DIY garden fence
When we were quoted over £10,000 to replace our garden fences, I nearly spat my tea out! There was no way we could justify that spend, especially when we’ve got plenty of other priorities around the house.
So, we decided to have a go at DIY-ing it ourselves, and honestly? It’s been a bit of a learning curve but very doable - and massively cheaper.
Here’s exactly what we did, how much it’s cost us so far, and a few things we’ve learnt along the way, in case you’re thinking about doing the same!
What we started with
Our garden was completely overgrown, and to make things more fun, there wasn’t even a proper fence or boundary between us and next door. No concrete posts, no gravel boards - just brambles, chaos, and guesswork.
So the first step was a serious clear-out. Once everything was stripped back, we realised we needed to start from scratch with digging holes and setting new concrete posts.
How we did it
We used concrete posts and post mix to secure them, and honestly, it’s way easier than it sounds.
You literally pour the post mix straight into the hole, pop your post in, and add water. That’s it. It sets itself - no mixing needed.
To make sure our fence line stayed straight, we ran string across the garden as a guide. This really helped us keep everything level and consistent - especially since we’ve got a tiered garden, which adds a bit of extra faff with different levels to account for.
We used gravel boards at different heights to follow the slope, and then slotted the fence panels in between. We originally started by setting the posts first and then trying to slot the panels in after - but quickly learned that it’s way easier to line everything up first, then set the post last. Less heavy lifting, less stress.
What it cost
Even doing the labour ourselves, this isn’t a super cheap job. We’re doing it bit-by-bit to spread the cost.
For this small section, just three concrete posts, four gravel boards, three panels, and a few bags of post mix cost us around £500. So yeah… still a chunky price tag for one part of the garden.
But considering we were quoted over £10k for the full job, we’re saving thousands by doing it in stages and putting the graft in ourselves.
Recommend it or regret it?
If you’re up for a bit of hard work and you’ve got the time to stagger it, then 100% yes. It’s not overly technical, just a bit of planning, some elbow grease, and knowing how to set a post properly.
It’s also quite satisfying seeing the transformation as you go!
What’s next?
We’ve still got a lot of the garden to tackle, so I’ll keep sharing updates as we go. If you’re not already, make sure you’re following along on Instagram to see the progress (and any mistakes we make so you don’t have to!).
And if you’ve tackled something like this before - or have tips for making the job easier - I’d love to hear them below!
