Cost of building a fence?

[FACTOR]

Hello.

I need some advice about the cost of building a fence, or wall, around a piece of land.

I know there are many variables like quality etc... but I hope you can provide me with some ball park figures and experiences (i.e. prices) of your own.

I want to build approximately 55 metres of fence made from concrete, or brick covered with cement, and then steel bars. And then another 35 metres of just plain brick fence for the back side of the property where it does not have to look so nice. Total is approximately 90 metres of fence.

Here is a drawing of the type of fence I have in mind for the front 55 metres.

Thanks for your help.

[rotary]

If I remember right they asked me 1200 bhat a meter plus materials several years ago. Was expensive and sounded like a rip off so I built a chain link fence myself on back and sides with Sherwood picket fence in from. Looks great and cost about 25% of what the local guys wanted but I had lots of 3 inch steel pipe that cost me nothing that I used for post cemented in 1 meter holes.

I suggest you search the forum, this has been discussed in detail before about 1-1/2 years ago.

[FACTOR]

Rotary, thanks for the information. Anyone else got some experience in fence building and costs?

By the way, how do I search the forum for past topics?

[onni4me]

I would say 1500 Baht a meter with proper footing. That is with iron not stainless.

The gate is about 5000 Baht a meter from iron, easily 10K a meter from stainless.

Remember to look fro a crew that can do the footings properly since otherwise after few rainy seasons it could fall down. Depending the soil of course.

[Cuban]

I suggest you make the smaller gate wide enough for motorbikes.

[janpharma]

We made a fence wall of 2m high about 3 years ago for less than 1000.-THB/meter. You know that 1 brick costs about 4.5 to 5 THB; you can buy prefab pillars (every 3m one). You can discuss with locals how long it would take and agree upon daily wages (but only pay once a week)...this could help.

[livil]

did a similar job ( on the cheap , nothing fancy ) for slightly over 50k baht for around 60 meters perimeter with 2 meters wide front gate + small back garden gate . labour + material inclusive ( i painted myself ) .

1.8 meters high :5 to 7 bricks high + tall post + lateral steel bar + fake wood upright bars

image speaks better as to the type of work

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/555722-our-320000-baht-house-done/page-2 (post 42)

cheers

Edited November 15, 2013 by livil

[FACTOR]

livil, thank you very much for your reply including photos of the fence and very detailed info. I have copied your photos and will send them to the wife, who is overseeing the building of our house, (while I am somewhere else) as an example of what we might build and with approximate costs.

Question: is your wall, or fence, sturdy? Is it really just to keep the kid in and the dogs out or would you consider it a good security fence? I need a bit of a strong, sturdy secure look to mine as I will be out in the boonies... ..Maybe I could use your plan, based on the photos, but make mine a little stronger with a bit more money put in to it. Are those wood, but not wood, slats sturdy?

Thanks again. I look forward to hearing from you again.

[FACTOR]

I would say 1500 Baht a meter with proper footing. That is with iron not stainless.

The gate is about 5000 Baht a meter from iron, easily 10K a meter from stainless.

Remember to look fro a crew that can do the footings properly since otherwise after few rainy seasons it could fall down. Depending the soil of course.

Thanks for your reply. Forgive my ignorance: from the price difference between stainless and iron, I gather stainless is of much superior quality. But is iron ok to use? What is the fundamental difference between iron and stainless? Life span? Looks? Ease of cleaning and maintenance?

[JaiLai]

I would say 1500 Baht a meter with proper footing. That is with iron not stainless.

The gate is about 5000 Baht a meter from iron, easily 10K a meter from stainless.

Remember to look fro a crew that can do the footings properly since otherwise after few rainy seasons it could fall down. Depending the soil of course.

Thanks for your reply. Forgive my ignorance: from the price difference between stainless and iron, I gather stainless is of much superior quality. But is iron ok to use? What is the fundamental difference between iron and stainless? Life span? Looks? Ease of cleaning and maintenance?

Stainless should not rust is good quality.

[JaiLai]

I would say 1500 Baht a meter with proper footing. That is with iron not stainless.

The gate is about 5000 Baht a meter from iron, easily 10K a meter from stainless.

Remember to look fro a crew that can do the footings properly since otherwise after few rainy seasons it could fall down. Depending the soil of course.

Thanks for your reply. Forgive my ignorance: from the price difference between stainless and iron, I gather stainless is of much superior quality. But is iron ok to use? What is the fundamental difference between iron and stainless? Life span? Looks? Ease of cleaning and maintenance?

Stainless should not rust.

[topt]

Rotary, thanks for the information. Anyone else got some experience in fence building and costs?

By the way, how do I search the forum for past topics?

Try this topic from 6 months ago - http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/642886-perimeter-wall-costs-please/?hl=%2Bwall+%2Bcosts

Put your search term in the search box top right where it says search, click on all to show options and then click the green button and then you may, or may not, get some results that are applicable.

[FACTOR]

But shouldn't I be able to rustproof the iron with something?

Thanks.

[FACTOR]

Thanks, topt, for the link and the tip about the search function (as you can see, I'm new to both the search function and fence building. And I think I screwed up on the copy and reply function to JaiLai re rustproofing.... .)

Thanks for all the great replies everyone. This has got to be one of the most useful times I've used TV.

[fabphil]

and ur letting the wife oversee the building..whoops

[FACTOR]

and ur letting the wife oversee the building..whoops

fabphil, I asked for comments and advice about building a fence, not about my wife's character. Thanks.

[dennisgb45]

Factor , Great responce to Fabphil

and ur letting the wife oversee the building..whoops

fabphil, I asked for comments and advice about building a fence, not about my wife's character. Thanks.

[FACTOR]

Factor , Great responce to Fabphil

and ur letting the wife oversee the building..whoops

fabphil, I asked for comments and advice about building a fence, not about my wife's character. Thanks.

Well, you know what? I knew it would just be a matter of time before the Thai women-bashers picked that one up. Maybe fabphil has been hanging out with the wrong kind of women, or men for that matter.

Anyway, I hope this thread can recover from fabphil's attempted hijacking. I really appreciate all the good advice.

[livil]

livil, thank you very much for your reply including photos of the fence and very detailed info. I have copied your photos and will send them to the wife, who is overseeing the building of our house, (while I am somewhere else) as an example of what we might build and with approximate costs.

Question: is your wall, or fence, sturdy? Is it really just to keep the kid in and the dogs out or would you consider it a good security fence? I need a bit of a strong, sturdy secure look to mine as I will be out in the boonies... ..Maybe I could use your plan, based on the photos, but make mine a little stronger with a bit more money put in to it. Are those wood, but not wood, slats sturdy?

Thanks again. I look forward to hearing from you again.

i could karate chop quiet a few of those slats with one finger ;-)

definitely not sold enough for what you have in mind . better to go all iron for the front . iron + rust proof paint + paint . as said before the best would be stainless steel for the wow factor . hefty price .

have fun with the build

all the best

livil

[alfieconn]

and ur letting the wife oversee the building..whoops

fabphil, I asked for comments and advice about building a fence, not about my wife's character. Thanks.

I don't think he's having a pop at your wifes character, just that 99% of Thais be it your wife or anybody else wouldn't pay the same attention to detail as yourself

[FACTOR]

livil, thank you very much for your reply including photos of the fence and very detailed info. I have copied your photos and will send them to the wife, who is overseeing the building of our house, (while I am somewhere else) as an example of what we might build and with approximate costs.

Question: is your wall, or fence, sturdy? Is it really just to keep the kid in and the dogs out or would you consider it a good security fence? I need a bit of a strong, sturdy secure look to mine as I will be out in the boonies... ..Maybe I could use your plan, based on the photos, but make mine a little stronger with a bit more money put in to it. Are those wood, but not wood, slats sturdy?

Thanks again. I look forward to hearing from you again.

i could karate chop quiet a few of those slats with one finger ;-)

definitely not sold enough for what you have in mind . better to go all iron for the front . iron + rust proof paint + paint . as said before the best would be stainless steel for the wow factor . hefty price .

have fun with the build

all the best

livil

Thanks, livil, maybe I had better be open-minded about splashing out for the fence if I want it to be strong.

[livil]

livil, thank you very much for your reply including photos of the fence and very detailed info. I have copied your photos and will send them to the wife, who is overseeing the building of our house, (while I am somewhere else) as an example of what we might build and with approximate costs.

Question: is your wall, or fence, sturdy? Is it really just to keep the kid in and the dogs out or would you consider it a good security fence? I need a bit of a strong, sturdy secure look to mine as I will be out in the boonies... ..Maybe I could use your plan, based on the photos, but make mine a little stronger with a bit more money put in to it. Are those wood, but not wood, slats sturdy?

Thanks again. I look forward to hearing from you again.

i could karate chop quiet a few of those slats with one finger ;-)

definitely not sold enough for what you have in mind . better to go all iron for the front . iron + rust proof paint + paint . as said before the best would be stainless steel for the wow factor . hefty price .

have fun with the build

all the best

livil

Thanks, livil, maybe I had better be open-minded about splashing out for the fence if I want it to be strong.

if strong is the main concern : all block and concrete wont be expensive . just make sure proper drainage is built in the wall support / foundation to let the water out and your garden does not turn into a swamp after a heavy rain .

[FACTOR]

livil, thank you very much for your reply including photos of the fence and very detailed info. I have copied your photos and will send them to the wife, who is overseeing the building of our house, (while I am somewhere else) as an example of what we might build and with approximate costs.

Question: is your wall, or fence, sturdy? Is it really just to keep the kid in and the dogs out or would you consider it a good security fence? I need a bit of a strong, sturdy secure look to mine as I will be out in the boonies... ..Maybe I could use your plan, based on the photos, but make mine a little stronger with a bit more money put in to it. Are those wood, but not wood, slats sturdy?

Thanks again. I look forward to hearing from you again.

i could karate chop quiet a few of those slats with one finger ;-)

definitely not sold enough for what you have in mind . better to go all iron for the front . iron + rust proof paint + paint . as said before the best would be stainless steel for the wow factor . hefty price .

have fun with the build

all the best

livil

Thanks, livil, maybe I had better be open-minded about splashing out for the fence if I want it to be strong.

if strong is the main concern : all block and concrete wont be expensive . just make sure proper drainage is built in the wall support / foundation to let the water out and your garden does not turn into a swamp after a heavy rain .

I've thought about solid brick and concrete, but I'd like some visibility in-wards and out-wards. I'm thinking of maybe a meter and a half of solid concrete/bricks for the bottom portion and then on top of that have metal bars for about another meter upwards. The big question now is will the bars be iron or stainless steel. I gather iron is less expensive and probably just as strong (don't you think?) but needs a bit more upkeep to prevent rusting. Now that's the front wall on two sides of the property so it looks nice. The back wall on two sides indeed will be just two or three metres high wall of solid concrete and brick with the broken glass along the tops. I'll save some money that way and spend more on the front wall.

[Mudcrab]

I would say 1500 Baht a meter with proper footing. That is with iron not stainless.

The gate is about 5000 Baht a meter from iron, easily 10K a meter from stainless.

Remember to look fro a crew that can do the footings properly since otherwise after few rainy seasons it could fall down. Depending the soil of course.

Thanks for your reply. Forgive my ignorance: from the price difference between stainless and iron, I gather stainless is of much superior quality. But is iron ok to use? What is the fundamental difference between iron and stainless? Life span? Looks? Ease of cleaning and maintenance?

Stainless should not rust.

Stainless 316 or 314 or the other may permutations?

What is the fence for protection? Visual barrier? where is it going to be built? Life expectancy of the construction....whole of life...average marriage...bar girl? easy question....hard engineering answer. Need more details...scope of work!!!!!

Edited November 15, 2013 by Mudcrab

[FACTOR]

I would say 1500 Baht a meter with proper footing. That is with iron not stainless.

The gate is about 5000 Baht a meter from iron, easily 10K a meter from stainless.

Remember to look fro a crew that can do the footings properly since otherwise after few rainy seasons it could fall down. Depending the soil of course.

Thanks for your reply. Forgive my ignorance: from the price difference between stainless and iron, I gather stainless is of much superior quality. But is iron ok to use? What is the fundamental difference between iron and stainless? Life span? Looks? Ease of cleaning and maintenance?

Stainless should not rust.

Stainless 316 or 314 or the other may permutations?

What is the fence for protection? Visual barrier? where is it going to be built? Life expectancy of the construction....whole of life...average marriage...bar girl? easy question....hard engineering answer. Need more details...scope of work!!!!!

Huh?

[ozyjon]

I had a fence built around our house and the pillars were bought from a concrete guy who delivered and installed each one 3 meters apart, then i bought the bricks and sand/cement, had everything ready and called some guys to lay the concrete blocks, then found someone else to render the blocks and then dressed the whole lot up with a steel grate fence,, it can be done that way if you have the patience but get as many quotes as possible, if you drive around and see someone building a fence, stop and ask questions and prices,, you will learn the cost for your local area and know who sells what at the best price,, good luck.

[Cuban]

This thread takes an interesting turn, if the OP is building the fence by proxy (wife) I echo the exclamation expressed and rebut the OP's defence as no one implied anything about his wife's character: But maybe about ability to debate and direct your "farang" ideas about wall/fence building with Lowest Bid Thai Day Construction Workers (who will not be available for a while because of the rice harvest).

If you employ a "wall builder" you will get the wall that they know how to build. A friend did exactly this with the cheapest "Wall Builder" in his village, pity the wall builder knew (and still doesn't) nothing about interlocking each course of bricks with ties into the posts nor off setting bricks in each course for strength. Lack of any foundation as the lowest course is just bedded in a channel dug in the dirt means that no one gets too close to the parts of wall that remain upright as it's quite unsafe. You did mention security was a concern?

Where a farang with some construction experience will look at the bigger picture and scope of the whole project in almost all cases of "lowest bid" Thai part-time construction workers if you pay for a wall that is (mostly) just what you will get. Someone with high brain functions needs to consider if there is a drainage issue that needs to be addressed with graded soak-away or gaps within the lowest brick course.

When making a proper foundation for the wall the default method is to dig a hole and fill with ready mix concrete, this is the easiest method for the Default Wall Builder with brain engaged, however they have no interest in saving your money or doing anything to add to "their" workload we will never consider a 10 minute journey to wherever the locals dump heavy rubbish (first bend in the road unseen from the village) and collect some rubble from knocked down walls etc. Good clean rubble provides a solid base and aggregate for the poured concrete. More important if building a full height wall where wind loading is a factor.

One of the nicest walls I've seen built used 9" concrete pipes as posts, the whole house was on a solid concrete pad so the posts were more decorative than load bearing, they were drilled for lateral ties and then when in place (rebar into the foundation), aligned then filled with concrete. The best bit was that conduit was run inside the pipes for the electrical supply to the lamps at the wall corners and gate-posts. A very neat job. (Thai property developer that lived opposite our house in Pattaya.)

Stainless Steel does not rust, the alternative is mild steel which does rust. Generally Stainless gates come in default styes although custom work is not hard to get done, make sure the welding and fixtures are also Stainless as otherwise you will have a nice shiny silver gate with rusty locks and hinges - it looks shabby. Personally I suggest going with the existing local choices. Having the only Stainless gate in a soi draws attention that you might not seek.

Mild steel can be rust "proofed" by zinc coating, a good place will dip this and ensure the inside of pipes/tubes are coated, but I doubt you would find this in Thailand, people will buy stainless instead.

The compressed mineral fibre board gets used a lot as fencing because it is cheap to cover square metres, but it is brittle and offers negligible strength. A soccer ball kicked at the fence will break it.

You (OP) mention security. What is the objective? To keep people out - then it needs to be non-climbable and two metres tall. A solid wall does also provide a good visual shield behind which people can work out of sight, so once over your wall can they work on a window to break into the house?

The idea of secured conduit within the wall's construction to carry camera cables seems more interesting maybe?

Don't forget that any fence should be about half a metre inside your land boundary - but be mindful that a neigbor might use this as an opportunity to "acquire" that half metre of "your" land and butt up to the wall. With a good wall foundation having a drainage ditch in that half-metre space means the wall is just a bit taller for someone seeking to climb it.

With your wife overseeing the "wall builders" she knows to watch their brick laying skills - whether they soak the bricks first or not?

[FACTOR]

Cuban, Thank you very much for all the detailed information about building a fence... . Very useful.

One question: soak the bricks first? What's that? Can you tell me more about that?

[Khun Jean]

I always wondered about the need for prison like walls.

Is it for keeping people out? That does not really work.

Or is it to keep people in? Does not work either.

Is it for marking the border of your land? A 30cm high border will work just fine.

Is it so that people can not look inside? What do you have to hide? You don't want passersby see that people are trying to break into your house after climbing the wall? Walking naked in the garden?

Or is it that you do not want to look outside? Only a good reason if the surroundings are terrible.

Is it to be more 'Thai', you know to conform and fit in? You will always be looked upon as an Alien , so that also does not work.

Why spend the money on it? I am really puzzled by it.

I personally like a hedge, one with thorns and nice flowers. I never have to worry about it falling down. Instead i have to spend a few hundred baht a month for someone to keep it in shape.

Now if you make a wall like Naam did, then i agree. It adds to the garden.

If you need to watch how much it's going to cost and are considering posts and infill, then what you get is a hideous wall, that probably needs to be painted with cheap paint every year. The the render starts falling of and posts are shifting etc.

I just planted seedlings for the cost of about 50 baht per meter. The seven rai was probably a few thousand baht. Only places that had a not so nice view were done, the rest just has a 30-40 cm high hedge with the occasional pillar with a light.

Not much face was gained however.

I don't mind.

Edited November 16, 2013 by Khun Jean

[Cuban]

Particularly with the heat in Thailand even if you mix a "wet" mortar to bond together bricks/blocks the moment that you lay a course the moisture in the surface layer of mortar will be sucked into the dry brick meaning that as it hardens you have a weak mortar-brick bond. (Convenient when knocking down walls as you can reclaim and reuse the bricks.) You end up with a wall that is held together by strong mortar (high cermet content) padded out with bricks/blocks. Also the process of soaking a brick will remove the layer of dust and grit that it has, these will also make for a weaker bond when the brick is laid.

Where you soak (dip in a bucket for a moment is enough) a brick it will not leech away the mortar's water so quickly and so there will be a good mortar-brick bond. Some people (IMHO) over-soak bricks as there is no need to fill the brick with water and generally you are only bonding on four of the six surfaces. This adds unnecessary weight to the wall and can with bad Thai Wall Builders, lead to weak sections where they get into a habit of building the wall up in between two posts rather than along..... What/Why?

The easiest way of building a wall in to mix the mortar in the place you are using it and move from brick pile to mortar to wall in a repeated process, easier to lay a course across, bond in the end and go up, repeat etc. Great and the wall goes up quickly but if too quickly the weight of the upper courses of bricks weighs down and distorts the mortar fill between lower courses that have not yet cured/hardened. Where there is a wet mortar mix this can also result in the mortar being pushed out like a squashed hamburger leaking ketchup.

Takes a bit more effort to work across two of three post spans allowing each course of bricks to cure before applying the next layer on top, again a "wet down" on the course you have come back to maintains a good inter-layer bond. But this means more moving and carrying mixed up mortar along the wall - minimum bid Wall Builders want it quick and easy.

One of the don't soak arguments used is that when rendered it results in salt lines in the wall as a result of the water finally evaporating after many days/weeks as the cement in the mortar finally cures. This happens more with dirty water used in soaking and the mortar but it is just cosmetic. Simply brush off with a firm brush after the wall is well hardened, a spray with water after brushing will encourage any more salts out of the wall then paint if required.

I think it was general awareness of these construction techniques and what shoddy workmanship looks like when in front of the person "supervising the work" was the concern when you said that wifey was overseeing the task.

When I helped with the toilet extension and set out a water tub for the blocks our builder (speaks fair English and has worked in The Middle East on some construction projects) grabbed by hands, looked at them and said, "...you're no builder - how do you know this?"

Google Wetting Bricks if you don't believe me.