Fencing in Epping

Epping fencing work is mostly about replacing or repairing fences in established streets, with newer estate work towards the northern edge. Requests sent through this site are matched with an independent fencer who decides whether to take the job, prices it and builds it; the referral details are on the about page.

Epping at a glance

Epping, postcode 3076, is about 18 km north of the Melbourne CBD and directly south of Wollert. It is in the City of Whittlesea, which lists Epping and Epping North as separate suburbs on its suburbs and residents page. The village dates from the 1850s, but major suburban development took place from the 1970s onward, and the northern fringe has been developed for housing more recently.

That history gives Epping a different fencing profile from its northern neighbours. Fences in the older streets can be decades old, while the newer areas look more like Wollert, with first fences going up between new homes.

Typical fencing jobs in Epping

• Replacing tired timber boundary fences. Paling fences with rotten posts and missing palings are common in older streets. Owners often weigh a like-for-like timber paling fence against switching to steel.
• Post and section repairs. Where most of a fence is sound, replacing failed posts and a few sections can buy years; see fence repairs.
• Front fences. Some older homes have low front fences that owners want to replace or raise.
• Pool barrier upgrades. Older backyard pools have to meet the barrier standard that applied when they were installed, and an inspection can flag repairs.

Old fences that may contain asbestos

Because so much of Epping was built from the 1970s, plenty of homes predate 1990. The state’s asbestos hub warns that a home built or renovated before 1990 probably contains asbestos, and it names fences as one place it turns up. If your boundary is flat grey sheeting rather than timber or steel, have it tested before anyone cuts or removes it. The hub recommends a licensed asbestos removalist for any amount, and the new fence goes in once the old sheeting is safely gone.

Front fence heights in established streets

Owners replacing a front fence often want it higher for privacy. Under the limits published by the City of Whittlesea for corner properties, fences can only reach 1 m within 9 m of the intersection point, 1.5 m on the front boundary and 2 m on the side boundary, unless a title covenant says otherwise. Taller fences need a building permit. Brick and masonry fences have lower permit-free heights under the Building Regulations 2018 than lightweight fences, so check a masonry front fence with a building surveyor before it is designed.

Older backyard pools

Pools installed before 8 April 1991 have one Building and Plumbing Commission barrier checklist, pools from that date to 30 April 2010 another, and newer pools a third. An older Epping pool is assessed against the standard for its age, but alterations to the barrier must comply with current regulations and may need a building permit. If the boundary fence forms part of the barrier, replacing it is not a simple dividing fence job; read the pool fencing guide first.

Working with neighbours in older streets

In established streets the neighbour may be an investor or a long-term owner who lives elsewhere. Renters generally are not required to pay for fencing, so you will need the owner’s details. On application, the City of Whittlesea will send you the next-door owner’s name and postal address for a fence matter, and the Dispute Settlement Centre of Victoria fencing guidance explains the Fencing Notice and the 30 day reply period. Ask your fencer for a written quote you can attach to the notice.

Before you book a quote in Epping

1. Note what the existing fence is made of and roughly when it went up.
2. Check whether the boundary is shared with a rental property, and find the owner.
3. Measure each run and photograph both faces if you can.
4. For a front fence, measure its distance from the street and any nearby intersection.
5. Mention any pool on either side of the boundary.

Material choices and price ranges are compared in the fencing cost guide for Wollert and surrounds. When you have the details, send an Epping fencing request with the street name and a short description of the old fence.

Send a job enquiry