Stock fencing

[timberbear]

Interesting thread. I've recently been quoted £6.50 p/m which does not to include strainers and gates. 12ft gates hung came in at £170 a time with strainers coming in at £24 each. I did stipulate i didn't want the fence strained onto the gate posts but tied in with rail. The total job comes in at about 12k as its a lot of fencing and a few gates, so I'm doing it my self. Id did an old NPTC course about 25yrs ago and I've done a little bit since. I'm going to hire a local farmer with larger tractor and thumper. I'm going to run in 50m lengths drop a strainer in and than put a meter section of rail in before the next section of fence. This is to allow the hare and deer ease of access into the fields. The longest run will be about 400m with three water gates to make. After pricing up the materials and buying some extra tools I'll still save about 4k! I won't be paying myself as I'll call it a working holiday!

[gnfencer]

I can get 12ft gates c/w hooks for around £70, if that £170 Inc strainers then maybe acceptable, but for me still dear.

 

£24, for a strainer, is it mahogany or oak, timber is more expensive up here, and I'm taking £17 per strainer.

You do the arithmetic!

[gnfencer]

The biggest problem is that there is no accreditation for stock fencing anyone can call themselves a fencer, there is absolutely no proof required, which considering the price of materials, and the expected life span of a fence, is a damned joke.

[inthewoods]

That's fine, my point is too many gardeners, buy a set of wire stretchers and immediately become fencers, without knowledge of animal behaviour I was brought up on farm ,and work at livestock marts for 20 years, and have livestock handling certificate,

 

Yet many gardeners who do fencing have none of the above. Yet still charge handsomely.

 

Put your prices up then :-)

[Goaty]

Interesting thread. I've recently been quoted £6.50 p/m which does not to include strainers and gates. 12ft gates hung came in at £170 a time with strainers coming in at £24 each. I did stipulate i didn't want the fence strained onto the gate posts but tied in with rail. The total job comes in at about 12k as its a lot of fencing and a few gates, so I'm doing it my self. Id did an old NPTC course about 25yrs ago and I've done a little bit since. I'm going to hire a local farmer with larger tractor and thumper. I'm going to run in 50m lengths drop a strainer in and than put a meter section of rail in before the next section of fence. This is to allow the hare and deer ease of access into the fields. The longest run will be about 400m with three water gates to make. After pricing up the materials and buying some extra tools I'll still save about 4k! I won't be paying myself as I'll call it a working holiday!

 

Do yourself a favour and get the best knocker you can get your hands on. It may cost a bit more than you like, but so much quicker and easier, and vastly superior quality control. Since I got the Bryce post driver I'd rather turn the job away than go back to the loader bucket and tiny post driver days.

 

If you do get a good operator and post driver you probably will get a few days real holiday due to early finish.

[timberbear]

I can get 12ft gates c/w hooks for around £70, if that £170 Inc strainers then maybe acceptable, but for me still dear.

 

£24, for a strainer, is it mahogany or oak, timber is more expensive up here, and I'm taking £17 per strainer.

You do the arithmetic!

 

 

Hi Gn, if I remember your in Galloway area? I've just emailed some local suppliers for prices etc. I too picked up 12ft gates for about £70 so with posts and hooks etc came in about £120. Already put five gates up. My preference would have been to get it done in one hit by someone else but doing myself means big savings.

[drinksloe]

Interesting thread. I've recently been quoted £6.50 p/m which does not to include strainers and gates. 12ft gates hung came in at £170 a time with strainers coming in at £24 each. I did stipulate i didn't want the fence strained onto the gate posts but tied in with rail. The total job comes in at about 12k as its a lot of fencing and a few gates, so I'm doing it my self. Id did an old NPTC course about 25yrs ago and I've done a little bit since. I'm going to hire a local farmer with larger tractor and thumper. I'm going to run in 50m lengths drop a strainer in and than put a meter section of rail in before the next section of fence. This is to allow the hare and deer ease of access into the fields. The longest run will be about 400m with three water gates to make. After pricing up the materials and buying some extra tools I'll still save about 4k! I won't be paying myself as I'll call it a working holiday!

 

 

Wot sort of ground is it? And wot type of fence? (i'm assuming sock net)

Generally there is no need to put a strainer in every 50m and u only really put 1 in with a change of direction or a dip or a rise. I've seen u going 150m+ without strainers on rare occasions u have flat straight ground, but i've also seen a few a lot closer to gether for dips/rises.

 

Also not entirely sure why ur having the double strainer every 50m?

Going to put costs up with the extra straner and stay but more so with time it takes to fit a stay properely and tie the wire off.

Fot hare access u could quite easily cut a square out the net at the bottom and rail round it to make it obvious theres a hole, as long as u leave the very bottom line wire intact and steeple the intermediates home will look ok

 

Wot type of deer are they? Roe will generally manage to jump a normal stock fence without too much problem, u could possiblly lower the barb for that section and take a post or 2 to get up to normal hieght (would look hellish thou) or various other ways u could bodge it without putting a strainer

 

All depends wot sort of stock u have in the fields too

[Goaty]

If you check manufacturers websites you will likely find hare spec net. I know tornado do pheasant friendly net.

[timberbear]

If you check manufacturers websites you will likely find hare spec net. I know tornado do pheasant friendly net.

 

 

I've seen the hare friendly stock fencing made by Hampton and will probably go with that.

[timberbear]

Wot sort of ground is it? And wot type of fence? (i'm assuming sock net)

 

Generally there is no need to put a strainer in every 50m and u only really put 1 in with a change of direction or a dip or a rise. I've seen u going 150m+ without strainers on rare occasions u have flat straight ground, but i've also seen a few a lot closer to gether for dips/rises.

 

 

 

Also not entirely sure why ur having the double strainer every 50m?

 

Going to put costs up with the extra straner and stay but more so with time it takes to fit a stay properely and tie the wire off.

 

Fot hare access u could quite easily cut a square out the net at the bottom and rail round it to make it obvious theres a hole, as long as u leave the very bottom line wire intact and steeple the intermediates home will look ok

 

 

 

Wot type of deer are they? Roe will generally manage to jump a normal stock fence without too much problem, u could possiblly lower the barb for that section and take a post or 2 to get up to normal hieght (would look hellish thou) or various other ways u could bodge it without putting a strainer

 

 

 

All depends wot sort of stock u have in the fields too

 

 

Mainly Roe. The ground is soft but full of small Boulder in the top foot or so. I was thinking every fifty meters putting a meter space in the fence so would use rail to go from strained to strainer. With the ground being steep in places I thought this would help the runs. I like the idea of having lots of places for wildlife to cross , most of the fencing will be running along the fallen dykes so I'll try and create gaps where the dykes have failed. I know what you say about the additional costs but I'm saving a lot of money from my original quote. Only got six belted galloway and 50 yews running five fields over a total of 70ac.