Fence Replacement SydneyOld Fence Out, New Fence In
Most fence replacements in Sydney are shared boundary jobs, which means there is a conversation with the neighbour before there is a post hole. We handle the removal, the disposal and the rebuild, and we give you an itemised quote you can put in front of them.
Replacing a Shared Fence in Sydney
A dividing fence is the fence on the boundary between two properties, and under the Dividing Fences Act 1991 the cost of a sufficient one is shared equally between the adjoining owners. Sufficient means adequate for the area, not the most expensive option available. If you want something above that standard — a taller Colorbond run, a hardwood upgrade, a lapped-and-capped finish — you are entitled to have it, and you pay the difference.
The practical order is: agree if you can, and serve a Fencing Notice if you cannot. The notice sets out the work proposed and what it costs. If a month passes without agreement, either owner can apply to the Local Court or NCAT for a fencing order. Free Community Justice Centre mediation does not wait on that month — it is open to you from the start — and urgent fencing work can proceed without a notice. We are not lawyers and we do not give legal advice, but we do give you a clear written quote that separates the sufficient-standard cost from any upgrade you have asked for, which is usually the document that ends the argument.
What Gets Replaced
The whole run
Posts, rails and palings out, new footings dug, new fence built to line. Right when the posts have gone or the fence is out of plumb along its length.
Panels only
Where the posts are still sound and plumb, we can replace palings or sheets and re-use the existing footings. Cheaper, faster, and only honest advice if the posts genuinely have life left.
Like for like
Same height, same material, same position — the simplest case to agree with a neighbour because it is plainly the sufficient standard.
Upgrade on replacement
Timber to Colorbond, standard to lapped-and-capped, or a step up in height where the council rules allow. We quote the base and the upgrade separately so the split is obvious.
The Rules That Apply
| Cost sharing | Equal shares for a sufficient dividing fence under the Dividing Fences Act 1991 |
|---|---|
| Upgrades | The owner wanting more than sufficient pays the difference |
| If you cannot agree | Fencing Notice, then one month, then the Local Court or NCAT |
| Mediation | Free Community Justice Centre mediation, available at any time |
| Side and rear boundary fences | Generally exempt to 1.8m, or 1.2m if masonry |
| Road-facing fences | Generally 1.2m, with transparency limits on a secondary road |
| Before we dig | Free Before You Dig Australia enquiry on every job |
General guidance only. The figures marked with an asterisk above, and the rules in this table, come from the NSW Dividing Fences Act 1991 and the State Environmental Planning Policy (Exempt and Complying Development Codes) 2008. They were correct when this page was written. Councils apply their own controls on top, and heritage conservation areas, bushfire prone land, corner blocks and easements all change what applies. Confirm with your council and NSW Fair Trading before you commit to anything.
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