Getting a New Fence in Brisbane: What You Need to Know First

Most people start the fencing process backwards. They jump straight to getting quotes before they've thought through the key questions — and then they end up confused about why three quotes are wildly different numbers for what seems like the same job.

Here's what to sort out first.

Do You Actually Need Council Approval?

For most standard residential fencing in Brisbane, the answer is no. The Brisbane City Council exempt most fences from development approval if they meet specific height limits:

• Side and rear boundary fences up to 2m — generally exempt
• Front boundary fences — exempt up to 1m in most zones, with specific rules for corner lots
• Pool fencing — always requires compliance with pool barrier regulations (separate to general fencing rules)

Where it gets complicated: properties in heritage overlays, flood overlays, or near waterways may have additional requirements. If you're unsure, a quick call to Brisbane City Council before you start saves a lot of hassle.

We always tell customers upfront if we think their project might trigger approval requirements.

Shared Fences: Who Pays for What?

Under Queensland's Neighbourhood Disputes (Dividing Fences and Trees) Act 2011, the cost of a dividing fence is typically shared equally between neighbours — unless one party wants something more than a "sufficient dividing fence."

In practice, this means:

• Standard fencing on a shared boundary: both neighbours generally split the cost
• One neighbour wants Colorbond®, the other is happy with treated pine: the one wanting the upgrade may need to cover the difference
• If a neighbour refuses to contribute, there's a formal process through QCAT (the Queensland Civil and Administrative Tribunal)

This doesn't come up on every job, but on shared boundary fences it's worth having a conversation with your neighbour before you get quotes — not after.

What Makes a Quality Install

This is the thing most homeowners can't easily assess from looking at a finished fence — and it's where cheap jobs and quality jobs diverge.

Post depth and concrete footings. Posts set too shallow or without adequate concrete will move over time. In Brisbane's clay-heavy soils, this is especially important. Ground movement in wet/dry cycles will shift undersized footings. A correctly set post goes deep enough and is fully concreted.

Post size for the application. A 1.8m Colorbond® fence on a long, exposed run needs adequate post sizing. The spec that's fine for a sheltered 10m fence isn't necessarily right for a 60m boundary fence in an exposed backyard. Most people have no way of knowing if their posts are undersized until the fence starts to lean.

Rail count and placement. Standard 1.8m Colorbond® and timber fences typically run two rails. Some contractors will run one on shorter panels to cut labour. Two rails properly positioned makes a stronger, more rigid fence.

Gate hardware. The gate is where a fence either holds up or doesn't. Cheap gate hardware sags, sticks, and eventually fails. Quality hinges, a proper latch, and a well-hung gate make the difference between a gate you use every day without thinking and one you're constantly adjusting.

Colorbond® vs Timber: The Key Differences

Both are excellent choices for Brisbane. The decision usually comes down to three things:

Maintenance. Colorbond® needs virtually none — an occasional rinse is it. Timber needs to be painted or oiled on a 3–5 year cycle. Miss that cycle consistently and the timber will deteriorate.

Aesthetic. Nothing replicates the warmth of real timber, especially on older character homes. Colorbond® comes in 22 colours and has gotten much better looking over the last decade, but it's still steel.

Longevity. Both can last 20+ years with correct installation. The difference is that Colorbond®'s lifespan is mostly in your contractor's hands at install time. Timber's lifespan is partly in yours — through ongoing maintenance.

We install both every week. When customers ask which we'd recommend for their property, we give them a straight answer based on their home and their lifestyle — not whatever's easier to install.

Sloped Ground and What It Means for Your Job

Brisbane is not flat. Most properties have some slope, and slope adds complexity to fencing.

There are two ways to handle a fence on sloped ground:

Stepped fencing — the fence line drops in level steps, following the slope in increments. The panels remain perfectly vertical. There are gaps between the bottom of the fence and the ground at each step.

Raked fencing — the panels are cut or set at an angle to follow the ground contour. The bottom line of the fence tracks the slope. More consistent ground coverage, but more labour-intensive to execute well.

Which approach suits your property depends on the degree of slope, the fence type, and what you're trying to achieve. On very steep blocks, a retaining wall is often part of the solution.

What to Have Ready Before Getting a Quote

You don't need to be precise — we'll measure properly on a site visit. But having a rough sense of the following helps the initial conversation:

• Approximate fence length — you can pace it out (one step ≈ one metre)
• Preferred height — standard residential is 1.8m
• Whether there's an existing fence to remove
• What the neighbouring property looks like — affects the shared fence conversation

The only way to get an accurate quote is a site visit. Photos and Google Maps give us a starting point, but site conditions — soil type, existing structures, access, drainage — all affect how a job gets priced and planned.