Long gardens, long runs, one weak link
In a long, narrow back garden the fence on each side can run for a great distance, and every panel leans on its neighbour. When a single post gives way, the panels either side are pulled out of line and may split at the rails. In Kings Heath's Victorian and Edwardian streets that domino effect is common, so walk the whole length before you decide the damage is limited to the section you can see from the house.
Look for panels that now sit at an angle, gaps where the panel has slipped off its fixings, and posts that rock when you push them gently. Mark the first and last damaged panel with tape or a stick. That gives anyone coming to look a clear picture of how far the problem runs, and it stops you tidying away evidence of what failed first.
Making safe and taking photos first
Before anything else, deal with the hazards. Keep children and pets away from the gap, and move any loose panel that could slide further. Be careful of nails and screws sticking out of broken rails, and never lift a heavy panel alone in a gusty spell. If a panel has landed on a shed, greenhouse or planting, lift it only once you are sure it is stable and you can manage the weight.
Then take photographs from several angles before you move anything: wide shots along the line, close shots of each snapped or leaning post, and the ground around the base. Those pictures help us advise you by message, and they are useful if you need to talk to a neighbour or anyone else about what happened. Keep any broken pieces until the job is agreed.
Re-hang the panels or replace the posts
Panels that are still square, with sound frames and no deep splits, can often be re-hung on good posts. The posts decide everything. If a timber post has snapped at or just above ground level, usually where it has rotted, it cannot be repaired in any lasting way and a new post is needed. Fitting new panels to a weak old post only repeats the failure at the next storm.
Where a post has simply tilted in soft ground and the timber is sound, it can sometimes be reset. Check the base by pressing a screwdriver into it: if the wood is soft or crumbly, plan on replacement. Boundary fences are often shared, so tell the neighbours early, check your deeds if you are unsure who owns which side, and take advice rather than assuming. We also work in Moseley and Hall Green.
Quick tips
- Photograph every damaged post and panel before moving anything, including the ground around the base, so the full picture is recorded.
- Press a screwdriver into the base of each post; soft, crumbling timber means the post will need replacing rather than resetting.
- Walk the whole length of the boundary, not just the fallen section, because neighbouring panels are often loosened as well.
- Tell the neighbour before work starts, and check your deeds or ask the council if ownership of the boundary is unclear.
If wind has taken down a fence in Kings Heath or elsewhere in the B14 area, you are welcome to call us or send a few photos along with where the fence runs. We will tell you plainly what looks salvageable and what does not, with no pressure.
Frequently asked questions
Should I check the whole fence line after a gale, or just the section that fell?
Walk the full length of the boundary. Long back gardens in Kings Heath often have several panels loosened by the same gust, even where they still look upright. Pressing a screwdriver into each post base shows whether soft timber means replacement is needed.
How do I know if the posts can be reused or need replacing?
If the timber at the base is soft or crumbling, the post will need replacing rather than resetting. Sound posts with intact panels can often be re-hung. We can look at your photos and advise on what suits your Kings Heath fence.
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