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PRO MemberPermalink Reply by Kieran Ray on March 6, 2010 at 18:58

I have Tryed a few different post mixes with mixed results,

Lafarge - Postcrete - exelent no issues.

Hanson post fix - not good broke up too easy and doesent like to soak up the water.

Rugby postfixer - Not good takes too long to go off then dosent seem to hold well.

Hope this helps with what to buy, I always get postcrete from wickes, there usualy the cheepest even with trade deals from builders merchants and fencing companys.

Stuart Marler said:

Postcrete from Wickes is brilliant, 2 bags per hole. Never failed on me yet.

Robin Ainsworth said:

post -mix is crap.

i never trust it.

old or weak mix . - not for me thanks..........

Andy Thorne said:

Forget that! I always use postfix - ready mixed fence post concrete product. Cost it into the job at £5p/post.
Whack the post up, 5-10mins later carry on - superb for efficiency

Robin Ainsworth said:

u should set post in first , return about 24 hrs later and pop panels in............or make sure the wind etc/ people dont move the posts...

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PRO MemberPermalink Reply by Gardens4u.co.uk on March 6, 2010 at 18:58

same here................ its never easy as stuart says relly your day is gone by the time your home and spades cleaned/locked away !!

Pro Gard said:

My quote would depend on urgency of work. if no hurry I would quote less and fit in the job when I had a second close by within say a five week window. If not and the job urgent then I would price as Stuart to include a days labor to cover traveling time etc etc .

In this way small jobs can be quite profitable yet competitively priced.

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Permalink Reply by Andy Thorne on March 6, 2010 at 19:14

Neil, if you're replacing posts that have already been concreted in you won't have to dig a hole. Problem often is that the resultant hole is too big! :(

Neil Bishop said:

Thanks for that Kieran, ive got a Wickes around the corner. Any tool which speeds up digging gets a thumbs up as i absolutely hate digging holes!

Kieran Ray said:

If you have a wickes near you they do 2 great tools to speed it up:

http://www.wickes.co.uk/Builders-Fencing-Spade/invt/190344 This is great for cutting roots and getting throught the ground.

and of course fencing spoons. They will help get a post hole dug in about 10 mins, I rekon if you put your back into it you could get it all done in 2 hours including waiting for the postcrete. but put in a half day labour quote just in case.

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PRO MemberPermalink Reply by Kieran Ray on March 6, 2010 at 19:15

Its also great for leavering out the old concrete! lol!

Andy Thorne said:

Neil, if you're replacing posts that have already been concreted in you won't have to dig a hole. Problem often is that the resultant hole is too big! :(

Neil Bishop said:

Thanks for that Kieran, ive got a Wickes around the corner. Any tool which speeds up digging gets a thumbs up as i absolutely hate digging holes!

Kieran Ray said:

If you have a wickes near you they do 2 great tools to speed it up:

http://www.wickes.co.uk/Builders-Fencing-Spade/invt/190344 This is great for cutting roots and getting throught the ground.

and of course fencing spoons. They will help get a post hole dug in about 10 mins, I rekon if you put your back into it you could get it all done in 2 hours including waiting for the postcrete. but put in a half day labour quote just in case.

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Permalink Reply by joe proudley on March 6, 2010 at 19:25

hi depending on the panel your using ie whether its a close board or lap panel i usually aim for about 80 pound a "bay" and if your using the litecast conrete posts and graval boards theres no reason why you couldnt do the job on your own and pocket all the 90 quid for prob 1.5 hours work!


joe proudley

West midland landscapes

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Permalink Reply by Neil Bishop on March 6, 2010 at 19:50

Thanks for all the advice guys. The job isnt too urgent and its a friend of the family. Im going to do it one morning when i know ive got another half days work doing a small tidy up on a price.

Im going to charge £120 for half a day (3.5 hours) plus materials. I will say that if it goes over this time then its more but if its a piece of cake and we're done in 2 then ill drop it by a bit, its a friend of the family after all and as im only just starting out i need all the repeat business and good word-of-mouth advertising i can get.

I think its a fair price. Thanks again.

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Permalink Reply by Charles Langford on March 7, 2010 at 17:06

Hi there,

We work on a basis of 8 to 10 bays of fencing a day for two guys. That includes removal of the old fence, digging holes (never less than 800mm deep), concreteing in the post, attaching gravel boards, and then either panels or arris rails, feather edge, counter rails capping etc... Whether this is achieved or not depends on they digging conditions. The other day we were working on sand and put 20 posts in. The previous week we were on chalk, flint and clay and only 6 posts were dealt with in the day. Be careful slotting panels into concrete posts once they have been concreted in as sometimes the gravelboards and the panels are not exactly the same width and it can be a struggle to get them in or they flap about. You mentioned that the first hole was near to the house. Will you be able to get a concrete post flush against the house because of the footing of the house wall or might you be better off securing a wall plate?

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Permalink Reply by Neil Bishop on March 7, 2010 at 17:15

Thats what I was thinking, all of the other houses have got a strip of wood bolted (im assuming) to the wall, then the panel is nailed to that and slotted in a concrete post the other end. Im sure there is a reason why no-one else has put a post there and im thinking its because of the footings sticking out. I dont particularly fancy taking a chunk out of the footings in the process of digging a hole

Charles Langford said:

Hi there,

We work on a basis of 8 to 10 bays of fencing a day for two guys. That includes removal of the old fence, digging holes (never less than 800mm deep), concreteing in the post, attaching gravel boards, and then either panels or arris rails, feather edge, counter rails capping etc... Whether this is achieved or not depends on they digging conditions. The other day we were working on sand and put 20 posts in. The previous week we were on chalk, flint and clay and only 6 posts were dealt with in the day. Be careful slotting panels into concrete posts once they have been concreted in as sometimes the gravelboards and the panels are not exactly the same width and it can be a struggle to get them in or they flap about. You mentioned that the first hole was near to the house. Will you be able to get a concrete post flush against the house because of the footing of the house wall or might you be better off securing a wall plate?

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Permalink Reply by Andy Thorne on March 7, 2010 at 20:20

Use shield anchors Neil. Have seen people use rawl plug and screws or coach bolts but they're not a patch on anchors strength wise.
Toolstation were best price last time I ordered a load. :)

Neil Bishop said:

...all of the other houses have got a strip of wood bolted (im assuming) to the wall, then the panel is nailed to tha....
Charles Langford said:

Hi there,

We work on a basis of 8 to 10 bays of fencing a day for two guys. That includes removal of the old fence, digging holes (never less than 800mm deep), concreteing in the post, attaching gravel boards, and then either panels or arris rails, feather edge, counter rails capping etc... Whether this is achieved or not depends on they digging conditions. The other day we were working on sand and put 20 posts in. The previous week we were on chalk, flint and clay and only 6 posts were dealt with in the day. Be careful slotting panels into concrete posts once they have been concreted in as sometimes the gravelboards and the panels are not exactly the same width and it can be a struggle to get them in or they flap about. You mentioned that the first hole was near to the house. Will you be able to get a concrete post flush against the house because of the footing of the house wall or might you be better off securing a wall plate?

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Permalink Reply by Charles Langford on March 7, 2010 at 21:52

Thunder bolts or frame fixers work well. Can always add a drop of epoxy resin in the hole you drill to add further strength.

Andy Thorne said:

Use shield anchors Neil. Have seen people use rawl plug and screws or coach bolts but they're not a patch on anchors strength wise.
Toolstation were best price last time I ordered a load. :)

Neil Bishop said:

...all of the other houses have got a strip of wood bolted (im assuming) to the wall, then the panel is nailed to tha....
Charles Langford said:

Hi there,

We work on a basis of 8 to 10 bays of fencing a day for two guys. That includes removal of the old fence, digging holes (never less than 800mm deep), concreteing in the post, attaching gravel boards, and then either panels or arris rails, feather edge, counter rails capping etc... Whether this is achieved or not depends on they digging conditions. The other day we were working on sand and put 20 posts in. The previous week we were on chalk, flint and clay and only 6 posts were dealt with in the day. Be careful slotting panels into concrete posts once they have been concreted in as sometimes the gravelboards and the panels are not exactly the same width and it can be a struggle to get them in or they flap about. You mentioned that the first hole was near to the house. Will you be able to get a concrete post flush against the house because of the footing of the house wall or might you be better off securing a wall plate?

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Permalink Reply by Neil Bishop on March 7, 2010 at 22:08

Thanks for the advice on the fixings guys

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