Fencing costs

Newbie2023

Hi all,

I have approx 1700M of boundary fencing to do. Newly cleaned up land where ditches have been cut back and drains cleaned. All I’ll have on the land will be cattle who are generally quite quiet and content. Problem is my neighbour who has sheep and cattle who are very fond of wandering and has no fencing on their side. What is peoples suggestions on best options?

I was planning sheep wire and 2 strands of barbed. Contractor quoting €4/M for erecting with me supplying all materials. Is this excessive? Rough costs on it at the moment is approx €15K so any suggestions to reduce greatly appreciated.

Siamsa Sessions

By way of comparison, the TAMS reference cost for sheep fencing is €6.75 per metre, including materials and labour.

Newbie2023

Thanks for that. Gives me an idea for costs. Still unsure whether to apply for grant on fencing as I have some old Creosote strainers that I plan on using and not sure whether I can still use these in case of inspection.

Siamsa Sessions

I wouldn't apply for the grant. Too much hassle and you don't save that much. It also delays the work by months.

If you applied for TAMS in the morning, it could be late Summer before you're approved (maybe later). And you can't start the work until you get approval.

Others might have better experience of TAMS thou - this is only my take on it.

Aravo

On that length of fencing, I would be going tams route. Sheep wire and 1 row of barb might do aswell. The grant only covers one row of barb above the sheep wire. I have usually for a visit to the local dept office gets things moving faster. Is the other neighbour opposite for the full 1700m.

MIKEKC

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2058337923/fencing-costs

If you have only cattle a row of electric fence should do. It's up to your neighbour to keep his stock under control

limo_100

What posts are people finding good now for sheep wire fencing without the creosol?

Aravo

I find PDM treated posts are generally good. But like with most things you will pay for them.

older by the day

I see a neighbor over the road has redone all his paddocks with plastic posts, nice looking job...

I wonder could I home make a few, no shortage of plastic here.

Its hard to beat the professional for wiring. especially the sheep wiring. Would they not supply the materials.

With that size of job, I would be ringing the advisor and asking about tams

PoorFarmer

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121823444#Comment_121823444

I applied for TAMS for fencing in the first Tranche. Still no green light, the OP would be pushing it down the road till this time next year at least I would imagine.

Newbie2023

Thanks all for your replies. That particular neighbour borders me for most of the 1,700M so no real alternative but to fence it.

more chance of me landing on the moon than him fencing his own ground.

I will look at the tams route and see if I can push it on. Needs to be done ASAP as it is wide open at the moment after cutting ditches.

monseiur

To reduce costs 3 foot sheep wire with one strand of heavy guage barbed wire on top will do. Sheep to tend to go under fence not over it so keep it close to the ground - you may have to back fill dips in ground after. Have a chat with neighbour he may go 50/50 or even 70/30 would help. A load shared is a load halved as the saying goes.

The best (but probably not the cheapest) fencing post is the imported ones from Latvia. Due to the much colder winters in eastern Europe the trees grow at a slower rate so are much harder and last longer. Home grown timber is too soft due to growing almost all the year around in a constantly damp climate. Most are just single dipped and start rotting the day they're put in the ground. The closer together the growth rings are the better the post.

whelan2

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121822240#Comment_121822240

Bought 100 x 6ft cresote posts from newry for just over €1100 delivered. Apparently the real deal. Fencing man here recommended them, getting them Friday will take a photo, just checked was €1185

Newbie2023

Thanks for reply. I’ve spoken with neighbour already and he’s not interested in sharing costs.

On the TAMS procedure if I were to apply for fencing will this eat in to my investment ceiling of €90K? I plan on putting up a slatted shed in 2025 which will be submitted under the next tranche and will be at least 90K. If I were to apply for fencing grant on current tranche will this be affected or does it reset after each tranche or would I have to wait until TAMS4 if it comes. I have the green cert and would qualify for 60% grant as young farmer. Sorry for all the questions but I’m new to this game but learning fast!!

Newbie2023

On price of posts.

I have used those Latvian 6ft posts with 8ft creosote strainers on another plot of land fenced last year. Seem a great post.

€6.80 + vat for 6ft & €32 for the strainers.

White Clover

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121829696#Comment_121829696

Can you say where you got them? Price seems very good.

dmakc

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121829666#Comment_121829666

It will indeed eat into your ceiling of 90k. Resets to zero for TAMS 4 but that's a lifetime away at this rate

dmakc

Also looking into fencing myself at the minute and the TAMS specs seem to bring a lot of work for what's needed in reality. I don't fancy putting 7ft strainers 3ft into hard ground

Given your urgency for fencing I'd go DIY fencing and save the grant for the shed if as you say it'll go beyond the 90k (assuming you're not in partnership in which case ceiling is 160k). I put in for fencing last June and still not approved.

I also don't think you can select sheep fencing if you only have cattle, you'd be restricted to bovine at €2.77/m rate

Newbie2023

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121829823#Comment_121829823

That’s what I paid last year in Frazers,

kingscourt, Cavan.

Newbie2023

Thanks. No partnership here. Also I was thinking that with me not having sheep I wouldn’t be able to do sheep fencing.

contractor quoted €4/m to put up. Does this seem excessive to people?

Jb1989

Is the open drain on your side of the hedge or your neighbours?

Newbie2023

Open drain is my side so I plan on piping & stoning the drain and putting the fence in tight as possible to the ditch on top of the drain.

paddysdream

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2058337923/fencing-costs

4 euro a metre sounds about the going rate but totally depends on the fence.Whats the ground like, how many sections, how many turns etc etc.

PoorFarmer

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121831794#Comment_121831794

How tight is the open drain to the ditch at the moment? If you are back-filling this and have the fence on top of it I'd imagine you will need an extra foot or 2 on the length of the strainer as I will get very little stability from the backfill.

Good loser

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121831794#Comment_121831794

Expect the stock on the other side to make bits of the ditch. Advise planting two lines of quicks and blackthorn on ditch to give a stock proof hedge in time.

HHH

Is the drain taking water from your land or the neighbour's? You could bung the drain most of the way to flood a non compliant neighbour? Very petty approach but an option!

red_diesel

Are the Clipex posts an option? I haven't used them myself but looking to do boundary fencing, a bit each year, and I think they'd work out well.

whelan2

These are the posts I got

IMG-20240301-WA0009.jpg

jaymla627

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121836960#Comment_121836960

Their from one of the Scandinavian countries, used alot of them here, great posts, especially on rocky ground they don't split like the pdm ones

leoch

how do lads drive or put posts or stakes into rocky or hard ground?? some places i would need a rock breaker to make a hole first im just wondering wat lads do??

whelan2

Would put concrete around the base in some cases