The real questions South Wales homeowners ask Ben about fencing, decking, composite and gates — answered honestly. Costs, planning rules, post depth, composite versus timber, and how the work actually gets done.
Garden fencing in the UK typically runs from around £45 a metre for basic panel fencing up to £85–£150 a metre for composite, supplied and fitted; quality feather edge and closeboard sit around £55–£90 a metre. Ben builds at the quality end — posts dug deep and concreted, boards strained tight, built to a spec not the cheapest price — so expect the mid-to-upper of those ranges. He quotes your exact figure free on a site visit, fixed and itemised.
Those are typical UK supplied-and-fitted averages from 2025 trade guides (Checkatrade, MyJobQuote) — a ballpark, not a quote. The very cheapest panel jobs come in under Ben's price, and that is rather the point: a fence set in properly dug, concreted posts and strained tight lasts years longer than a bargain run that leans after the first gale. Run length, fence type, the ground, access and gates all move the figure, so an honest price comes from seeing the garden. Ben measures up and gives you a written fixed price — no charge, no obligation.
As a rough UK guide, timber decking runs about £40–£100 a square metre supplied and fitted, and composite about £90–£135 a square metre. A deck built dead level on a properly supported, airflow-fed frame — the way Ben builds — sits towards the upper end rather than a quick, cheap deck that flexes or rots from below. Size, raised vs ground-level, the ground and the board all move it; Ben quotes the exact figure free on a site visit.
Those are typical UK installed averages from 2025 trade guides. A small ground-level deck in easy access sits at the lower end; a large raised deck with steps and awkward levels sits higher. Composite costs more up front than timber but skips the yearly sanding and staining. Ben measures the area, checks the levels and access, and gives you a written fixed price with the materials spelled out — no charge, no obligation.
As a rough UK guide, wooden driveway gates run from about £400–£700 for standard softwood up to £1,000 or more for cedar and hardwood, supplied and hung; a pair of double driveway gates fitted often lands around £1,000–£1,650. Because Ben sets the posts deep and hangs them to last — the bit that stops a gate dropping a season later — expect the mid-to-upper end rather than a budget kit. Exact price free on a site visit.
A gate is only as good as the posts it hangs on, so a fair chunk of a proper price is the groundwork that stops it dropping. Width, timber type (softwood, cedar, hardwood), single versus double, and whether it ties into a fence run all move the figure. Those ranges are typical UK installed averages from 2025 trade guides; Ben checks the opening, the swing and the ground on the site visit and gives you a fixed price.
As a rough UK guide, a made-to-measure timber pergola runs from around £1,200 for a compact 3×3m up to £3,000–£6,000 or more for a larger bespoke structure, supplied and fitted; the UK average sits around £2,500. Ben builds bespoke and solid — posts concreted in, joints cut and bolted — so expect the mid-to-upper end rather than a flat-pack kit. Exact price free on a site visit.
Size, timber, the design and whether it ties into a deck or patio all move the figure. Those are typical UK supplied-and-fitted averages from 2025 trade guides (Checkatrade, MyJobQuote). A small lean-to over a patio sits at the lower end; a large freestanding structure with a slatted roof and chunky posts is higher. Because Ben builds them to last rather than to a flat-pack price, his sit above the cheapest kits — and they will not rack or sag after a couple of summers. He measures up and quotes a fixed price free, no obligation.
Yes — composite costs more to buy and fit than timber up front. Over its full life it often works out cheaper, because timber needs staining, sealing and the odd replacement panel every year, while composite just needs an occasional wash. Most homeowners are ahead within about ten years.
Think of it as paying more on day one to never pay again. Timber is the lower up-front cost and gives you that natural look, but it asks for maintenance every year and tends to last 10 to 15 years. Composite is dearer to fit but resists rot, warping and fading, lasts 25 to 40 years, and the maintenance is essentially a hose-down. On the site visit we will lay both options out honestly so you can pick on what matters to you.
Usually no. In Wales you can normally put up a fence up to 2 metres high on a rear or side boundary, or up to 1 metre where it borders a road or footpath used by vehicles, without planning permission. Taller than that, or near a listed building or in a conservation area, and you may need consent.
The 2-metre rule covers most garden boundaries between neighbours. The catch is the front: if the fence, wall or gate sits next to a highway used by traffic, the limit drops to 1 metre without permission. Conservation areas and listed buildings have their own rules, so it is always worth a quick check with Bridgend County Borough Council (or your local authority) before a tall front boundary. We will flag anything that looks like it needs permission on the site visit — we would rather you knew up front. Source: gov.wales planning guidance.
In Wales, up to 2 metres on a rear or side boundary, and up to 1 metre where the fence runs alongside a road or vehicle footpath, without needing planning permission. The height is measured from ground level, so on sloping ground it is measured at the higher side.
If you want to go above 2 metres — for privacy or noise, say — you will need to apply to your local planning authority. On a slope the measurement can catch people out, because it is taken from the higher ground level, so a fence that looks fine from your side may be over the limit on the neighbour's. We work all this out on the site visit so the finished fence is both what you want and within the rules.
Usually no. A pergola is normally permitted development in Wales as long as it is not forward of the principal elevation of the house, is single-storey, and stays under 3 metres high (2.5 metres if it is within 2 metres of a boundary). Listed buildings and conservation areas have stricter rules.
Most garden pergolas sit comfortably inside permitted development, so no application is needed. The things that can trip it up are height (keep under 3m, or 2.5m close to a boundary), putting it in the front garden, or a listed building / conservation area. We keep the build within the rules and flag anything that looks borderline on the site visit, so you are never caught out. Source: Planning Portal / gov.wales outbuilding guidance.
As a rule, a fence post should go at least a third of its above-ground height into the ground, with a minimum of 600mm (2ft) whatever the height. Gate posts and corner posts take more strain and go deeper still. They are concreted in so the fence stays true for years.
For a typical 6ft fence that means around 2ft in the ground, set in postcrete. Skimp on this and the fence leans after the first proper gale — it is the single most common reason a cheap fence fails early. Gate posts get the most punishment because every open and close pulls on them, so we set those deeper and stronger again. The groundwork is the part nobody sees and the part that decides how long the fence lasts.
Most domestic garden fences are a one to two day job. A small, level run in easy ground can be done in a day; a longer boundary, a slope, hard or rocky ground, or gates and corners will push it to two days or a little more. We give you a realistic timescale with the quote.
Decking is similar — a straightforward deck is usually a couple of days, more if it is raised, large or built over awkward levels. Composite can take a touch longer than timber to fit neatly. What actually moves the timescale is the ground (rock and clay slow everything down) and access. We would always rather give you an honest two days than promise one and rush the groundwork.
Late spring through to early autumn is the easiest window — workable ground, settled weather and dry enough to finish timber properly. Autumn is also excellent and often quieter for booking. We install year-round in South Wales; only hard frost or sustained rain holds groundwork up.
April to September gives you the best run of mild, dry-ish weather for setting posts and treating timber. Autumn is a quietly good time too — the ground is still workable, contractors are less booked up, and your deck is ready for the following summer. Winter is doable between the wet spells, and timber actually dries and stabilises in a slower, more controlled way in the cold. We will book you in for the first sensible weather window.
Neither is simply "better" — it depends on what you value. Timber is cheaper up front, looks naturally warm, and lasts 10 to 15 years with yearly care. Composite costs more but never needs sanding or staining, resists rot and fading, and lasts 25 years or more. Low upkeep points to composite; budget and natural look point to timber.
Go timber if you want the lowest up-front cost, love a natural grain, and do not mind a clean and re-treat each year. Go composite if you would rather never touch it again, want it looking the same in twenty years, and are happy to pay more now to save the maintenance later. In a wet climate like South Wales, composite's rot resistance is a real advantage. We fit both and will give you a straight answer for your garden on the site visit.
Composite fencing is the lowest-maintenance option. It will not rot, warp, splinter or fade, the colour runs through the board, and it only ever needs an occasional wash — no annual staining or sealing. It costs more than timber to fit but can last 30 to 40 years with barely any upkeep.
If "fit it and forget it" is the goal, composite wins. Timber fencing is cheaper and looks lovely, but it wants treating every year or two to fend off the Welsh damp and will typically last 10 to 20 years. Composite skips all of that. For a lot of people the maths works out in composite's favour once you add up years of stain, sealer and the odd replaced panel. We fit composite in greys and wood tones and can match it to composite decking for one clean look.
They are closely related — both give a solid, private timber boundary built from overlapping vertical boards on horizontal rails. "Feather edge" refers to the tapered boards used; "closeboard" describes the same boards fitted tight together. The result is a strong, gap-free fence that is far more durable than off-the-shelf panels.
Unlike a pre-made panel that drops into slotted posts, a feather edge / closeboard fence is built board by board on site, so it can follow sloping ground, run to any length, and take a knock without a whole panel failing. If a board ever gets damaged you replace that one board, not the lot. It is the traditional, built-to-last choice and what we fit most across Bridgend and the Vale.
Timber is the traditional, lower-cost fencing — a natural look, but it needs treating every year or two and lasts roughly 10 to 20 years in the Welsh damp. Composite costs more to fit but never rots, warps, splinters or fades, the colour runs right through the board, and it lasts 30 to 40 years with just an occasional wash. Timber for budget and natural feel; composite for fit-and-forget.
Normal (timber) fencing — feather edge, closeboard or panels — is cheaper up front and easy to repair a board at a time, but it is a living material, so it wants staining or sealing to fend off rot and greying. Composite is a wood-plastic board that ignores all that: no rot, no painting, consistent colour for decades. It is dearer on day one and usually works out cheaper over its life once you stop buying stain and replacement panels. In South Wales weather the rot resistance is a genuine plus. We fit both and will give you a straight steer on the site visit.
Almost always because the gate posts were not set deep or strong enough. A gate puts constant leverage on its hinge post every time it swings, so if that post is shallow or undersized it works loose, the gate drops, and it starts dragging and missing the latch. Setting the posts properly first time prevents it.
Gate posts need more depth and more concrete than ordinary fence posts, and the hinge side especially. We size and set them for the weight and width of the gate, check the swing and the ground fall, and hang it so it latches cleanly from day one. A well-hung gate is the thing you never have to think about — that is exactly what we are aiming for.
No call-out fee, no obligation. Tell Ben what you are after and he will arrange a free site visit, then quote you a fixed price.