Find a trusted fencer in Adelaide

Good Neighbour, brush and old fibre cement

Good Neighbour is the name plenty of Adelaide people use for steel panel fencing, borrowed from Stratco’s range, and you’ll see it, along with Colorbond and other brands, down most streets in the newer suburbs. Steel won’t rot or feed termites, needs little upkeep and is the usual choice for side and back fences on new estates. Older suburbs are more of a mix, with timber paling, brush fencing and fences made from fibre cement sheet.

Those fibre cement fences need care. If they went up before 1990 they may contain asbestos, so don’t break, cut or water-blast them. Have the sheeting tested, and if it is asbestos, leave the removal to a licensed asbestos removalist. Your fencer can put the new fence in once the old one is safely gone, and the quote should make clear who is handling which part.

Clay posts, coastal salt and bushfire areas

Clay that heaves in a wet winter and pulls back in a dry summer works fence posts loose over time, and a whole run can start to lean. Ask how deep the posts will go and how they’ll be set. Steel fences go up on steel posts concreted into the ground, while timber posts in clay last longer when they’re treated for in-ground use.

In seaside suburbs like Semaphore, Grange and Henley Beach, salt air shortens the life of steel panels and fixings, and steel fencing warranties often depend on how far you are from the coast. Ask what’s covered at your address. In bushfire-prone parts of the Hills, such as around Mount Barker and Blackwood, a non-combustible steel fence near the house is worth considering, since timber that connects to the walls gives a fire a path in.

Licences, approvals and sharing the cost

Post and wire aside, every fence counts as building work in SA, so check on the CBS Occupational Public Register that your fencer’s building work contractors licence includes fencing. See how licence checks work in SA if you’re unsure what the entry means.

Most ordinary backyard fences don’t need development approval, though retaining walls, corner blocks, historic areas and pools can change that. For a dividing fence, the Fences Act 1975 sets out how neighbours share the cost, starting with a written notice to your neighbour. The Legal Services Commission of South Australia explains the forms and what happens if you can’t agree.

What fencing costs in Adelaide

Fencing in Adelaide tends to cost a little less than on the east coast. A 1.8 m Colorbond or Good Neighbour steel fence runs around $120 to $200 per metre, treated pine paling $100 to $180 and hardwood $150 to $250. Thirty metres of steel along the back boundary typically totals $3,600 to $6,000, and your neighbour usually pays half of that. Glass pool fencing runs $350 to $800 per metre. Small repairs and short runs usually attract a minimum charge, typically $500 to $900. The fencing price guide has every style.

One Adelaide fencer for the job

Give us the length, the style you’re after, whether a neighbour is going halves and your suburb. We’ll send it to one Adelaide fencer we’ve vetted (CBS licence, insurance, ABN and reviews), not to a crowd of fencing companies, and you pay nothing for the match. Learn about fencing, browse Adelaide tradies or get a free quote.