Chain Link Fencing Cost

How Much is a Chain Link Fence

If you're looking to replace your garden fencing, chain link fencing might be what you need.

Chain link fences come either in PVC-coated mesh or in galvanised steel. You can expect to pay anywhere between £60 to £600.

Chain Link Fence Prices

Below are the charts giving the chain link fence costs of both types:

Costs for PVC Coated Chain Link Fencing

Cost for Galvanised Steel Chain Link Fencing

The above are average prices for rolls of PVC and Galvanised Steel chain link fencing. The costs may differ if you buy online or in-store. It may also make a difference where you live. For example, if you live in London or the South East of England you may pay higher prices.

Other costs you must take into consideration are fencing posts. These cost between £25 and £80 depending on the type of posts you buy. See the chart below for average prices.

Type of Post

Labour Costs and Timescales

A professional fencing installer will cost more than, for example, using a handyperson. The benefit of a professional fence installer is that they will have a lot of experience and can probably get the job done faster.

A fencing installer will charge between £35 and £55 an hour which is the equivalent of between £140 and £220 for half a day’s work and between £280 and £440 a day. Two lengths of fencing at 10 metres each will probably take around half a day to a day for a professional installer.

A handyperson will charge between £240 and £320 a day.

The price you pay a tradesperson will depend on what part of the country you come from. London and the South East of England is always more expensive.

Factors That Impact Chain Link Fencing Costs

Chain Link fencing isn’t difficult to install. If you enjoy DIY, then you can probably do the job yourself with help from someone else. Installing the fencing as a DIY project means you will save the cost of installation

Labour costs for a day’s work will be in the region of £300 to £400 if you use a professional fence installer. If you use a handyperson then you can expect to pay between £240 and £320. If the fencing takes more than a day then you will save even more money.

A Quick Look at How a Chain Link Fence is Installed

Once you have completed the measuring and you have marked the spots for the posts you are ready to start.

Your first job is to sink the posts. Make the width of the hole three times larger than the width of the post at a depth of one-third of the post’s length. Pack the hole with concrete or large stones and earth. Use a level to check the post is straight.

When all your posts are installed, you can begin the next step which is to unroll the fencing along the length of the fence. Place the tension bar between the end of the mesh and attach the tension bar to the end post.

Roll the mesh along the length of the fence and attach some fence ties to secure the mesh to the top rail.

Tighten up the fence and remove any excess.

There are plenty of instruction videos and websites online. Simply Google ‘how to install a chain link fence.’

Types of Chain Link Fencing

Chain link fencing comes in either PVC-coated or galvanised steel. You can choose a number of different mesh sizes which determine the distance between the wires, or to put it simply the size of the gaps in the diamond shape.

PVC-coated Chain Linked Fencing

PVC-coated fencing prevents the metal from being exposed and is very resistant to rust and corrosion. You can choose any colour you want, so it's a lot more customisable than galvanised fencing. You can expect to pay £60 to £200 per roll.

Pros

• ✔ Lots of colours to choose from
• ✔ More attractive
• ✔ More Durable

Cons

• ✖ Can be more expensive
• ✖ PVC can crack making it look shabby

Galvanised Steel Chain Linked Fencing

Galvanised steel is your classic chain-linked fence. It has a protective zinc coating that stops it from rusting or corroding. It's the most common type of chain fence, which is silver in colour and costs between £70 to £320 per roll.

Pros

• ✔ Cheaper
• ✔ Classic look

Cons

• ✖ Slightly less durable due to exposed metal

Other Types of Fencing

If you change your mind about chain link fencing, there are other options to consider. Have a look at other types of fencing together with the average costs of installation.

Wooden Fencing

Wooden fencing is a popular choice with householders because it is reasonably priced and easy to install. You can choose standard panel fencing or have something more distinctive like a picket fence. A 36-foot by 6-foot wooden fence will cost between £550 and £1750 depending on the type of wood panel.

For example, picket fencing with timber fence posts will cost between £550 and £700 to supply and fit. Or you could choose a more expensive option such as Feather board fencing which will cost between £700 to £950.

Metal Fencing

Householders often choose metal fencing because it is resistant to rot and will last a lot longer than wood. You can choose to have steel, aluminium or wrought iron. None of these options are cheap. You’ll need to add a fair bit to your budget if you want steel instead of a chain link fence.

Wrought Iron fencing for example costs between £65 and £300 per foot. This means that to cover the length of a 30-foot back garden you will need a budget of between £1,950 and £9,000.

PVC Fencing

If you are looking for another cost-effective fencing option, other than chain fencing, then you could choose to have uPVC fencing. It is easy to install, and this type of fencing doesn’t need a lot of maintenance.

You also have the choice of four different colours. You can pick panels in white, brown, green, and beige. uPVC fencing provides strength and style without an expensive price tag. A 6ft panel by 3ft will cost between £40 and £50.

Composite Fencing

Composite fencing is another option. It's created by combining recycled plastic and reclaimed wood fibres. It's relatively new, and is becoming popular due to its low maintenance and the fact it doesn't splinter or rot. A lot of retailers offer 20-year warranties on their composite fencing because of its durability.

Building Regulations and Planning Permission

Planning Permission

You don’t need planning permission to install chain link fencing as long as you comply with the following conditions:

• The fence can’t be more than one metre high if it is next to a highway that is used by vehicles.
• A fence cannot exceed more than 2 metres in height if it isn’t next to a highway.
• The fence isn’t on a piece of land that’s part of a listed building or located in a conservation area.
• The new fence is replacing an existing fence

Building Regulations

There are no building regulations applicable to installing a chain link fence. But you must inform your neighbour if the fencing is going up next to a boundary wall.

To find out whether a fence is yours or a neighbour’s check your Title Plan or contact the Land Registry. You can do this online. A Title Register and Title Plan are £3 each, but a Property Summary is free.

Repairing a Chain Link Fence

A chain link fence can get damaged if, for example, there was a storm, and a tree falls on top of it. The good news is that it’s very simple to fix a chain fence. First, you check that the posts are undamaged. If they are loose you may need to dig out the hole again and refill it with concrete.

If the top or bottom rail is damaged, you need to mark the damaged area and cut through it with a hacksaw. Then you should attach the new rail by sliding the new tapered rail into the old rail.

To replace the chain link mesh, you start by removing the wire ties on the top rail. Pull the ties through the chain link as that will remove the mesh from the rails. Then pull the rails back, but don’t remove the fencing completely.

Next, pull the damaged fencing apart by using pliers and at the same time take off the lower ties. To remove the damaged fencing, you now have to take the top ends of the damaged wires and pull them up off the fence. Lay the damaged fencing on the ground or roll it up ready to throw away.

Roll out the new wire and connect it to the bottom bar using wire ties. Take a wire from the original fencing and run the wire diagonally upwards so it wraps around the new mesh. It will be installed when you reach the top rail. Tie the wire to the top rail applying cable wire every 61 cm and then tighten it.

Cleaning and Maintaining a Chain Link Fence

The advantage of a chain link fence is that it needs little maintenance. You can remove dust and debris by cleaning the fence down with a hose. Remove any bird droppings or other stains using a brush and a gentle detergent.

Once a year you may want to apply rust protection to the bottom of the fence where moisture from the soil collects.

Removing Garden Fences

Removing an old chain link fence isn’t difficult as long as you wear protective gloves. Remove the fencing ties with a pair of pliers. Start at the end or where there is a corner post and take off the fencing clamps.

When the ties are undone the fencing should fall flat onto the floor. You can then work on the fencing ties at the bottom. Once the fence has been removed you can roll it up ready to be disposed of.

A handyperson can carry out fencing removal. The length of time the work will take will depend on the size of the fence. A small fence could take around 2 hours to remove. A large fence might take half a day. Expect to pay between £60 and £160. Or if you want to save yourself this money you can do it yourself.

The old fencing will have to go to Once the fence is removed you will have to take the old fencing to the tip and there will probably be a charge.

If there is a lot of fencing and you don’t have the means to take the waste away yourself, you could hire a man and a van service which may cost between £35 and £60 an hour.

Hiring a Garden Fence Installer Checklist

• Check online presence. A website isn't essential, but if the fencing company does have one, review it. Look for completed projects, customer feedback and level of professionalism.
• Verify experience. Ask how long they've been in the trade. Don’t forget you can give a new company a chance, just make sure they know what they are doing.
• Confirm insurance coverage. This protects you if an accident occurs during the work.
• Request a written quote. Most tradespeople will provide this as standard, but always check that a written quote is provided. This should itemise what will be included and set out the full cost before the work starts.

FAQs