Rutland Driveways & Landscaping 07312 132517 Site visit
Closeboard fencing on concrete posts and gravel boards along a lawn
Rutland · Stamford · Oakham

Fencing & sleeper walls

Boundaries frame everything else we build. We install closeboard and slatted fencing, timber and metal gates, and the oak and softwood sleeper walls that hold Rutland's sloping gardens in.

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We build closeboard and slatted fencing on concrete or timber posts, and oak and softwood sleeper retaining walls, terraces and steps. Fencing is priced after the site visit, because ground, levels and access change it more than the length does.

Fencing
Closeboard, slatted, gates
Sleeper walls
Oak and softwood
Planning
Over 1m beside a road, 2m elsewhere
Guarantee
5 years, in writing

Your fixed price comes in writing after the site visit.

Fencing & sleeper walls

Fencing & sleeper walls

Boundaries frame everything else we build. We install closeboard and slatted fencing, timber and metal gates, and the oak and softwood sleeper walls that hold Rutland's sloping gardens in place.

Fencing that outlasts the weather

  • Closeboard: the workhorse — built on site, on concrete or timber posts, with gravel boards to keep timber off the ground
  • Slatted screens: contemporary horizontal slats for patios, hot tub areas and street-facing frontages
  • Gates: side gates, driveway gates and estate-style entrance gates, hung properly on posts that will not move
  • Panels and trellis: where budget or speed matter, fitted with the same care as everything else

Sleeper retaining walls

Much of Rutland sits on slopes, and sleeper walls are the most cost-effective way to turn a gradient into terraces. We build them structurally: posts concreted or steel-pinned, membranes and drainage behind the wall, and weep routes so winter water never builds up where you cannot see it. Oak for prominent positions; treated softwood where budget leads.

Boundary basics

  • Height: over 2m (or 1m beside a highway) can need planning permission — we will flag it
  • Whose fence? Worth confirming in deeds before replacing a boundary; we can advise
  • Wind: exposed Rutland gardens need posts and spacing specified for it, not catalogue defaults

Boundary blown down, or garden held back by a slope?

Fencing repairs and sleeper terracing can usually be visited and quoted within the week.

Recent finishes

The kind of finish we build

Closeboard fencing on concrete posts and gravel boards along a lawn
Closeboard fencing on concrete posts and gravel boards along a lawn
Porcelain seating terrace and lawn screened by black slatted fencing, lit at dusk
Porcelain seating terrace and lawn screened by black slatted fencing
Oak sleeper retaining walls and steps rising from a sandstone patio to a lawn
Oak sleeper retaining walls and steps rising from a sandstone patio to a lawn
Sleeper retaining walls with lit steps up to a lawn
Sleeper retaining walls with lit steps up to a lawn
★★★★★

Rated 5.0 from 37 Google reviews

“Lewis & his team , i have to give 5 stars as they worked so diligently on the task ahead , my garden has been completely transformed , lewis listened to all of my wish list & made it happen !!!! …”

Anna · Garden makeover and fencing — Google review

“Lewis and his colleagues were very professional, friendly, hardworking and good value. They worked hard to get the job done efficiently, offered advice and were very knowledgeable. They even worked during the rain to complete our fence, decking and lawn. …”

Will · Fence, decking and lawn — Google review
Read the reviews
Questions

Things people ask us

How long does a new garden fence last?
Closeboard on concrete posts with gravel boards: 20 years plus. The same boards nailed to untreated posts in soil: five. The difference is all in the detail you cannot see from the kitchen window.
Do sleeper walls need foundations?
Anything retaining real soil load does. Low planter walls can sit on a compacted base; taller terracing gets concreted posts and engineered drainage. We size it to the load, not the lowest quote.
Can you do fencing as part of a bigger garden project?
That is exactly how most of it happens — boundaries, terracing and screening designed alongside the patio and lawn so the whole garden arrives finished.
How do I know which garden fence is mine?
Check your title deeds and the plans with them: a T mark against a boundary usually shows which property is responsible for it, and a T on both sides or an H mark shows a shared boundary. The Land Registry title plan only shows general boundaries, so it rarely settles responsibility on its own, though the seller's property information form often records it. The idea that the left-hand fence is always yours is a myth.
How high can a garden fence be without planning permission?
Up to 2m high in most back gardens, and 1m where the fence is next to a road used by vehicles or the pavement beside it. Trellis on top, and any wall the fence sits on, count towards the height. Permission is also needed at a listed building, where an Article 4 direction applies, as in Stamford's conservation area and Langham, and on estates where planning conditions restrict boundaries. Deeds can add covenants on top.
Which side of a fence should face the neighbour?
There is no law on it, but the usual convention is that the smooth, finished side faces the neighbour and the posts and rails sit on the owner's side. That keeps the whole structure on your land and lets you maintain it from your own garden. On closeboard, the finished face is the boarded side. If you want that side facing you, agree it with your neighbour first and keep every part of the fence on your side of the boundary.
Are concrete or timber fence posts better?
Concrete posts last longer: they do not rot, they hold up better in wind, and with slotted posts a damaged panel can be replaced without disturbing them. Pressure-treated timber posts look softer and suit some cottage gardens, but they usually rot at ground level within 10 to 15 years unless set well and kept dry. Our closeboard guide price is for concrete posts with gravel boards, so no timber touches the soil.
What is the best fence for a windy, exposed garden?
One that lets some wind through, or one built on stronger posts. Solid panels act like a sail and are usually the first to blow down; closeboard built on site is stronger than lap panels, and slatted or hit-and-miss designs let wind pass through. Concrete posts set deep in concrete, with roughly a quarter of the post below ground, closer post spacing and gravel boards all help on exposed Rutland plots.
Is closeboard fencing better than fence panels?
Closeboard is stronger and longer lasting than standard lap or overlap panels, because it is built on site from vertical featheredge boards nailed to rails between the posts, so it copes better with wind and a damaged board can be replaced on its own. Panels are quicker and cheaper to fit and suit sheltered gardens, but one storm can push out a whole panel. Both last longer on concrete posts with a gravel board.
Do I need my neighbour's permission to replace a fence?
Not if the fence is yours and stays on your land, though it is sensible and courteous to tell them first. If the fence is theirs or shared, you need their agreement, and you need permission to go into their garden to take down the old fence or build the new one from their side. Never move a fence line without agreeing the boundary in writing, because even a small shift can start a costly dispute.
How long does it take to put up a new garden fence?
A typical back-garden run of 15 to 30 metres usually takes one to three days, including taking down the old fence, digging and concreting the posts and fitting the boards or panels. Hard ground, old concrete footings, tree roots, slopes that need stepping and gates all add time. Concrete around the posts usually sets firmly enough for rails and boards to go on the same or next day.
Guide prices

What fencing costs

Closeboard timber fencing typically costs £80–£100 per metre supplied and fitted on concrete posts. Composite and aluminium slatted fencing starts from about £240 per metre fitted at 1.8m high. Taking out the old fence is priced on the visit.

A fence, wall or gate is normally permitted development up to 2m high, or 1m where it sits next to a road or footpath used by vehicles. Listed buildings need consent, and some estates have planning conditions on front boundaries.

Guide prices from 2026 online price guides, at the higher end. Your fixed price comes in writing after the site visit.

By area

Fencing near you

Prices

What fencing cost

Our fencing cost guide breaks the price down: what is included, what changes it and what to check in any quote.

Request a site visit

We measure up, check levels and drainage, and send a written proposal with the build-up, the programme and one whole price. No pressure and no follow-up sales calls.

Request a site visit Call 07312 132517
☎Call 07312 132517 Site visit