Is it relatively easy to put up my own garden fence?

[MumOfOneAllAlone]

Following on from another fence post 🤭🤭

I've already got some short concrete posts in place and then a mesh wire attached to them. It's approximately 30 metres of fence that needs doing

So I'd remove the existing concrete posts and replace them with wooden posts.

Has anyone diy'd their own garden fence? I've seen a wickes youtube video on it so I think I'm gonna give it a go. I plan to do it in March time.

So aibu to attempt putting up my own garden fence, on my own?

I'm wondering the same! I have old wooden posts concreted in that need replacing. Guessing that's the hardest part. Digging those out!

I think so too - is it possible to dig around them?

I'm wondering whether mine have been concreted in as well but they are surrounded by grass so that should be doable

The concrete posts would be a killer. You would probably need a jack and a winch, or some big, strong fellas.

I have never done it but my husband has done several and it looks like hard work. He hammered the posts into the ground though.

Without seeing the job it is difficult to say. Don't stint on getting the right tools though - it will make all the difference.

I will give you one tip if you are using premade fence panels. Don't buy them after a long period of rain. Fence panels tend to be stored outside and don't half absorb water. It makes them twice as heavy!

You have correctly identified the biggest issue is digging the old posts out.

The problem is the old posts tend to rot where the post meets the ground. So if the post has been concreted in and it snaps off, then you need to somehow remove the stump. It is not easy but there are ways. But it takes a long time.

If you are proactive and remove the posts before they weaken they are easier to get out. But of course no one can normally be bothered to fix the problem before it occurs.

If the posts are not concreted in, then it is a relatively simple, but hard process to dig them out and replace, probably by tipping in postcrete to hold the new ones up.

The permanent solution is to replace wooden posts with concrete ones. Then replacing the panels just becomes an issue of slotting new ones in. If you replace the wooden posts with concrete the problem will be fixed forever as the concrete will not rot. Or at least longer than your lifetime.

Having watched 3 burly guys do ours, not a chance would I attempt it!

Doable if you are strong! You will need to dig out current posts which will have been concreted in. You need an industrial roadworks type drill to break up the concrete to get the post out. There will be a decent depth down. Then postcrete in new posts leave overnight (well in summer anyway) then on with the posts (nailgun). DH charges £150 per post removal (max 2 a day).

It’s a simple job, DH and I have always done our own.
Its hard work though, and don’t underestimate the unwieldiness of a fence panel on a windy day.

I think it's okay if you are very strong. I couldn't do it.

The short concrete posts that are already in situ, do they have grooves down each side to take a panel or do they just have eyes to take wire fence hooks?

after watching my partner do it over summer, absolutely not a chance! It was backbreaking work and took ages

Why do you want to remove the concrete posts?
Getting rid of them will be an utter ballache because they'll have a big puddle of set concrete all around them that you need to dig around and then you'll have the heavy job of shifting them.

Wooden posts rot, concrete posts don't, so if you put wooden posts in their place you'll be doing it on the basis that at some point, the bit underground that can't be painted regularly will have soaked up enough moisture to snap in a breeze and take out all the attached panels.

If you have concrete posts in now then it should be pretty easy to buy panels you like and attach them to the existing posts, you may need to add some wooden or concrete posts in between if they are spaced too far apart at the moment but that would be easier than digging it all out.

removing concrete posts is incredibly time consuming and difficult. You will dig up a much larger area than you anticipate and getting them into a skip will be hard work. It's expensive to get someone else to do it. Use the posts you already have

Agreed.

The only reason for maybe removing the concrete posts is if you want a higher fence. And even then it might just be easier to find a way of extending them.

If your posts are not slotted to accept panels then you could attach some fence clips (maybe even use the wire holes to attach them on each side).

Unfortunately I would be willing to bet a large amount that the posts are not evenly spaced. Or if they are it probably wouldn't be to a standard panel size.

So you will probably have to modify panels in order to get them to fit. Which would be a pain. But probably somewhat less of a pain than digging the posts out.

I did ours (with a bit of help from 16 year old DD) - but used fence post spikes instead of concreting the new posts in. It's still as good as new after 4 years.

I'm hoping you can see the posts from this photo? They're so short, perhaps a metre high

Edited to add, sorry about the state of my garden 🙈

I'd be removing these posts (in theory) as there's a fence behind it, but on the opposite side, there isn't an existing fence

why do you need a fence? Cant you just take off the wire and leave the posts there. There is already a fence presumably belonging to your neighbour.

Omg something like this?

Sorry, i should've said before, that's on the one side - on the other side there is no fence, just a full view of my neighbours garden 🤭🤭

Tip taken, thank you!

My neighbour just got wooden panels and posts and they were already shaking with storm Bert tbh

A post extender could be the best idea, as i don't want to have to do it all again in a few years

It's particularly important if you are going for the slot in panels. You'll have to raise them over the height of the posts, get them straight and slot them in. I'm pretty robust but struggled at it with a helper - but the panels were wet! You'll need to call in a couple of favours.

This in spades ^

One of our fence posts was about 10' long: 6' above ground and the remaining 4 concreted into the ground. There was no way I could have shifted that!

I would get a professional in. 🙂