Fencing guide
Five checks you can run from your couch, the questions that separate a fence that lasts from a cheap one, and the red flags to walk away from.
Search for a fencer near your suburb rather than across all of Melbourne. A local contractor measures sooner, knows the ground (sandy near the bay, heavier clay further inland) and the council rules, and is easy to get back to if anything needs attention later. Directory sites list plenty of names; the checks below sort them.
| Check | Where | What you are looking for |
|---|---|---|
| ABN and GST status | ABN Lookup | An active ABN in the name on the quote. If GST is added, the business should be registered for GST. |
| Registration claim | BPC Find and check a practitioner | If a fencer says they are a registered builder, the number should match a current registration. |
| Reviews | Google, plus any directory profile | Recent reviews that mention fencing, the suburb and how problems were handled, not just star counts. |
| Business name | The quote, website and van | The same name and contact details everywhere. A mismatch is worth asking about. |
| Written terms | Website or a request | Payment stages, warranty on workmanship and how variations are handled, in writing. |
Whether fencing work needs a registered practitioner depends on the type and value of the work. If you are unsure, ask the Building and Plumbing Commission or Consumer Affairs Victoria.
An online figure is a good starting point, but the price you sign should come from someone who has walked your boundary. A good quote names the fence and what is in it, line by line:
Our 12-point quote checklist goes through each line, and the paling fence cost guide shows how each spec step changes the price.
Draw your fence line on a satellite map for a free online instant estimate in about 2 minutes. Then book a free, no-obligation measure and written quote, so you have something solid to compare.
Get my instant estimate →Published 2026 Melbourne guides put a standard 1.8m timber paling fence at about $120 to $190 per metre installed, and Colorbond at about $100 to $180 for a basic install or $180 to $260 fully inclusive. A quote well under those ranges usually means a lighter spec (thinner or treated pine posts, fewer rails, shallow footings) or extras left off. These are market ranges, not our prices: see how much a fence costs in Melbourne and the Colorbond cost guide.
Expanse Fencing is owner-run by Pete Kendall from Heatherton. We are a registered building practitioner (CDB-U 67771), which you can check on the BPC register, and we build timber paling fences on hardwood posts set in concrete as standard, plus Colorbond, aluminium and gates. We work across Heatherton, Cheltenham, Moorabbin, Mentone, Highett, Dingley Village, Brighton, Hampton, Sandringham, Bentleigh, Bentleigh East and the rest of south east Melbourne. We build new fences; we do not take repair-only jobs. Local guides: fencing in Kingston and timber paling fences in Bayside.
Check the ABN and GST status on ABN Lookup, check any registration claim on the Building and Plumbing Commission's Find and check a practitioner register, read recent reviews that mention fencing, and make sure the business name on the quote matches the website and the van. Then get a written, itemised quote after an on-site measure.
It depends on the job. Whether domestic building work needs a registered practitioner depends on the type and value of the work, so ask the Building and Plumbing Commission or Consumer Affairs Victoria if you are unsure. If a fencer says they are registered, check the number on the BPC register before you sign.
Two or three written quotes from local fencers is usually enough. Make sure each one prices the same fence: height, style, post type, rails, removal, gates and GST. A free online instant estimate is a quick way to know the ballpark before anyone visits.
Ask what posts they use and how deep the holes go, how they will handle slope, who will talk to your neighbour on a shared fence, whether anything needs a permit, when they can start and how long it takes, and what the written warranty covers.
No written quote or a single unexplained number, cash only or no ABN, pressure to sign or pay on the day, door-knocking straight after a storm, a registration number that does not match the BPC register, and vague answers about posts and footings.
Rarely. A quote well under published market ranges usually means a lighter spec, such as thinner posts, fewer rails or shallow footings, or extras such as removal left off. Compare the line items, not just the total.
Start with a free online instant estimate: draw your boundary on a satellite map and see a figure in about 2 minutes. Then book a free, no-obligation on-site measure and written quote. We need 24 hours' notice and there is no deposit to book.
Get my instant estimate → Call 0433 938 540General information only, current at October 2026. For your situation, check with the Building and Plumbing Commission, Consumer Affairs Victoria or your council. Sources: Building and Plumbing Commission, Find and check a practitioner; ABN Lookup; Consumer Affairs Victoria; Fences Act 1968 (Vic). Price ranges are from the published guides cited in our fence cost guide.