Article summary
Weighing up DIY fencing against hiring a professional, with the costs and risks of each approach.
- Category:
- local
- Read time:
- 3 min
- Published:
- 2 June 2025
- Written by:
- My Homes Fencing Expert
Quick answer: DIY can genuinely work for a short, straight fence on easy ground if you're confident setting posts plumb and to the right depth. But Auckland's clay soil, sloping sections, boundary accuracy and the cost of hiring tools mean most homeowners come out ahead hiring a pro for anything longer than a few metres or on a shared boundary. In fencing, the most expensive fence is the one that has to be built twice.
Here's an honest look at what installing a fence actually involves, where DIY jobs tend to go wrong in Auckland, and when paying a professional saves money rather than costing it.
What a Fence Install Actually Involves
A fence is more than nailing palings to rails. It starts with accurately marking the boundary and the fence line, then digging post holes to the correct depth, setting each post dead plumb and concreting it so it can't move, and only then fixing rails and cladding and hanging any gates. Getting the posts right — depth, spacing and plumb — is roughly 80% of whether the finished fence lasts or leans.
The visible part (palings or panels) is the quick, satisfying bit; the groundwork underneath is the part that decides everything, and it's also the part that's hardest to fix after the concrete has set.
Where DIY Fences Go Wrong in Auckland
The failures we're most often called out to rebuild share a few causes: posts set too shallow in Auckland's heavy clay, so they heave and lean after the first wet winter; the wrong timber grade used in the ground (H3.2 instead of in-ground-rated H4), which rots early; posts spaced too far apart, leaving the fence flexing in wind; and boundary lines guessed rather than confirmed, which can spark a dispute with a neighbour.
There's also the hidden cost side. Once you add hiring an auger and tools, buying concrete, and paying to dump the old fence — plus your own weekend labour — the saving over a professional quote is often much smaller than it first looks, and it disappears entirely if any of it has to be redone.
When Hiring a Pro Pays for Itself
A professional is usually the better call on shared boundaries (where the Fencing Act 1978 means your neighbour may share the cost and you'll want it done to an agreed standard), on sloping or retaining sites, and any time speed, a warranty and correct footings matter. A crew builds in days what takes a homeowner several weekends, and stands behind the result.
We provide free written quotes, confirm boundaries and consent needs before starting, use the correct in-ground timber and footings, and handle removal and disposal of the old fence. For most Auckland sections beyond a short, simple run, that works out cheaper over the fence's life than a DIY job that needs propping or rebuilding.
Frequently Asked Questions
Sometimes, for a short straight run on easy ground. But once you factor in tool hire, concrete, old-fence disposal and your own time — and the risk of rework if posts lean — the saving over a professional quote is often small or disappears entirely.
As a general rule, around a third of the post's above-ground height, and at least ~600mm, set in concrete. In heavy clay, on exposed windy sites, or for taller and gate posts, deeper is better to stop leaning.
Yes. Under the Fencing Act 1978 an adjoining owner is generally expected to contribute to a reasonable shared boundary fence, so agreeing on style, height and cost split beforehand avoids disputes later.
Ready to start your fencing project?
Get a free, no-obligation quote anywhere in Auckland.
Get a Free QuoteRelated fencing services
