A crew that digs, sets and sheets the whole fence in a single afternoon has not let anything cure.

3. Post spacing

Spacing has to suit the rail span and the exposure. Stretch the spacing to save on posts and the rails sag, the palings move, and the fence develops a wave along its length that gets worse every year.

Fewer posts is cheaper. It is also why one quote comes in under another.

Timber or Colorbond?

Both are legitimate. The honest comparison:

	Timber paling	Colorbond
Look	Warm, natural, suits period homes	Clean, uniform, modern
Maintenance	Oil or paint every few years	Essentially none — hose it down
Typical life	Shorter, and depends on upkeep	Longer with minimal attention
Up-front cost	Often slightly lower	Often slightly higher
Repairs	Individual palings easy to replace	Panels replaced in sections
Best for	Owners who want the timber look	Owners who want to forget about it

The real question is not which is better. It is whether you would rather spend money now or time later. Neither answer is wrong.

Worth knowing: a capped and topped paling fence — finished with a capping rail and trim — costs a little more and reads far better from the house, because it hides the paling ends and gives the whole run a clean line.

What a complete fencing service includes

This is the scope worth having in writing. Anything missing is a fair question.

On-site measure, with levels and ground conditions checked
Removal of the existing fence
Disposal of the old materials
Boundary line set out and string-lined
Post holes dug to specified depth
Posts set plumb in concrete footings
Footings left to cure before loading
Rails fixed at correct spacing
Palings or sheets installed
Capping and topping, if specified
Gates built, hung and adjusted
Site cleared of offcuts and rubbish

Disposal is the one most often left out and added later. Old fencing is bulky and tipping costs money.

What it costs

Typical Melbourne market rates run roughly $80 to $200 per metre installed, with timber paling and Colorbond overlapping heavily across that range. Height, material, site access, ground conditions and whether an old fence has to come out all move the figure.

We quote after a site visit rather than per metre over the phone. A run with easy access across flat ground is a different job from one down a narrow side path on a slope, and quoting both the same way does one of us a disservice.

Boundary fences and your neighbour

This is the part people dread, and it is more straightforward than expected.

In Victoria, a dividing fence on a common boundary is generally a shared cost between the two owners under the Fences Act. The usual position is that both contribute equally to a standard, sufficient fence. If one owner wants something more expensive than that, they typically pay the difference.

If a neighbour will not engage, the Act sets out a fencing notice process, and the Dispute Settlement Centre of Victoria offers free advice and mediation. In practice most of these settle long before anything formal — and a clear written quote for a reasonable standard fence is usually what moves the conversation along.

This is general information, not legal advice. Your circumstances and your title may differ — check with your council or the Dispute Settlement Centre of Victoria if anything is unclear.

Do you need a permit?

For a standard boundary fence under two metres, generally not. Situations that can be different:

Front fences, which often have height limits
Fences over two metres
Corner blocks near intersections, where sight lines matter
Pool fencing, which has its own safety requirements
Heritage overlay properties

One phone call to your council settles it, and it is worth making before anything is ordered.

Sloping blocks and retaining

On a slope a fence either steps down in sections or rakes to follow the ground. Stepping is neater and more common; raking suits gentle, even falls.

Where a slope needs holding back, a retaining wall becomes part of the job — and it needs proper drainage behind it or it will lean for exactly the same reason a shallow post does. We handle retaining as part of our landscaping work, so it is one trade rather than two contractors pointing at each other.

Six questions to ask before you sign

How deep are the posts going? A specific number, not "deep enough".
Are posts set in concrete? And how long before the fence is loaded.
What is the post spacing?
Is removal and disposal included?
Is the price fixed, and what counts as a variation?
Are you insured, and can I see the certificate?

A contractor who answers all six without hesitating is worth taking seriously. Vague answers on the first three mean the fence will lean, and you will not find out for three years.

Happy to answer all six? Ask us for a quote or call 0451 980 606.

Warning signs in a fencing quote

No post depth stated. The most reliable indicator of a fence that will lean.
Whole job quoted for one day, including footings. Concrete needs time.
Removal and disposal not mentioned. It will reappear as an extra.
Price per metre over the phone, with no site visit.
No ABN, no insurance, cash only.
Deposit demanded up front in full.

Frequently asked questions

What makes a fencing service professional rather than cheap?

Post depth, post spacing and concrete footings. Those three decide whether a fence is still straight in ten years, and they are invisible once the palings go on — which makes them the easiest things to cut from a quote. A professional quote states them.

How deep should fence posts be set?

As a general rule, around a third of the post above ground goes below it, so a 1.8m fence typically needs posts set roughly 600mm deep, in concrete. Shallower than that in Melbourne reactive clay and the fence will start leaning within a few seasons.

Why do fences lean in Melbourne specifically?

Reactive clay. Much of Melbourne sits on soil that swells through wet winters and shrinks through dry summers, so the ground around a post is constantly moving. A post set deep in a proper concrete footing rides that out. One set shallow does not.

What does fencing cost in Melbourne?

Typical market rates run roughly $80 to $200 per metre installed depending on material, height and site conditions, with timber paling and Colorbond overlapping heavily. We quote after a site visit rather than per metre over the phone, because access, ground conditions and removal of the old fence change the figure more than the material does.

Timber or Colorbond — which should I choose?

Colorbond needs almost no maintenance and holds its colour for decades. Timber looks warmer, suits period homes, and costs less up front but needs oiling or painting every few years. Neither is wrong; it depends on whether you would rather spend money now or time later.

How long does a fence take to install?

A standard suburban boundary run is usually one to two days for removal and installation, plus curing time for the post footings before panels or palings go on. Longer runs, difficult access or significant level changes add to it.

Do I need a permit to build a fence?

For a standard boundary fence under two metres, generally not. Front fences, fences over two metres, corner blocks near intersections, pool fencing and properties in a heritage overlay can all be different. Check with your council if any of those apply.

Who pays for a fence between two properties?

In Victoria, dividing fences are generally a shared cost between neighbours under the Fences Act. The usual position is that both owners contribute equally to a standard fence, and if one wants something more expensive they pay the difference. This is general information rather than legal advice.

What if my neighbour will not contribute?

The Act sets out a fencing notice process for exactly that situation. The Dispute Settlement Centre of Victoria provides free advice and mediation. Most disagreements settle well before anything formal, and a written quote showing a reasonable standard fence helps considerably.

Can you remove and dispose of the old fence?

Yes, and it should be itemised in the quote rather than assumed. Old fencing is bulky and disposal costs money, so a quote that does not mention it may add it later.

Do you build gates to match?

Yes — single and double gates, hung on hardware rated for the weight. Gates are where cheap fencing shows first, because a gate that drops or binds is obvious every time you use it.

What is a capped and topped fence?

A paling fence finished with a capping rail along the top and often a trim board, which hides the paling ends and gives a cleaner line. It costs a little more and makes a noticeable difference to how the fence reads from the house.

Can you fence a sloping block?

Yes. On a slope the fence either steps down in sections or rakes to follow the ground. Stepping looks neater and is more common; raking suits gentle, consistent falls. We will show you which suits your run at the measure.

What about retaining walls as part of the fence line?

Common on Melbourne sloping blocks, and it has to be planned rather than improvised. A retaining wall needs proper drainage behind it or it will lean. We handle both as part of our landscaping work so it is one trade rather than two.

How close to the boundary does the fence go?

A dividing fence normally sits on the boundary line itself. If the boundary is unclear or disputed, that needs resolving before anyone digs — a surveyor is cheaper than moving a finished fence.

Will you work with my neighbour?

Yes. We regularly quote shared boundary fences and are happy to provide a written quote both parties can look at, which is usually what the conversation needs.

Do you do commercial and industrial fencing?

Yes — boundary and security fencing for commercial premises, as well as residential. The specification differs, so those are quoted on site.

Are you insured?

Yes, we carry public liability cover and can provide the certificate. Worth asking any trade before they dig holes near services on your property.

Which Melbourne suburbs do you cover?

All of them. We are based in Mickleham and work across the northern, western, eastern and south-eastern suburbs.

How far ahead do you book?

Usually one to three weeks, longer through spring when most people decide to replace a fence. The on-site measure is free and carries no obligation.

Get a fence quoted properly

We measure the run, check the levels and the ground, look at access, and give you a fixed written price that states the post depth and what is included. If you are sharing the cost with a neighbour, we are happy to provide a quote both of you can look at.

The visit is free and there is no obligation.

Call 0451 980 606 or book a free on-site measure.

More: fencing services in Melbourne, landscaping, concreting, residential painting.