Fencing installation and replacementin St Neots and across Cambridgeshire
New fence lines, boundary replacements and gates, built with concrete posts set deep enough to stay upright through the next storm, not just this one.
£2m insured. 6-month workmanship guarantee. Jack answers the phone himself.
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10 years in the trade
Jack on site daily
£2 million insured
Public & employers' liability
Phone open 24 hours
6-month workmanship guarantee
The service
Fencing built to stand up straight for years, not months
- Homeowners replacing a fence blown down or rotted through after several winters
- New-build and extension clients who need a garden boundary fenced for the first time
- Anyone re-establishing a boundary line after a dispute, survey or new build next door
- Gardens being redesigned as part of a wider landscaping project
- Anyone wanting a side gate or driveway gate added to an existing fence line
A fence looks simple from the pavement, but most of the fences that fail after two winters failed because of what's underground, not what's above it. Prime Build installs close-board and panel fencing across St Neots, Huntingdon, St Ives, Godmanchester, Cambourne, Cambridge, Sandy, Hemingford Grey and the wider Cambridgeshire area, and we treat the post-setting stage as the part of the job that actually matters. Everything else follows from that.
Jack has been fencing gardens and boundaries for the full 10 years he's been in the trade, and his dad Martin, who taught him the trade, still works alongside him on site. Between them they've reset boundary lines after fence panels have blown flat in a single winter storm because a previous installer set the posts eight inches into a bag of postcrete and called it done. We don't do that. Post depth is not negotiable on our jobs, whatever the fence line looks like on the day we quote it.
Whether you need a single damaged panel replaced, a full boundary re-fenced after a dispute with a neighbour, or a completely new fence line marking out a garden that's never had one, the approach is the same: dig it properly, concrete it properly, and use timber and fixings that will still be doing their job in ten years.
What it costs to leave it
Why so many fences fail within a few years
Cambridgeshire clay is part of the problem. It swells when it's wet and shrinks and cracks when it dries out over summer, and a post that isn't set deep enough or concreted properly will work loose as the ground moves around it season after season. Add an open, exposed garden with nothing to break the wind, which describes a lot of new-build plots around St Neots, Cambourne and Huntingdon, and a poorly set fence line has a genuinely short life expectancy.
The other common failure is gravel boards left out altogether, or fitted loose against bare soil. Without a gravel board, the bottom edge of a close-board panel or featheredge boards sit directly on wet ground, and the timber starts to rot from the bottom up within a couple of seasons, regardless of how well the rest of the fence was built. It's a small, cheap component that gets skipped on rushed jobs, and it's usually the first thing to go.
We also see boundary lines fenced without anyone checking where the actual boundary is. Fitting a fence half a metre onto a neighbour's side, or building it exactly on a disputed line without agreement, causes problems that outlast the fence itself. We talk this through with you before we dig a single hole.
Mistakes we get called out to fix
- Posts set into postcrete at a shallow depth that can't resist wind loading on an exposed run
- No gravel board fitted, so boarding rots from ground contact within a couple of years
- Concrete mixed too wet or poured around a post that's already leaning
- Panels fixed with the wrong fixings so they work loose and rattle in wind
- Fence lines set out without checking the actual boundary against title plans
- Timber bought cheap and untreated, which fails within a season regardless of how it's fitted
How the job runs
A set order of work,
start to finish
Step 1
Site visit and boundary check
Jack comes out to walk the fence line with you, checks ground conditions, existing boundary markers or fence posts, and talks through close-board versus panel fencing for the situation.
Step 2
Setting out the line
The full run is marked out and post positions set out evenly before any digging starts, so gate openings, corner posts and panel widths line up properly along the whole boundary.
Step 3
Digging and setting posts
Post holes are dug to a depth appropriate to the post height and ground conditions, concrete posts or timber posts are set plumb, and concrete is poured and left to cure properly before any weight goes on them.
Step 4
Gravel boards and boarding
Concrete gravel boards are fitted along the base of the run to lift the timber clear of the soil, then close-board featheredge boards or fence panels are fixed to the rails.
Step 5
Gates and hardware
Any gates are hung last, once the fence line either side has settled, with hinges and latches sized to the gate weight so they don't sag or drop within the first year.
Step 6
Final check and clear-up
Every post is checked for plumb, every fixing checked, and the site cleared of offcuts, postcrete bags and dug-out soil before we leave.
What you get
What the work gives you
once we're off site
Concrete posts where they matter
We use concrete posts on runs exposed to wind or where longevity matters most, avoiding the slow rot that eventually takes down a timber post buried in wet clay.
Proper post depth for the height of fence
Post depth is set relative to the height of fence and exposure of the site, not a standard shallow hole dug to save an hour of digging.
Gravel boards fitted as standard
Every close-board and panel fence we install includes a gravel board at the base, keeping boarding clear of ground contact and rot.
Boundary lines checked before digging
We talk through where the boundary actually sits before setting a single post, so you're not left with a fence in the wrong place or a dispute with a neighbour.
£2 million insured, 6-month guarantee
Every fencing job carries Prime Build's public and employers' liability cover and a 6-month workmanship guarantee against defects in what we've built.
Jack and Martin on site
Fencing jobs are carried out by Jack, working alongside his dad Martin, who taught him the trade. You deal with the same people from the quote to the final gravel board.
In detail
What goes into a Prime Build fence line
There's more to a fence than the panels you see from the street. Here's what we actually look at and build on a typical fencing job.
Close-board fencing
Featheredge boards nailed vertically to horizontal arris rails, giving a solid, private, wind-resistant fence that outlasts pre-made panels on most exposed boundaries. Boards overlap so there's no gap for wind to catch, and the whole run is built board by board rather than in pre-fixed sections.
Panel fencing
Pre-made panels fixed between posts using post brackets or slotted concrete posts, quicker to install than close-board and a sensible choice for lower-exposure gardens or where budget rules out board-by-board construction. Panel quality varies hugely, and we fit panels substantial enough to survive normal weather, not the thinnest option on the shelf.
Concrete posts and gravel boards
Concrete posts don't rot, twist or need replacing after a decade the way timber posts eventually do, and slotted concrete posts let panels or gravel boards slide straight in. Gravel boards fitted along the base of the run keep boarding lifted clear of wet soil, which is the single biggest factor in how long a fence lasts.
Post depths and concreting
How deep a post needs to go depends on the height of the fence above ground and how exposed the site is to wind. As a working principle, roughly a third of the total post length goes below ground, set in concrete rather than loose postcrete or compacted soil, and left to cure before boards or panels are fixed. Skipping this step is the single most common cause of a fence going over in the first serious wind.
Boundary lines and setting out
Before digging starts we check the fence line against what's actually agreed as the boundary, whether that's an existing fence position, a garden wall, or title plan information you can provide. Setting the line out evenly before digging means posts, panels and gate openings line up along the whole run rather than being adjusted awkwardly at the end.
Gates
Side gates and driveway gates are built or hung to suit the opening, with hinges and latches sized for the weight of the gate so it doesn't sag over time. Gate posts are set with extra care since they take repeated movement that a straight run of fencing never does.
Timber treatment and finish
We use treated timber suited to outdoor exposure, and won't fit untreated or undersized boarding just because it's cheaper on the day. A fence is only as good as the weakest board in it.
Working around existing planting and structures
Fence lines often run past established hedges, trees, sheds or patios, and post positions sometimes need adjusting to avoid root systems or existing foundations. We work this out on the site visit rather than discovering a problem mid-dig.
Replacing versus re-fencing a whole run
Where only a section of a fence has failed, we'll tell you honestly whether patching that section makes sense or whether the rest of the run is close behind it and a full replacement is the better use of your money.
Common questions
Fencing:
straight answers
Do you fit concrete posts or timber posts?
Both, depending on the site. Concrete posts are a sound choice on exposed runs or where long-term durability matters most; timber posts suit lower-exposure gardens. Jack will recommend the right one when he visits.
How deep do fence posts need to go?
It depends on the height of the fence and how exposed the ground is, but as a working principle roughly a third of the total post length should be below ground, set in concrete. We don't cut corners on this regardless of how the job looks on the surface.
Do you fit gravel boards as standard?
Yes. A gravel board along the base of every close-board or panel run keeps the timber above it clear of wet soil, which is the main thing that determines how long a fence lasts.
Can you replace just one damaged panel?
Yes, though we'll be honest if the rest of the run is the same age and likely to follow soon after, so you can decide whether patching or replacing the whole line makes more sense.
Will you check where the boundary actually is before fencing?
Yes, we talk through the boundary position with you before digging starts, using existing markers, fence positions or any title plan information you can provide.
Do you hang gates as well as build fencing?
Yes, side gates and driveway gates are built into the fence line, with hinges and latches sized to the gate so it doesn't sag or drop over time.
How long does a new fence line take to install?
It depends on the length of run, ground conditions and whether it's close-board or panel fencing. Jack will give you a realistic timeframe once he's seen the job, always allowing for concrete to cure before boards go on.
Do you cover subsidence-related boundary issues?
No, subsidence work isn't something we take on. Standard fence replacement and installation on stable ground is our normal work.
What areas do you cover for fencing work?
St Neots, Huntingdon, St Ives, Godmanchester, Cambourne, Cambridge, Sandy, Hemingford Grey and Cambridgeshire county-wide, plus parts of Bedfordshire, Suffolk and Northamptonshire.
Related work
Often booked alongside
Where we work
Fencing across Cambridgeshire
- St Neots
- Huntingdon
- St Ives
- Godmanchester
- Cambourne
- Cambridge
- Sandy
- Hemingford Grey
- Cambridgeshire
- Bedfordshire
- Suffolk
- Northamptonshire
Based at 11a St Mary's Street, St Neots. See the full list of areas we cover.
Next step
Get your fence line looked at properly
Call 07482 244276, answered 24 hours, or send your details and Jack will come out to look at the boundary and talk through the right fencing for it.
Open 24 hours, 7 days a week · £2 million insured · 6-month workmanship guarantee