Fencing · Reading & Berkshire
Timber, Composite
& Bespoke Fencing —
Built to Last 20 Years
A fence is only as good as its posts. We concrete in proper posts, use kiln-dried timber, and build every panel to take the next storm — not just look nice in week one.
5.0 average from verified Google reviews Fully insured · 18 years building in Berkshire
Recent work
A look at projects across Berkshire.
What we do
Fencing done properly — the first time.
Domestic and commercial fencing: closeboard, featheredge, lap panel, slatted, hit-and-miss, picket, post-and-rail, palisade, composite, and full bespoke designs. Plus matching gates, side returns and access points.
Homeowners replacing rotten or storm-damaged fencing, anyone marking a new boundary, families needing safe enclosure for kids or pets, and homeowners wanting privacy without losing the look of the garden.
After a storm has dropped panels, when posts are visibly rotten at ground level, when an old fence is leaning, or when you're transforming a garden and want the boundary done as part of the same project.
90% of failed fences are post failures. Cheap fence companies hammer in pointed wooden stakes; we concrete in proper posts to a 600mm depth minimum. That single decision is the difference between a fence that lasts five years and one that lasts twenty.
The cost of waiting
A cheap fence costs you twice — once to put up, again the first time it blows down.
What happens if it's ignored
- Wooden posts hammered into soil rot at the soil line within 3–5 years — and once one post goes, the panels each side follow.
- Concrete posts on a budget install crack at the base because they're spiked instead of concreted in.
- Fence panels facing prevailing west wind without proper post fixing become projectiles in the first proper storm — and damage greenhouses, cars and conservatories.
- Disputes with neighbours over boundary lines or who owns which side become legal nightmares without proper site visits and documentation up front.
Mistakes we fix every month
- Hiring 'fence guys' off Facebook who turn up with a pickup of cheap panels, no concrete and no insurance.
- Going for the cheapest panels (10mm featheredge boards) that warp and split inside two summers in direct sun.
- Skipping gravel boards — panels sit in wet soil, suck up moisture and rot from the bottom up within five years.
- Hammering posts into ground around tree roots without checking — the roots eventually destabilise the post and the whole run leans.
Our process
A clear five-step system from first call to final handover.
- Step 1
Site Visit & Inspection
We come to you, measure up, photograph the site and listen properly to what you want from the fencing.
- Step 2
Written Quote & Diagnosis
You get an itemised, fixed-price quote within 48 hours — labour, materials, timings and what's specifically excluded.
- Step 3
Schedule & Prepare
We agree a start date, order materials in advance and protect your home — dust sheets, walkways, skip placement.
- Step 4
Build & Communicate
Daily progress updates from your dedicated foreman. No subcontractor merry-go-round — you see the same faces every day.
- Step 5
Sign-Off & Handover
Final walk-around with you, snags fixed on the spot — we don't leave until you're happy with the finish.
What you get
Specific outcomes — not vague promises.
20-year fence, properly built
Posts concreted to 600mm minimum, kiln-dried treated timber, gravel boards keeping panels out of wet soil — built to last.
Storm-rated installation
Posts at correct spacing for panel type and exposure, panels properly clipped or screwed — not just dropped between concrete posts.
Real cost over 20 years
A well-built fence that lasts 20 years works out cheaper per year than a cheap one replaced every five. The maths is obvious.
Boundary respected
We mark out properly, talk to neighbours when needed, and never put a fence where the deeds say it shouldn't go. We document and photograph everything.
Clean install, neat finish
Old fence stripped and skipped, surrounding planting protected, postholes dug not hammered, capping fitted to every post.
Fast turnaround
Most domestic runs (20–40m) finished in 2–4 days. Gate access prioritised so you're never locked out of the garden.
The detail
Materials, methods and variations for fencing in Reading.
Fencing in Berkshire faces strong south-westerly prevailing winds, mature trees throughout established gardens in Caversham and Pangbourne, and the standard challenge of clay-heavy soils that hold winter water around posts. The right system depends on aspect, soil and what the fence has to do — privacy, security, marking, livestock. Here's what we use.
Materials we work with
- Closeboard (featheredge)
- Strongest traditional fence — pressure-treated featheredge boards nailed to back rails, on concrete or timber posts. 15–20 year life with gravel boards.
- Lap panels
- Cheaper, faster to install — overlapping horizontal boards in a pre-made panel. 10–15 year life. Good for sheltered boundaries where wind isn't a concern.
- Slatted / hit-and-miss
- Modern look — horizontal slats spaced for partial visibility and air flow. Reduces wind load (so longer post life) and ages beautifully.
- Composite fencing
- Recycled plastic/wood composite — zero maintenance, 25-year warranty, doesn't rot. More expensive up-front but the lowest 20-year cost of ownership.
- Concrete posts & gravel boards
- Slotted concrete posts with concrete gravel boards underneath every panel — keeps timber out of wet soil and dramatically extends panel life.
- Timber posts (4×4 or 5×5)
- Pressure-treated softwood or oak, concreted into the ground to 600mm minimum, post-saver sleeves on rot-prone installations.
- Gates
- Matching pedestrian and double-leaf vehicle gates, hung on galvanised hinges with proper latches, drop bolts and locks.
Methods & techniques
- Post installation (concreted)
- Postholes dug 600mm × 300mm minimum, posts plumbed and braced, postcrete or wet C20 concrete poured around with a slight crown to shed water.
- Spike vs concrete
- We do not use Metpost-style spikes for permanent fencing — they fail within 5–7 years. Concrete every time.
- Panel fixing
- Closeboard fixed with galvanised nails into back rails; lap panels clipped or screwed into slotted concrete posts with H-clips above and below.
- Gravel boards
- Concrete or timber gravel boards installed under every panel, keeping the bottom edge 100mm clear of soil — single biggest factor in panel longevity.
Common variations & situations
- Closeboard and featheredge garden fencing
- Lap panel fencing on concrete posts
- Slatted and hit-and-miss feature fences
- Composite zero-maintenance fencing
- Picket fencing for front gardens
- Post-and-rail field and paddock fencing
- Palisade and security fencing
- Trellis tops for added privacy and planting
- Matching pedestrian and double driveway gates
- Side-return gates and access points
Residential vs commercial
We do both. Domestic fencing prioritises looks, privacy and matching neighbours' fencing where appropriate. Commercial (palisade, mesh security, livestock — usually rural Berkshire) prioritises security spec, height, and wear rating. The installation principles (posts properly concreted, correct spacing) are identical.
Common questions
What homeowners in Reading ask before booking.
Related services
Often booked alongside fencing
- Landscaping — Full garden transformations from the ground up.
- Patios — Hard-wearing patios that frame your garden for the next twenty years.
- Driveways — Block paving, resin and tarmac driveways with proper sub-bases.
Recent work
Recent fencing projects across Reading & Berkshire.
Ready when you are
Get a fixed written quote for your fencing — within 48 hours.
No high-pressure sales. No vague day rates. Just an itemised quote from a builder who's been on the tools for 18 years.
Fully insured 18 years on the tools Quote within 48 hours