Closeboard fencing in Margate, done to the coastal spec.

What's included

• Concrete slotted posts (typically 2.4m or 2.7m depending on final height), set to firm bearing in the chalk substrate
• Concrete gravel board at the base, holding the timber clear of ground damp
• Vertical featheredge boards, pressure-treated to UC4 (in-ground contact class - the standard for coastal exposure)
• Arris rails and capping rail on the top edge to shed water off the board ends
• All post concrete mixed on site to a firm 4:2:1 ballast:sand:cement, not thrown dry into the hole
• Old fence, panels and posts stripped and removed from site as part of the quote unless you want them left for reuse
• Photo record of the finished run and the exact timber spec on the invoice

Timing

A standard 20-metre closeboard run replacing an existing panel fence: 2 working days, split as day 1 strip-out and post-setting (posts left to cure overnight), day 2 board installation and capping. Longer runs pro-rata. Storm-damage repair replacing 3-4 panels' worth of run: same-day where the posts survived, half-day extra where they didn't.

Margate-specific notes

Post depth on the CT9 coast. The rule of thumb is 25-33% of the total post length below ground. For a 6ft finished height on a 2.4m post, that is 0.6-0.8m in the ground. On Palm Bay and Cliftonville chalk where the substrate hits at 400mm, dig to 800mm and pack the collar. On softer Garlinge and Birchington topsoil, dig further and use post-mix rapid-set to hold the collar tight while the concrete cures.

Salt easterly exposure. UC4-pressure-treated timber is not optional on any run within a mile of the seafront. UC3 (above-ground contact only) fails inside 5 years on Cliftonville and Palm Bay boundaries. UC4 with a well-treated end-grain sealer on the field cuts, honest 12-15 years to first-board-replacement.

Neighbour discussions. On a shared boundary the good-face-out convention is the smooth-boarded side (the featheredge side) facing your neighbour, the arris rails on your side. If you and the neighbour split the cost you split which side gets the smooth face; if you are paying alone the choice is yours by convention.

Pricing

Standard 6ft closeboard on concrete posts and gravel boards runs £75-95 per metre installed on straightforward runs. 5ft closeboard runs £65-85 per metre. 4ft closeboard runs £55-75 per metre. Chalk-substrate difficulty at Palm Bay or clifftop Cliftonville can add £5-10 per metre where post-hole depth is the constraint. Fixed price after WhatsApp photos and (on runs over 15 metres) a short site visit.