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Hi everyone. I am planning on building a new horizontal slatted fence in my garden but have a few questions, and hope that someone has some experience or advice on this which would be much appreciated. I am planning on using grade A imported roof battens 50 x 25. My plan is to install vertical posts at 1.8m centres, then install the roof battens across them with 8mm gaps between each batten. I also plan to attached support battens behind the slats at about 400mm centres to provide extra support and hopefully reduce any bowing of the slats. I have seen in online videos, landscapers installing similar style fences but using black privacy screening fabric under the slats to give a nice contrast to the natural wood and also provide privacy from not being able to see through the fence gaps, which I like the idea of. However I have some concerns about using this as there doesn't seem to be much feedback online about it. My questions are: If I use privacy screening behind the slats, which are UV resistant, would the screening last long enough without degrading as my worry would be that the fabric degrades and ends up with all the stringy threads flapping about in the wind which would look terrible? Also regarding the fitting of the slats, would I need to leave a gap between the ends of each batten where they join at the vertical posts for expansion? And if so how much of a gap? I could cover these joins with a vertical slat which should look quite nice. Thanks Jack

Has anyone got any tips on how to remove an 18inch tree stump which has grown round a pvc coated chain link fence. I've tried a wood splitter but the stump is fresh so it didn't work. I can't use a chainsaw for fear of damaging the chain on the embedded wire. Any suggestions welcome.

There is a conventional concrete post and wood panel fence between us and next door. Problem is that it’s only 3 foot high. I would like to have something taller at one end of the fence to give us a bit more privacy. I’ve marked the intended outline in red in the photo. This is approx. 6m long and 2m high. The existing fence appears to be in the neighbours land and I’m not interested in the work of removing the old one and replacing. I’d just like to put something simple a little on our side of the boundary. Simple being to use the existing wooden post one the left in the paved area and installing the posts (wooden or concrete) in the bed behind the small laurels. Filling with this style fence panel. https://www.sheds.co.uk/hartwood-6-x-6-double-sided-slatted-pressure-treated-fence-panel.html So, I need: Something to dig very deep holes (I have a manual Auger) Some fence posts (2.7-3m long) Some post-crete some gravel boards Some nice fence panels My concerns are: 1) Trying to get posts perfectly vertical, all the same height and a correct fence panel width apart ? 2) Concrete or wooden posts? I’d prefer wood as it’s lighter and can be adjusted and modified but more susceptible to rot. Am I missing anything?

Hello Everyone! I am in the process of renovating my balcony. I live in a row of 4 terraced houses all houses with matching balconies. The problem I have is that there is a real lack of privacy, we only have a small partition between us and If anyone of us are on the balcony it is impossible to relax. I have tried speaking to the neighbours to fix the issue but they are reluctant to cooperate as they don’t like change. Their main concern is the view being effected even though the view is across our balcony. My question to everyone is how high of a partition can I legally erect without permission? I know at ground level the height is 2m but as it’s up on a balcony I can’t find any information. it’s something we’d really like to sort as we feel uncomfortable sitting out there. any help would be amazing and greatly appreciated :)

It's been a really tough few months. Problems at work (I got the timetable finished ready for September and now they want another one ready for straight after October half term), my best friend diagnosed with stage 4 bowel cancer and then the delay in planning approval leading to us appealing to the planning inspectorate to try for a non-determination decision. We have both been down in the dumps and on the verge of giving up. Two weeks off work (sick leave for stress, it was so close to a resignation letter you wouldn't believe) and the dark clouds have lifted, helped by an apology from work and a pay rise. Remembering what we did first time round, reminded me that there is a lot we can do now, while we are waiting to start on the main part of the project, that won't go to waste. Last time round, we got the end of the garden completely landscaped - it meant when we moved into the house - the garden still looked lovely. We also used the large wooden gazebo (built in sink and BBQ) to eat every night as there was more room in there for us and the kids than in the caravan. The question was, what can we do this time round that isn't wasting money, can't be included in the vat reclaim (no landscaping on the planning permission), and will not be ruined during the build. Front drive and Fencing!! So... The fence at the front of our plot needs replacing - the wooden posts are rotten and are only upright because they are leaning against the conifer trees that are there. These conifers are of course going which will make the oak tree stand out a bit more, rightly showing how magnificent it is. We were planning the fencing and how many concrete posts and gravel boards we were going to need when I had a brainwave ?. How about building the wall out of the Isotex we want to build in (the one without insulation of course)? It means we get practise on using the stuff and actually pouring concrete without trialling it on our house! No idea how expensive it is going to be so I've asked the question to see if it is feasible or not. Other things that I am now googling and sorting out are: Lighting for the driveway Parcel delivery box Doorbell camera CCTV Illuminated house numbers Capping blocks for the wall Fencing for the rest of the garden area. Moving the electric meter to the front of the plot Planning the route of the new fibre optic connection under the front paddock (yes, we will shortly have fibre optic to the house after 4 years of suffering from the slowest broadband you can imagine). The parcel box that we like the look of is the Brizebox. https://www.brizebox.com/product/built-in-extra-large-rear-door-pay-in-full-449-00-excl-frame/ I want to build it into the wall but I also want to render over the bottom half of it - you can have the collection door on the front or the rear of the bottom half, however, I don't think the top half of the box protrudes far enough out to allow this to happen. I've emailed the question today to see what they say. Gallery picture 31 of 69 is the closest to what I want to achieve (without having plants in front of where the poor parcel man has to stand to put the parcel in the drawer!!). I want to move the electric meter box to the front wall so that it can be read without coming onto the property. Peter wants to leave it where it is. We are in discussions at the moment about the best way forward. It is currently housed in a brick pillar with a little bit of slate on top - I think that when the house is built, it is going to get hit by cars driving down past the house to the end of the plot as it will narrow the driveway unnecesarily. The pink circle is where this pillar is and where I thought the electric supply to the house ran - it actaully goes to the existing car port which is next to the purple square where the Garage (AKA sewing room) will eventually go and should miss all the excavations during the build. Now off to google covert cameras to go on the front drive somewhere!!

This will be a new build bungalow. I am negotiating boundaries on my plot with the vendor. He is proposing to provide a little extra space to erect a fence beyond the outside wall of my future house (the boundary fence was missed off the plot as advertised). The construction method of my house will be timber frame, wooden I-beams (passive house) and rendered. He has suggested 0.5m (50cm) of gap between my outside wall and the fence (a fence that will be in place throughout the build). How much space does a contractor need to erect such a wall? Is 50 cm enough? What about scaffolding?

I needed a 50m roll of green plastic mesh fencing, looking online the price was around £20 per roll. So as I was passing Travis Perkins I called in for a price, £48 +vat, the next port of call, the local independent BM, same price as TP. Finally I went to Screwfix, the same roll of fences £23.75 inc vat.