Side gates and wing fences in Wollert

A wing fence is the short section of fence that runs from the side boundary to the front corner of the house, and the side gate sits in it to close off the side path and backyard. Most are built to match the boundary fence in Colorbond, timber paling or aluminium slat, and they are usually priced as a fixed item per gate plus the fence section, not purely by the metre. Your enquiry goes to an independent fencing business that quotes and builds the gate itself; the about page has the detail.

Why wing fences matter on a new lot

On a freshly built home the side path is often open to the street until a wing fence goes in. Closing it keeps dogs and small children in, hides bins and gives you a lockable yard. Where a pool is planned, the wing fence and gate may also form part of the pool barrier, which changes what hardware is allowed. Read the pool fencing page before choosing a gate that will sit on a barrier line.

Matching the gate to the fence

Gate and wing style	Suits	Watch for
Colorbond infill on a steel frame	Homes with a Colorbond boundary	Frame bracing so the gate does not sag
Timber paling or lapped timber	Timber boundaries and older homes	Timber moves, so hinges and latch need adjusting over time
Aluminium or timber slat	Front facades where the gate is on show	Slat gaps if it is part of a pool barrier
Double gates	Trailers, boats, garden machinery	Drop bolt and a firm centre stop

For per metre guide prices on the wing fence itself, the hipages fencing cost guide gives $85 to $100 per metre for Colorbond and $280 to $350 per metre for treated pine slat, supplied and installed. The gate leaf, hinges, latch and any lock are normally priced on top. Our Wollert fencing costs page lists questions to put to each quote.

How wide should a side gate be?

Measure the narrowest point of the side path, then think about what has to pass through it. Wheelie bins, a mower and a wheelbarrow need less room than a trailer or a small excavator for future landscaping work. If the side path is the only machine access to the backyard, a double gate or a wider single leaf can save removing a fence section later. Check also that the gate does not swing over a gas meter, hot water unit or downpipe.

Height and position rules near the street

Wing fences sit close to the front of the house, so the height limits for fences near a street matter. Hume City Council’s fencing page lists a building permit as needed for a front fence over 1.5 m high within 3 m of the street, and for a corner fence over 1 m within 9 m of intersecting streets. The City of Whittlesea publishes the same corner limits for corner properties and notes that a covenant on the title can override them. If the wing fence is set well back from the street, the usual side fence limits apply instead. Your fencer should confirm which rule covers your position before building.

Some estates also control the look of wing fences and gates through design guidelines or a covenant, for example by requiring them to be set back from the front facade or finished in a particular colour. Read the guidelines that came with your land contract.

What the fencer will ask you

• The gap between the house and the boundary at the gate position.
• Which way the gate should swing and whether it needs to lock from both sides.
• The fence style it must match, with a photo of the boundary fence.
• Whether the ground slopes across the opening, which affects hinge choice and the gap under the gate.
• What sits under the side path: stormwater pits, sewer inspection points or cables found through a Before You Dig Australia check.
• Whether the gate forms part of a pool barrier.

How a side gate and wing fence go in

1. Set the post positions so the gate opening is square and the hinge post sits clear of drainage.
2. Concrete the hinge and latch posts, or fix them to the house wall where suitable brackets and fixings allow.
3. Build the wing fence panels to match the boundary.
4. Hang the gate, set the hinges and adjust it so it swings freely and closes cleanly.
5. Fit the latch, lock and drop bolt, and check the gap under the gate.
6. Clean up and show you how to adjust the hinges.

What a careful fencer avoids

A careful fencer will not hang a heavy gate on an unbraced frame, will not drill into the house wall without checking for pipes and cables, and will not fit a standard latch on a gate that forms part of a pool barrier. They will also flag when a gate on a corner block would breach the height limit near the intersection, rather than leaving that for you to discover later.

Side gates around Wollert and nearby suburbs

Gate and wing fence jobs come up most on newly handed-over homes in Wollert, Donnybrook and Mernda, and on established homes where the original timber gate has sagged. In older streets the job often includes replacing a rotted gate post, which the fence repair page covers in more detail.

Ask for a side gate quote

Measure the opening, photograph the side path from the street and from the backyard, and note the fence style you want to match. Then send your side gate details so a local provider can price the gate and wing fence together.

Send a job enquiry