Fencing Raceview: Backyard, Boundary and Pool Fences

Most fencing work in Raceview falls into a few jobs. A new backyard fence closes in a yard so kids and pets stay put. A replacement fence swaps out an old run that has leaned, rotted or lost palings. A pool barrier fences off a pool and has to meet Queensland pool safety rules.

On site, the fencer walks the line, checks the posts you already have and probes the ground. A quote sets the agreed scope. If the ground holds a surprise, such as rock or an old footing, the fencer tells you there and then.

If you have only had phone quotes and nobody has come out, ask for a measure up first. Seeing the yard is how a fair price gets worked out.

Colorbond steel gives solid privacy and needs little upkeep. Timber looks warm and suits older homes, but it needs more care over the years. Aluminium slat gives a modern look with some privacy. Pool fencing is usually glass or aluminium, built to the pool barrier rules.

Ground matters as much as looks. On low, damp blocks such as those near Bundamba Creek, timber posts tend to rot first at the base, so Colorbond or aluminium on steel posts can last longer there. On a higher, drier block, timber is a fair choice.

A front fence on a project home often leans towards aluminium slat to match the house. Keeping a dog in may only need a sturdy, gap-free run. Your fencer can price two options on the same line so you see the difference in writing.

Patching makes sense when the posts are sound and only a few palings or a rail have failed. Replacing makes sense when the posts are rotten at the base or the whole run leans. New palings on weak posts give you a fence that falls over again, usually after the next wet spell.

The fencer checks the posts first, because they carry the whole fence. A post that moves when pushed or crumbles near the ground is the sign that patching is money wasted.

A replacement job can include pulling out the old fence and taking it away, so the yard is not left with a pile of rotten timber and rusty nails.

When a fence sits on the boundary with your neighbour, the cost is usually shared, because Queensland's dividing fence rules expect neighbours to contribute to a sufficient fence. Anyone who wants something fancier than that pays the extra.

A neighbour who wants the old fence replaced is a common reason to start the conversation. A price on paper that you can both read keeps the talk about a figure rather than a guess.

Fence height and style can matter on a shared line, so settle those details before the quote is accepted.

A fence on a slope has to step or rake down the fall of the ground, and the soil behind it can push on the posts. If your block slopes, the retaining wall usually goes in before the fence, so the fence stands on firm ground and does not shift.

The fencer or wall builder looks at the fall, the drainage and what the fence will hold back. Doing the wall and the fence as one planned job avoids pulling up new work later.