Expanse Fencing guides

Fencing & home maintenance guides

Plain-English answers for Melbourne homeowners: what a fence costs, how to compare quotes, who pays, what the rules are and how a good fence is built. No jargon, no sales pitch.

Expanse Fencing › Guides

Reviewed by Pete Kendall, registered building practitioner CDB-U 67771 · Updated 13 October 2026

Every guide in this library is reviewed by Pete Kendall, the registered building practitioner who runs Expanse Fencing, before it goes up. Each one answers a question Melbourne homeowners actually ask: what a fence costs, how to compare quotes, who pays when you share a boundary, which rules apply, and what separates a cheap quote from a fence that lasts. Where a number depends on your property (a boundary length, a slope, an old fence to pull out) we say so rather than guessing. Any price ranges are market ranges from published industry cost guides, not our prices. For a figure for your own boundary, the free online instant estimate takes about 2 minutes, and the on-site measure and written quote are free and no-obligation.

Costs and quotes

What fences cost in Melbourne, what a written quote should include, and what happens when the old fence comes out and the new one goes in.

Fencing FAQ: common questions answered

Costs, the estimate vs the written quote, shared fences, storm damage, permits, heights, posts and removal. A good place to start.

How much does a fence cost in Melbourne?

Typical 2026 Melbourne price ranges, worked examples and what pushes a quote up.

Paling fence cost per metre

The spec ladder from a budget paling fence to one built to last: posts, rails, footings, plinth and capping, and what each step up changes.

How to compare fence quotes: a 12-point checklist

Posts, spacing, footings, rails, removal, gates, exclusions, GST and warranty, line by line, so you are comparing the same fence.

Old fence removal: cost, disposal and fibro

What removal involves, published cost ranges, disposal and who pays on a shared fence, plus why fibro needs a licensed asbestos removalist.

Replacing a fence: the full process

Signs it is time to replace, the neighbour conversation, demolition, and what happens on build day.

Neighbours and the rules

Shared boundary fences under the Fences Act 1968 (Vic), storm damage, permits and council rules. General information only: for your situation, check with your council or the Dispute Settlement Centre of Victoria.

Who pays for a dividing fence in Victoria?

The Fences Act 1968 explained: equal shares, the Fencing Notice process, and what to do when a neighbour will not pay.

Neighbour won't pay for the fence?

The Fencing Notice, the 30-day rule, free help from the Dispute Settlement Centre of Victoria and the Magistrates' Court option.

Fence blown down in a storm?

Making it safe, photos for insurance, what home insurance may cover, the urgent fencing notice and who pays.

Do you need a permit for a fence in Victoria?

Height rules for boundary and front fences, the corner block trap, and when council consent applies.

Fence rules in Kingston, Bayside and Glen Eira

Council-by-council heights and permits for Kingston, Bayside, Glen Eira, Monash and Stonnington, including front fences and overlays.

Building your fence

Posts, heights, paling styles and materials: the details that decide how long a fence stands straight.

Hardwood vs treated pine fence posts

Posts are where most paling fences fail first. Hardwood, treated pine and steel compared on strength, rot and cost, plus what to ask your fencer.

Paling fence heights and post spacing

1.8m vs 2.0m vs 2.1m, typical post spacing, rails, plinths and capping, and when a taller fence needs a permit.

Lapped and capped fences: worth it?

Overlapping palings and a capping board compared with standard butted palings, published Melbourne price ranges and when it pays off.

Colorbond vs timber: which is better?

An honest comparison of cost, lifespan, maintenance, privacy, wind performance and looks.

How long does a fence last?

Typical lifespans by material, the five things that kill fences early, and a simple maintenance schedule.

Home maintenance

Exterior care guides from Expanse Home Maintenance, our sister brand: fence painting, gutters, windows and driveways.

How to paint a timber fence that lasts

When new treated pine is ready to coat, product choice, prep and application.

How often should you clean gutters?

Seasonal guidance for Melbourne homes, warning signs of clogged gutters, and what neglect costs.

Pressure washing vs soft washing

Which method suits your driveway and exterior surfaces, and how to care for them after.

Window cleaning guide

How often, how to get streak-free glass, and when to call a professional.

Tools

Free tools you can use right now, no phone call needed.

Free tool

Free online instant estimate

Draw your boundary on a satellite map and see a timber fence estimate in about 2 minutes.

Free tool

Fencing Notice generator

Fill in a Fences Act 1968 (Vic) Fencing Notice, ready to print and serve on your neighbour. No signup.

Colorbond

Colorbond fencing estimate

A free online instant estimate for low-maintenance Colorbond steel fencing.

Gates

Fence gates

Pedestrian, driveway and automated gates. Aluminium styles price instantly online; timber and Colorbond gates are quoted at the free on-site measure.

Fencing by region

Timber paling fencing across Melbourne, with the local suburb list for each region.

Eastern suburbs

Box Hill to Ringwood to Healesville.

South East Melbourne

Malvern and Bayside to Frankston and Berwick. Home turf: we're based in Heatherton.

Western suburbs

Werribee to Point Cook to Sunshine.

Northern suburbs

Preston to Bundoora to Epping.

About the author

Pete Kendall owns and runs Expanse Fencing, the trading name of Expanse Builders Pty Ltd, from Heatherton in Melbourne's south east. He is a registered building practitioner, registration CDB-U 67771, which you can check on the Building and Plumbing Commission's Find and check a practitioner register.

Pete reviews every guide in this library before it is published. Spotted something wrong or out of date? Email info@expanse.builders and he will take a look.

Ready for a price instead of a read?

Draw your fence line on the map and get a free online instant estimate in about 2 minutes. When you're ready, the on-site measure and written quote are free and no-obligation (book at least 24 hours ahead). Home maintenance estimates are instant too.

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Prefer to talk? Call 0433 938 540.