How Much Does Close-Board Fencing Cost in Winchester?

What Close-Board Fencing Costs Per Metre

Close-board fencing, sometimes called featherboard fencing, is priced by the linear metre, and around Winchester you're typically looking at £70 to £130 per metre supplied and fitted, depending on height and ground conditions. That covers treated timber posts, arris rails, featheredge boards, a gravel board to keep the timber off the soil, and labour.

For a typical fifteen to twenty metre rear garden boundary at 1.8 metres high, most homeowners end up paying somewhere between £1,800 and £2,600 all in, though narrow access, slopes or a lot of old fencing to remove will push that higher.

• 1.2m high: roughly £70 to £90 per metre
• 1.5m high: roughly £85 to £105 per metre
• 1.8m high: roughly £100 to £130 per metre
• Concrete-in posts and gravel boards are usually included as standard; trellis toppers or gates cost extra

Why Prices Vary Across Winchester and the Surrounding Villages

Hampshire's chalk downland means a lot of Winchester gardens sit on thin topsoil over chalk and flint, particularly up towards St Giles Hill, Olivers Battery and out towards the Downs. Digging post holes through a flint seam takes longer and sometimes needs a breaker bar rather than a spade, which adds to the labour on a job that might otherwise be straightforward.

Villages such as Kings Worthy, Twyford and Alresford often sit on heavier clay, which can shift with the seasons and means posts need to go in deeper or be set in more concrete to stay upright over time. Access matters too: a fence down a side passage or behind a house with no vehicle access for materials usually costs more than a straightforward front boundary.

Planning Rules and Boundaries to Check First

Winchester City Council follows the usual rule that a fence next to a road used by vehicles can't go above 1 metre without planning permission, and other boundaries are capped at 2 metres. Parts of the city centre and areas such as St Cross sit within conservation areas, and if your property is listed or in one it's worth a quick call to the council's planning team before ordering materials, since a like-for-like replacement is normally fine but a change of style or height may need a look.

It's also worth confirming which boundary is actually yours before work starts. Title deeds don't always match what's been fenced for years, and a quick word with your neighbour avoids disputes once new posts go in.

Close-Board vs Panel Fencing

Close-board fencing costs more than overlap panels, but it's built board by board on site, which makes it noticeably more resistant to the winter winds that funnel up the Itchen valley. If one featheredge board splits or rots, it can be replaced on its own rather than having to swap out a whole panel.

Getting the Most from Your Fence

Pressure-treated close-board fencing typically lasts fifteen to twenty-five years in this area, provided the gravel board is doing its job and keeping the boards off wet soil. Restaining every two to three years keeps the timber looking sharp and slows weathering, especially on a south-facing boundary that gets full sun.

When comparing quotes, check whether gravel boards, concrete and waste removal are included as standard, since a cheaper per-metre price sometimes hides those as extras.