Fence Repair Costs in the UK

Quick Cost Breakdown:

• • Minor repairs like re-securing a panel can cost as little as £20-£50.
• Replacing a rotten fence post typically costs around £150 per post all-in.
• Full panel replacement runs £100-£150 per metre for fully installed fencing.

Fence Repair Cost Guide Contents

1. Average Fence Repair Costs
2. Common Fence Repairs and Costs
3. Fence Repair Costs by Fence Type
4. Fence Repair Labour Costs
5. Whose Responsibility Is It to Repair a Fence?
6. Repair or Replace Fence: How to Decide
7. Find Fence Repair Services on MyBuilder
8. FAQ: Common Questions about Fence Repair Costs

Average Fence Repairs Costs

Fence repair costs in the UK vary significantly depending on how much of your fence is affected.

A single loose panel on sound posts is a quick fix; a fence that has taken storm damage across multiple bays, with posts that need breaking out of concrete, is a much more involved job.

The table below covers the most common repair scenarios and typical costs:

Repair Type	Average Cost
Fix loose arris rail (bracket + labour)	£20 - £50
Re-secure or replace single panel	£60 - £150
Replace rotten timber fence post	£100 - £150 per post
Replace panel and post (per bay)	£150 per bay
Full section repair (per metre, inc. labour)	£100 - £180 per metre
Metal fence repair (wrought iron)	£50 - £500 per repair

As a general rule, minor repairs to existing sound posts are cost-effective and worth doing promptly, small problems left unattended tend to compound.

A loose panel that puts strain on the post next to it can turn a £60 repair into a £300 one within a season.

For fence damage that is too widespread to repair, you can see our fence installation cost guide for a full breakdown of replacement costs.

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Common Fence Repairs and Costs

Most fence repair jobs fall into a handful of categories. Here is what to expect for each.

Loose or Blown Panels

This is the most common repair following a storm. If the posts are still solid, re-securing or replacing individual panels is a quick job - typically one to two hours of labour plus the cost of the replacement panel.

A standard lap panel costs £20-£50 to supply; close-board panels run slightly higher at £25-£60.

Rotten Fence Posts

A post that has rotted at the base will compromise every panel attached to it, and the problem is often worse than it looks from the surface.

Replacing a timber post set in concrete involves breaking out the old footing, removing the post, setting a new one in fresh Postcrete, and allowing it to cure before reattaching panels. Budget around £100-£150 per post all-in.

Using a concrete post as a replacement is worth the modest additional material cost, it eliminates the likelihood of the same problem recurring.

Leaning or Unstable Posts

These have not yet fully rotted can sometimes be stabilised without full replacement. A steel post repair spike driven alongside the existing post and bolted to it costs around £15-£25 in materials and can add years to a post's life. This is a reasonable short-term fix, though it is not a permanent solution if rot is already established below the surface.

Broken or Split Arris Rails

the horizontal timbers that hold feather-edge boards in place, can be repaired with a metal repair bracket for as little as £2-£5 per bracket.

Labour typically adds £7-£15 for a straightforward fix. If the rail has failed completely, replacing it costs around £15-£25 in timber plus an hour of labour.

Rotten or Damaged Fence Boards

Close-board or feather-edge fences can be replaced individually without removing the entire panel. Individual feather-edge boards cost £0.80-£2 each depending on height, making targeted board replacement a very cost-effective repair on an otherwise sound fence.

For composite fencing repairs, costs are higher due to material prices, see our composite fencing cost guide for a comparison.

Fence Repair Costs by Fence Type

The type of fence you have affects both the repair approach and the cost, not just because materials differ in price, but because some fence types are significantly easier to work with than others.

Here is a breakdown by the most common fence types in the UK.

Fence Type	Repair Cost (per metre, inc. labour)
Lap / waney-edge	£100 - £150
Close-board / feather-edge	£110 - £150
Hit-and-miss	£150 - £220
Metal / wrought iron	£50 - £500 per repair
Composite	£150 - £250

Timber lap and close-board fences are the most straightforward and affordable to repair. Materials are widely available, most fencers work with them daily, and individual components - boards, rails, posts - can be replaced without disturbing the rest of the fence.

Hit-and-miss fences sit at the higher end of the repair cost range because of the more complex panel construction. Matching materials can also be harder to source, particularly for older styles.

Metal and wrought iron fences have a wide repair cost range depending on the nature of the damage. Surface rust can be treated and repainted for relatively little; a broken section of decorative ironwork may require a blacksmith or specialist metal fabricator, which pushes costs up considerably.

Composite fences are durable and low-maintenance, but repairs are more expensive when they are needed - proprietary components must often be sourced from the original manufacturer, and not all fencers work with composite systems.

Fence Repair Labour Costs

Getting a clear sense of labour costs before a fencer arrives can be tricky. Repair jobs vary so much that most contractors will not give a firm quote without seeing the fence first.

As a guide, most charge either an hourly rate for minor repairs or a day rate for more extensive work.

• Hourly rate - around £30 per hour for a fencing contractor; minor repairs of one to three hours are typically quoted on this basis • Day rate - £240–£400 per day, covering larger repair jobs or runs of multiple damaged bays • Per-panel rate - some fencers quote £50–£200 per panel for supply and fit on repair jobs, particularly for straightforward like-for-like panel replacement

For small repairs, expect a minimum call-out charge from most contractors - typically the equivalent of one to two hours of labour regardless of how quickly the job is completed.

Labour costs vary by region. In London and the South East, expect rates at the upper end of the ranges above. In the North of England and Wales, day rates are typically lower, though material costs are broadly consistent.

Whose Responsibility Is It to Repair a Fence?

This is one of the most common questions homeowners have before arranging fence repairs. and the answer is not always straightforward.

Responsibility for a boundary fence is determined by the title deeds of each property, not by any general rule about left or right-hand sides. The most reliable way to check is to download your Land Registry title plan (around £3 online) and look for T-marks on the boundary lines. A T-mark on your side of a boundary indicates that you are responsible for maintaining that fence. Where T-marks appear on both sides - forming an H shape - responsibility is shared between both properties.

If the deeds are unclear or the plan is too small to read definitively, it is worth checking whether a boundary agreement is in place. These are formal documents lodged with the Land Registry that set out exactly where boundaries lie and who is responsible for maintaining them.

Where no clear documentation exists, responsibility can come down to practical factors: who paid for the fence to be installed originally, or whose land the fence posts are physically sited on.

If a dispute does arise and cannot be resolved amicably, the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) offers a boundary dispute resolution process that is considerably cheaper and faster than pursuing the matter through the courts.

Note: One important point: there is no legal obligation in the UK to maintain a boundary fence at all, unless a specific covenant in the deeds requires it. If your neighbour's fence is in poor condition, you cannot force them to repair it - though you may choose to erect your own fence on your side of the boundary if the situation affects your property.

Repair or Replace Fence: How to Decide

The decision between repairing and replacing a fence comes down to three factors: the age of the fence, the condition of the posts, and the extent of the damage.

Repair is usually the right call when:

• Damage is confined to one or two bays and the posts are structurally sound • The fence is relatively new - under eight to ten years old for timber • The repair cost is less than around 50% of what a full replacement section would cost • Individual boards or rails have failed but the overall frame is intact

Replacement makes more sense when:

• Posts are rotting at the base across multiple bays - this is a structural issue that panel repairs alone will not fix • The fence is more than 15 years old and showing widespread deterioration • The style or panel size no longer matches available materials, making like-for-like repair difficult • Repair costs across the whole fence are likely to exceed the cost of a new installation within the next few years

A useful rule of thumb: if a fencer quotes more than £500-£600 to repair a run of five or six panels, it is worth getting a replacement quote alongside it. The difference may be smaller than expected, and a new fence on concrete posts is likely to need far less attention for the next 15-20 years.

For a full breakdown of what a new fence costs, see our fence panel cost guide.

Find Fence Repair Services on MyBuilder

There is no need to spend time searching for fencers or making calls around local contractors.

It only takes a couple of minutes to post your fence repair job on MyBuilder. Once you do, local fencers with availability will register their interest, and you can review their profiles, read customer reviews, and compare quotes before deciding who to hire.

All tradespeople on MyBuilder undergo checks at registration - such as ID documents, company details, certifications for regulated jobs and skill assessments - allowing you to hire with confidence.

Find local fencers on MyBuilder

FAQ: Common Questions about Fence Repair Costs

How Much Does It Cost to Repair One Fence Post?

Replacing a rotten timber fence post costs around £100-£150 all-in, including breaking out the old concrete footing, supplying and setting a new post in Postcrete, and reattaching the panels. Using a concrete replacement post adds £5-£15 to the material cost but significantly extends the lifespan of the repair. If multiple posts need replacing in the same run, most fencers will reduce the per-post rate slightly as it is a more efficient job.

Does Home Insurance Cover Fence Repair After a Storm?

Many standard home insurance policies include cover for storm damage to fences, but the definition of "storm" varies between insurers - some require evidence of wind speeds above a minimum threshold before a claim is valid.

It is worth checking your policy wording before arranging repairs at your own expense. Most policies do not cover gradual deterioration or rot, so a fence that has been declining for years is unlikely to result in a successful claim even if a storm is what finally brings it down. Always check whether making a claim is worthwhile given your excess.

Can I Repair a Fence Myself?

Straightforward repairs such as re-securing loose panels on existing posts, replacing individual feather-edge boards, or fitting arris rail repair brackets are manageable DIY tasks for most homeowners.

Post replacement is more involved: breaking out a concrete footing requires effort and the right tools, and getting the new post correctly aligned and plumb before the Postcrete sets takes some practice. For anything involving multiple posts or storm damage across several bays, professional installation is likely to be faster and more cost-effective once the value of your time is factored in.

How Long Does Fence Repair Take?

Minor repairs, fixing a loose panel or replacing an arris rail, typically take one to three hours. Replacing a fence post takes around half a day, including breaking out the old footing and allowing the Postcrete to start setting before reattaching panels.

A full repair run covering multiple damaged bays can take one to two days depending on the length of fence and the ground conditions involved. When you are posting your job on MyBuilder, ask your local fencer for a realistic timeframe when they come to quote.

Can I Repair a Fence That Belongs to My Neighbour?

Technically, no. Carrying out work on a fence you do not own without permission could be considered trespass, even if the fence is in poor condition and affecting your property. In practice, most neighbours are happy to discuss repairs, particularly if you are offering to share the cost or arrange the work yourself. If you want to improve the appearance of a boundary fence your neighbour owns, one option is to erect a new fence on your own side of the boundary.