Costs, shared fences and neighbours, permits and height rules in Victoria, timber vs Colorbond, lifespan and install times. Plain English, 2026.
A new fence is priced by the linear metre, and the total comes down to five things: length, height, material, whether the old fence needs removing, and your site's slope and access. Treated pine paling is the most cost-effective option in Melbourne; Colorbond steel sits at the premium end. Two homes on the same street can differ by hundreds of dollars, so the accurate way to know your figure is a measured estimate: the free online instant estimator prices your actual fence line in about two minutes. For a deeper breakdown of what drives the price, see our cost of fencing in Melbourne guide.
The instant online estimate is calculated from your fence length and gives you an accurate ballpark in about two minutes, free, without a site visit. The formal quote is locked in after an on-site measure, where slope, access, gates and the condition of the old fence are checked in person. At Expanse Fencing the on-site measure has a $150 fee that is fully credited toward your fence, so it costs nothing extra when you go ahead.
The big cost drivers, roughly in order: fence height (a 2.1m privacy fence uses more timber than a 1.8m standard), total length, removal and disposal of the old fence, sloping or stepped ground, tight access for materials, the number of gates, and the material chosen. Extras like plinth boards (a horizontal board at the base), capping and painting add to the price but also add life and looks.
Not for the estimate: the online estimator prices your fence from your address without anyone visiting. For the on-site measure it helps to be home so gates, boundary lines and special requests can be agreed on the spot, but with access to the fence line it can usually be done without you.
Under the Victorian Fences Act 1968, adjoining owners generally contribute equally to a "sufficient dividing fence". If you want a higher standard than sufficient (say, a 2.1m lapped and capped fence where a 1.8m paling fence would do), you usually pay the difference. The process starts with a Fencing Notice to your neighbour. We cover the whole process, including what counts as "sufficient", in our dedicated guide: who pays for a dividing fence in Victoria.
Talk first, then give a formal Fencing Notice under the Fences Act. If there is no agreement after 30 days you can get free help from the Dispute Settlement Centre of Victoria, and as a last resort apply to the Magistrates Court. Plenty of owners also simply choose to build and cover the cost themselves when they want the fence done sooner than the dispute process allows.
Most standard side and rear boundary fences up to 2 metres do not need a building permit. A permit or council report and consent is generally needed for: a front fence over 1.5 metres (or over 2 metres on a declared main road), any fence over 2 metres, some corner blocks where driver sight lines matter, and every swimming pool barrier. Councils can vary, so check with yours before building anything unusual. Your fencing contractor should flag this at the measure.
As a general guide under Victoria's Building Regulations 2018: side and rear fences up to 2 metres without a permit; front fences up to 1.5 metres (2 metres on a declared main road). The most common builds in Melbourne are 1.8m standard paling and 2.1m tall privacy; the taller option is usually fine behind the front building line but confirm for your block.
A well-built treated pine paling fence in Melbourne typically lasts 15 to 20 years, often longer. Three things matter most: the posts (concrete-set treated pine lasts far longer than dirt-set), drainage (soil that stays wet rots posts early), and maintenance (keep garden beds off the palings, and stain or paint to slow weathering).
Timber paling is Melbourne's most popular boundary fence: cost-effective, natural-looking, easy to repair panel by panel. Colorbond steel costs more upfront but will not rot, warp or need painting. Budget priority: timber. Zero-maintenance priority: Colorbond. We compare price, lifespan, looks, privacy and wind performance in detail in our Colorbond vs timber comparison guide.
A premium timber paling fence where the palings overlap (lapped), so no gaps open up as the timber shrinks, and a horizontal capping rail runs along the top. The capping protects the end grain of the palings from rain, which is where standard fences age first. Result: better privacy, cleaner look, longer life, at a higher price than a standard butted paling fence.
Yes, and it is one of the best things you can do for its lifespan, but not straight away. New treated pine holds moisture and needs roughly 6 to 12 weeks of drying before coating, or the stain will not absorb properly. After that, a quality exterior stain or paint every 5 or so years keeps it sharp. Full steps in our fence painting guide.
A typical suburban boundary fence of 20 to 30 metres takes one to two days on site: old fence out and new posts set in concrete on day one, rails and palings once the concrete has taken. Long runs, tight access, rocky ground or extra gates add time. Lead time to start varies with the season; booking the on-site measure is what locks your spot in the schedule.
Yes. Removal and responsible disposal of the old fence is included as a line in the quote. Note that old treated pine should never go in green waste; it needs to go to an appropriate facility, which is part of why removal has a real cost.
Yes. On a slope the fence is either stepped (each panel dead level, stepping down the hill, the cleaner look) or raked (rails follow the slope so the bottom of the fence hugs the ground, best for keeping dogs in). Which suits your block depends on the fall and what the fence is for, and it is settled at the on-site measure.
A careful crew works around established gardens, but building a fence does mean digging post holes along the boundary and carrying materials through the yard. Tell us what is precious at the measure: beds near the fence line can be protected, individual plants can be covered or temporarily moved as an add-on service, and access paths agreed before work starts.
Yes. Expanse Fencing is run by a registered building practitioner (Victorian licence C-DBU 67771), fully insured, and every fence carries a 5-year structural warranty. Owner-run: the person who quotes your fence is accountable for the crew that builds it.
All Melbourne metropolitan suburbs: east, south-east, south, north and west. The instant online estimator works for any Melbourne address.
Enter your address, draw your fence line on the map, and get a free online instant estimate. No phone tag, no waiting for callbacks.
Get my instant estimate →General information only, current at July 2026. Regulations vary between councils and change over time; confirm requirements with your local council. For dividing fence law, see the Fences Act 1968 (Vic) and our detailed guide.