The short answer
Replacing a single 6ft fence panel usually costs £70–£150 supplied and fitted, and replacing a single post costs £90–£200 depending on whether it's timber or concrete. A panel and post together is typically £150–£320. Most fencers have a minimum call-out charge, so replacing several at once is better value per panel.
Fence repairs are among the most common small jobs fencers do, and prices vary more than you might expect. The cost isn't really in the panel – a standard lap panel can cost as little as £25–£50 – it's in the labour, digging out old concrete and getting rid of the waste.
Before you get quotes, it's worth working out exactly what has failed. A panel blown out of its slots doesn't always mean the post has gone, and a rotten post doesn't always mean every panel needs replacing.
What affects the price
Two quotes for 'one panel and one post' can be very different. The main factors are:
- Post type – concrete posts cost more to buy but are quicker to slot panels into
- How the old post was set – digging out a large concrete footing takes time
- Panel style – lap panels are cheap; closeboard, tongue and groove or slatted cost more
- Access – narrow side passages, steep gardens and plants in the way slow things down
- Waste disposal – some quotes include it, others charge extra
- Minimum charge – most fencers charge at least half a day for small jobs
Replacing a panel only
If the posts are sound and upright, replacing a panel is quick. With concrete posts, the old panel lifts out and the new one slots in – often less than an hour's work. With timber posts, the panel is usually screwed or clipped to the posts, which takes a little longer.
Matching an old fence can be tricky. Panel sizes are fairly standard (1.83m wide), but styles and colours vary. A new panel will look brighter than its weathered neighbours for a year or so, unless it's stained to match.
Replacing a post
Posts usually fail at ground level, where timber rots. A replacement means removing the panels either side, digging out the old post and its concrete, setting a new post and refitting the panels. If the old concrete is large, the new post may have to be set slightly to one side, which can mean cutting a panel.
In many cases you don't actually need to take the panels down. Our guide to replacing a fence post without removing the panels explains repair spurs and other quicker options.
Repair, replace or start again?
As a rough rule, if more than a third of the panels or posts have failed, or the fence is more than 15 years old, replacing the whole run is often better value than patching it repeatedly. A new fence also gives you the chance to upgrade to concrete posts and gravel boards, which last much longer.
Our guide to repairing a broken fence panel covers smaller fixes, and how long fences last helps you judge whether an old fence is worth saving.
Ways to save
Book repairs together rather than one at a time, so you only pay one call-out. If your neighbour's side is affected too, share the cost. And if the old fence is timber on timber posts, consider replacing failed posts with concrete ones so the same problem doesn't recur.
You can get free quotes for fence repairs or new fence panels from local fencers.