Find Fencing Installers in Basildon, Wickford, Rayleigh & Billericay

Common fence types

• Panel fencing (such as lap or closeboard panels) slotted between posts. A common, quick choice for garden boundaries.
• Closeboard (featheredge): vertical boards fixed to rails on site. Usually sturdier than standard panels and easier to follow a slope.
• Picket fencing: low and decorative, often used for front gardens where height limits are lower.
• Slatted or hit-and-miss fencing: horizontal or vertical slats with gaps, which let some wind through.
• Concrete or timber posts, with optional concrete gravel boards to keep timber off the ground.
• Gates: side gates, garden gates and driveway gates.

What to think about before you post

• The length of fence and the number of panels or posts, if you know them. A rough measurement helps trades understand the job.
• Who owns the boundary. Check your deeds and talk to your neighbour.
• Removing and disposing of the old fence, posts and any concrete footings.
• Height, privacy and the look you want, and whether a gate is needed.
• Slopes, uneven ground, tree roots or shrubs along the fence line.
• Access to the garden: whether materials can be carried through a side passage or have to come through the house.

Planning permission: what the Planning Portal says

According to the Planning Portal fences, gates and garden walls guidance, you do not normally need to apply for planning permission to put up, alter or take down a fence, wall or gate if all of these apply:

• It is no more than 2 metres high from ground level.
• Next to a highway used by vehicles (or the footpath of such a highway), it is no more than 1 metre high. This often affects front garden fences.
• If an existing fence already exceeds these limits, its height is not increased.
• The property is not a listed building, and the fence does not form a boundary with a neighbouring listed building.
• The right has not been removed by an Article 4 direction or a planning condition.

In a conservation area, you might need permission to take down a fence, wall or gate. Hedges do not need planning permission as such, but a planning condition or covenant (for example on some open-plan estates, or where a driver's sight line could be blocked) can restrict planting.

Boundaries, neighbours and the Party Wall Act

• Check your deeds. There is no single rule about which side of a garden you own. Your title plan and any covenants are the place to start, and HM Land Registry can supply copies.
• Talk to your neighbour early. If the fence is shared or its ownership is unclear, agree the line, the style and who pays before work starts.
• Timber fences and the Party Wall Act. GOV.UK Party Wall guidance says a garden wall standing on the land of two owners can be a party wall, but this does not include timber fences. A new masonry wall on or at the boundary may need notice under the Act.
• Keep the fence on the agreed line. Moving posts into a neighbour's garden, even slightly, is a common cause of disputes.

Essex clay soil and fence posts

Much of south Essex sits on clay. Clay soil swells when wet and shrinks in dry summers, which can loosen posts and leave fences leaning over time. It also drains slowly, so water can sit around the base of posts.

• Ask how deep the posts will be set and what they will be fixed in, such as concrete or a post spike. The right depth depends on fence height, exposure to wind and the ground. A trade who has looked at your garden is best placed to advise.
• Gravel boards and concrete posts keep timber away from wet ground, which can help it last longer.
• Exposed, open gardens catch more wind. Slatted designs let some wind through, while solid panels act more like a sail.
• Be careful near trees, roots and underground services. Ask how any digging near pipes or cables will be handled.

What to ask a fencing trade

• What type of posts, panels or boards do you suggest for my garden, and why?
• How will the posts be fixed, and how deep will they go?
• Is removing and disposing of the old fence included?
• Will you use gravel boards, and is the timber treated?
• How will you deal with the slope or uneven ground?
• Do you have public liability insurance, and can I see it?
• What guarantee, if any, do you offer on materials and workmanship?
• Can I have the quote in writing, with what is and is not included?

Common mistakes to avoid

• Replacing a shared fence without agreeing it with your neighbour first.
• Going over 1 metre next to a road or its footpath without checking whether you need planning permission.
• Assuming you own the fence on a particular side without checking your deeds.
• Choosing on price alone without comparing what each quote includes.
• Forgetting about access, waste removal or making good the ground afterwards.

How it works

• Post your job free: describe the work, your postcode and an estimated budget band.
• Local trades express interest: they see the job details but not your phone or email.
• You choose up to three trades you would like to hear from.

Wickford, Basildon, Billericay & Rayleigh: local rules to check

Local Leads Hub is starting in these four south Essex towns. Below are the councils that handle planning questions in each one. They are the same rules any trade would need to follow, so it helps to check them before you post.

Basildon

For planning questions about fence heights and to check whether your street is in a conservation area, check with Basildon Borough Council. You can confirm your council and find its website using GOV.UK: Find your local council.

Wickford

Wickford is in the Borough of Basildon. For planning questions about fence heights and to check whether your street is in a conservation area, check with Basildon Borough Council. You can confirm your council using GOV.UK: Find your local council.

Billericay

Billericay is in the Borough of Basildon. For planning questions about fence heights and to check whether your street is in a conservation area, check with Basildon Borough Council. You can confirm your council using GOV.UK: Find your local council.

Rayleigh

Rayleigh is in Rochford District, so planning goes to Rochford District Council. Some streets in Rayleigh, for example in conservation areas or under Article 4 directions, have extra planning restrictions. Rochford District Council's conservation areas page says an Article 4 direction in the Rayleigh Conservation Area means planning permission is needed for gates, fences or walls fronting a road or public space. Check with Rochford District Council before changing your front boundary.

Elsewhere in Essex

Homeowners anywhere in Essex can still post a job. Use GOV.UK: Find your local council to see which council handles planning for your address.

Frequently asked questions

Useful official guidance

• Planning Portal: Fences, gates and garden walls
• GOV.UK: Party Wall etc Act 1996 guidance
• GOV.UK: Find your local council

This page is general guidance, not legal or planning advice. Rules can change. Always check with your local council or the official sources above.