# price of fencing an 8 acre field



## digitalangel (21 January 2012)

no idea how to figure out how many metres it is - does anyone have any kind of ballpark figure?

post and rail 3 rails - we can probably do the electric ourselves.

clay soil.


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## Merlin11 (21 January 2012)

Don't know a definite figure but it must be thousands. We have gradually replaced fencing for about 6 acres and it is not post and rail and has cost thousands. We did it ourselves but even the fence posts are very expensive.


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## Maesfen (21 January 2012)

Wont be able to tell you unless you stride it out.  Let us know and OH will give you a rough guide.  Also depends how many gates/corners you have of course and whereabouts you are, south of Birmingham is much dearer.


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## digitalangel (22 January 2012)

Approx 720 metres


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## 3Beasties (22 January 2012)

My friends field is about 9 acres and she paid about £5500 for her fencing but that is with it split into 4 paddocks with 4 gateways.


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## AdorableAlice (22 January 2012)

Just paid £8.50 a metre post and rail (treated timber), that was on a cash deal no vat.

First horse to chew, break it or rub it's arse on it is in deep trouble !


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## Maesfen (22 January 2012)

Right, he'll work it out later but it will be a very rough guide as he doesn't know the layout of the land.  Be back later.


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## Dolcé (23 January 2012)

I sourced my timber from a reclamation yard when I fenced a paddock some years ago, it cost a fraction of what I would have paid new and I am still using bits of the excess timber even now.


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## Alec Swan (23 January 2012)

There are many grades of P&R!!  The cheapest timber specs wont generally give you the years of usage which you would hope for,  and the cost will also be affected,  depending on whether the posts are dug in by hand,  or driven in with a tractor mounted post driver.  Machine driven is faster,  cheaper and generally better than hand sunk posts,  in my opinion.

Rails are generally 4"x1.5" or 4"x2".  The latter makes for a better fence,  and though a little more expensive,  I always advised 4 rails rather than 3.  Posts should be a minimum of 6'x3" and at least 7' long,  and 8' would be better,  if they are to be driven in.

The standard Arch chemical treatment is a complete and utter waist of time.  The problem,  in the main,  is that the timber going in to the treatment tanks simply isn't dry enough,  despite what we're told!  For the huge costs to be warranted,  creosote treatment really is the only answer,  and even then,  the modern treatments are often found wanting.  The poorest quality comes from Calders and Grandidge near Boston,  and the best that I've used,  from Chase at Brandon in Suffolk.

The shortest distance that 8 acres can measure would be 731 metres,  so if you allow for anywhere between £14-16 per *metre* then if you were to include gates on 8" square and dug in posts,  you'd be looking at £10-12k,  as a very rough guide.

There is a forum member who had 6000 metres erected,  a couple of years ago,  and the work was creosoted and to a high standard and they assure me that it was done at £10 per metre,  inclusive.  The work and the materials were good,  and how they earned a living at that price,  is beyond me!!

I'd be interested to hear of Maesfen's OH's thoughts!!  I sold my business in 2010,  and I'm not too sure about today's material costs.

Alec.


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## FairyLights (23 January 2012)

Love your signature Alec


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## Maesfen (23 January 2012)

Sorry to have been so long, it's been like tying down water!

Thanks for that explanation Alec you saved me a job.

Right, absolute figure plucked out of the air as he's not seen the land and any problems it might throw up so it would be £13/14 a metre supplied and fitted.  If you paid for materials, £6.50 a metre to fit.  So you're looking at something like £10,000 particularly if you use decent materials; you really do get what you pay for when checking out fencing materials, it's short sighted to go for cheap stuff as it won't last.


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## digitalangel (24 January 2012)

Thanks so much for letting me know! its about what i expected. still, owch!


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