Kensington Fencing for Boundaries, Gates and Pools

Each material solves a different problem, so it helps to match the fence to the reason you want it.

Colorbond is steel sheeting on steel posts and rails. It stands up to sun and wind, needs very little upkeep and gives a firm barrier between you and the neighbour. It is a sensible pick for a long side boundary that you want to forget about.

Aluminium slat and batten uses horizontal or vertical slats set close together. It gives privacy from the street or next door and looks tidy at the front of the house. It does not rust and does not need painting.

Timber has the warmest look and suits character homes. It needs sealing or staining over the years, and posts set in sandy soil can rot at the base if moisture sits there.

Glass and aluminium pool fencing is built as a pool barrier, and it has to meet the pool safety standard for the fence to do its job. Glass keeps the view of the pool open. Aluminium is a firmer, lower-cost look.

The fencer confirms the right choice on site once they have seen the ground and the boundary line.

Older blocks often carry fences that have outlived their posts. A timber run with soft, rotted posts starts to lean from the base, and one strong storm can then lay a whole section flat. If that sounds like your back fence, the question is how much of the run is still sound.

A slat front fence and gate can follow the lines of a modern facade, while timber at the front suits an older house.

Strong afternoon winds push hard on any solid fence. A good fencer sets posts deep enough for the sandy ground and spaces them to suit the sheeting. That is what keeps a fence straight after the first rough season.

A repair is the better call when the damage is limited. A few rotten posts, a section knocked out by a storm or a single leaning panel can often be fixed without touching the rest of the run.

On sandy Perth ground, rot tends to start where a post meets damp soil. When one post has gone at the base, the posts either side of it are often not far behind. If the weak posts run along most of the line, a full replacement usually costs less over time than repeated patching.

Old fibro fences are a separate case. Cracked fibro sheeting from an older fence may contain asbestos, so it should be removed by someone qualified to handle it, not broken up and bagged by hand. The new fence can then go in on the same line.

A gate that drags on the ground or will not latch usually points to a sagging post or a frame that has dropped. The same fencer can rebuild the gate and the fence beside it so the two match and swing true.

Boundary fences sit between two properties, so talking to the neighbour is part of many jobs. You do not need to have that sorted before you ask for a quote. A fencer can measure up and price the work, and you can settle the details with next door once you have real numbers.

If a fencer measured up and then went quiet, or you paid a deposit and heard nothing back, a fresh written quote that lists the full run and the gate is a good place to restart. Say what was agreed and whether any work began, then request your quote.

Kensington is a residential suburb about 3 km from the Perth CBD. It was developed in the post-war years and named after the former Kensington Park racecourse, and its homes range from character places through to new builds. Fences from that era may still stand on older blocks, so the fencer looks at what is on your boundary before anything is pulled out.

A block near Moresby Street Reserve or Kensington Bushland Reserve may suit a solid Colorbond or slat fence along the rear line for privacy. If children or pets use the front yard, the fencer can build the gate so it latches securely and the bottom gap suits their size.