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Author Topic: Stock fencing the cost  (Read 59804 times)

honeyend

  • Joined Oct 2011
Stock fencing the cost
« on: October 22, 2011, 12:46:04 am »
I am going through the cost of fencing a 5 acre field. Its mainly for horses but there are certain areas where I will put sheep. The majority of it will be mains powered electric fencing but there is some stock fencing to do.
 So my question is what is a reasonable charge for someone to come and do it? I would prefer to buy the fencing so I know whatt I've bought. One chap has quoted £140 to hang a pair of gates. In total theres about 1000 meteres of fencing and 4 gates.

hughesy

  • Joined Feb 2010
  • Anglesey
Re: Stock fencing the cost
« Reply #1 on: October 22, 2011, 11:11:42 am »
It will somewhat depend on the type of terrain. A nice flat run of fence is quicker and easier to set up than one which goes up hill and down dale. You'll probably be looking at a couple of quid a metre if you supply the materials. You might get a better deal from a contractor if you let them supply the materials and give you an all in price. They will be able to get the stuff cheaper than you can and won't need to wack on the labour cost as they'll make a bit on the posts etc. Either way good luck it's gonna cost you a bob or two.

HappyHippy

  • Guest
Re: Stock fencing the cost
« Reply #2 on: October 22, 2011, 11:40:19 am »
You're looking at around £3 per meter for stock fencing to buy the stuff (based on £2 per post and £50 per 25m roll of fence) I get 8ft gates for around £60 each.
I've seen contractors quote various prices from £6 to £10 pounds per meter (supply & install) - we've got over 100 acres to do and not much cash so we've got the fun job of doing it all ourselves  ::)
It's hard going, but it's worth it in the end  ;)
HTH
Karen  :wave:

BacheBrook

  • Joined Sep 2011
  • Herefordshire
  • BacheBrook Ryelands & BacheBrook Pigs
Re: Stock fencing the cost
« Reply #3 on: October 22, 2011, 12:46:17 pm »
i got quoted for 150m of stock fencing with rail top and to hang 7 gates 2700 :O alot i know lol it was 8.65m + vat and 95 per gate to hang (more than the gates actually cost !!) just to give u an idea :)
BacheBrook x ( Ryeland Sheep)

honeyend

  • Joined Oct 2011
Re: Stock fencing the cost
« Reply #4 on: October 22, 2011, 05:18:32 pm »
I have done quite a bit of research and I have got the cost of the posts right down as I am buying 2 packs, so realy its the cost of the labour. Want to pay enough to get a good job but not someone who thinks because I am a women I'm soft headed.
 Thanks for the imput.

DJ_Chook

  • Joined Jun 2009
  • Mid Wales
  • Chicken mad, nothing else just chickens.
Re: Stock fencing the cost
« Reply #5 on: October 22, 2011, 07:21:41 pm »
It might be cheaper to get an all inclusive price. 8ft stakes in the ground 3ft, two barb on the bottom, stock netting, 1 row on top barb, then a rail, 75m a day on good flat land. This was a bit more than a standard stock fence though. Ask them how long they think it will take to do and don't pay dayrate.
Chicken nutter extraordinaire.

ambriel

  • Joined Jan 2011
  • Kinlochbervie, NW Sutherland, Scotland
  • Mad, bad, and dangerous to know!
    • Harbour Cottage
Re: Stock fencing the cost
« Reply #6 on: October 22, 2011, 10:31:37 pm »
I buy all our fencing from HIS in Inverness. They're substantially cheaper for both posts and stock fencing than anywhere else I've found.

Penninehillbilly

  • Joined Sep 2011
  • West Yorks
Re: Stock fencing the cost
« Reply #7 on: October 23, 2011, 01:13:18 am »
we had a contractor in recently, he has a tractor with all the equpment, charges £2.50 +VAT per metre, + ? for gates (didn't ask that bit). areas he has to do by hand is £4.50 per metre. (+ the fencing and gates bought direct from local supplier). But I have to say - it's a damn good fence, expensive but worth it.

ellisr

  • Joined Sep 2009
  • Wales
Re: Stock fencing the cost
« Reply #8 on: October 24, 2011, 03:21:35 pm »
Remember not to use barbed wire with horses or you will for sure have large vet bills to patch them up (or worse). I have seen a spooked horse that has ran into barbed wire and it is not pretty.

waterhouse

  • Guest
Re: Stock fencing the cost
« Reply #9 on: October 26, 2011, 11:23:10 pm »
We have rented some land which the owner used to use for cows and fenced with barbed wire.  We've taken quite a lot out but a big chunk is against a busy main road and the barbed is holding part of the fence together.  What we eventually did was put 40mm white electric tape on stand-offs to keep the horses and sheep away from the stuff.  Of course the sheep found a length elsewhere and we found one of them stuck fast though without a scratch. 

It's been often said that you can't live with it, and you can't farm without it.  It's real bastard stuff to remove and roll up 'cos its heavy and sharp - we found some cable drums that had been dumped nearby which helped.


honeyend

  • Joined Oct 2011
Re: Stock fencing the cost
« Reply #11 on: October 29, 2011, 01:17:54 am »
So far I have had two quotes just for the labour and there's £3000 difference, which makes either one way too cheap or one guy is aving a laugh. The fact we live in Cambridgeshire does not help as everything is so expensive, mention the word horse and they think your loaded, not poor because you've spent all you money on hay.
  A post hole rammer off e-bay is £1500 and a local farmer says I can have a tractor and driver for £12 an hour so my husband wants to give it go. I think best pay someone, as he would want perfection and I just want it in before the bad weather comes.
 As I intend to put my ponies in I would never use barbed or plain wire, I like electric on stand off on wooden posts. It going to have a high power mains energiser.

Penninehillbilly

  • Joined Sep 2011
  • West Yorks
Re: Stock fencing the cost
« Reply #12 on: October 30, 2011, 03:14:21 pm »
the top side sounds expensive, ours was about 550 metres, 2 stiles, 5 gates, came out about 1,700 for the labour.
presumably the rammer is the tractor mounted type, hope the tractor driver knows how to use it, our contractor had learnt all sorts of clever little 'tricks' (use a piece of wood to gauge height so each post is the same). and they worked as a team so they each knew just what to do.

old dad

  • Joined May 2010
Re: Stock fencing the cost
« Reply #13 on: October 30, 2011, 10:41:59 pm »
could you not hire a tractor mounted post banger, if so appox £50 a day.

bazzais

  • Joined Jan 2010
    • Allt Y Coed Farm and Campsite
Re: Stock fencing the cost
« Reply #14 on: October 31, 2011, 06:45:20 pm »
I got a post banger, but its a pretty naff one - not much adjustment on it and its all a bit 'lose' and too easy for it to go wrong and tilt the posts.  Its an even bigger pain the the arse if your on your own.

As long as you use a nice big fencing bar to do the pilot holes for the fence posts banging them in by hand is pretty easy - the post knocker does come in handy for the strainers and gate posts ;)

Getting the stockfence tight - well thats another skill.


Before you get someone in to do any fencing - find out where there last job was and go take a look. Or go with a trustworthy recommendation from a friend.

Baz

 

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