[K&CS]

We need to have a fence put up at the front and back of our house as our garden has no privacy whatsoever. We've received a quote from a builder who was recommended to us and just about died when we saw how much he was quoting us. Don't know if it has anything to do with the fact that we're poms....

Does anyone know where we can get reasonably priced fencing in Christchurch and also someone who will put it up without charging an arm and a leg?

Thanks

Kate

[Moorf]

Yep, it's not cheap - we spent around $3k on a fence on one side of our Chch property. Luckily it was a shared fence and we billed the neighbours for half ;)

All I can say is don't use the people Tanya and I used!! Can't remember their details offhand but I'll get hold of you!

[Super_BQ]

For the 1st time in perhaps many decades, builders in NZ can now charge as much as profession occupations like accountants and 'some' lawyers. The recent changes in the NZ building industry involve lots of regulation. In the past anyone could become a builder for any house project (with no qualifications or certification). Today, every dept. from occupational hazzard safety to city council has their foot in the bill on any building project.

Bet on a charge out rate of at least $50 per hour. Quite often there's 2 or 3 workers so you mulitply accordingly and see why it's so expensive to just put up a simple fence.

Overall, I feel your pain. You get a company that allocates 3 workers on the job. One being the foreman or boss while the other 2 are the donkeys. Problem is are you really getting value for $ in labour when the charge out rate for the 2 donkeys is the same as the boss? This was an arguement on a recent project my uncle talked about. The painter employed a young labourer at $25/hr (which is the same rate as the owner's pay rate) but for every 1 room that apprentice painter did, the boss would of done 2 or 3 rooms.

I've used this expression before. Perhaps it's "the dumming down of society" in that a laymen can't even pick up a trades book to learn how to put up a fence because by law, the gov't imposes regulation that only qualified tradesmen can handle that job.

[Moorf]

All the quotes we received, for fences, were quoted in "per metre" runs - most came in around $45 - $50 / run and that included labour, fitting etc etc.

Just dug out the old thread from 18 mths ago - time flies!

http://www.emigratenz.org/forum/showthread.php?t=3761&highlight=fence

I've used this expression before. Perhaps it's "the dumming down of society" in that a laymen can't even pick up a trades book to learn how to put up a fence because by law, the gov't imposes regulation that only qualified tradesmen can handle that job. I think the problem with boundary fences, in particular, is that you have to build to a quality that both parties are happy with, and you can only imagine the fall-out when neighbours do their own creations and it affects others. At least if a builder is involved you both can address them and not kill each other :D and you can assume that they know what they are doing and will do the best job (I say "assume"!!)

One thing I've noticed is that they are very very bad at cutting-in... there's more paint on the woodwork than the walls sometimes!!