Fence Removal

Old fences out, footings dug up, everything carted away

Fence Removal in Birkdale and Eastern Brisbane

Pulling out an old fence is the part most people underestimate. Rotted palings come away easily enough, but the concrete footings do not, and a trailer load of broken timber and rusted sheeting has to go somewhere. Universe Fencing Brisbane East removes the lot: panels, posts, footings and debris, cleared and disposed of properly.

We have an excavator and a large team, which changes what is practical. A hundred metres of boundary fence on an acreage block at Thorneside, a failed sleeper retaining wall, a storm-flattened fence line after a bay southerly, a development site that needs clearing before works start. No job too big. Where access allows we bring the machine in and the job that would take a crew two days with crowbars is done in hours.

Most removals we do are the first stage of a new fence, so the two run together. We strip the old boundary, get the footings out, set out the new line and build, all in the one engagement. You deal with one crew and one quote rather than chasing a demolition contractor and then a fencer. If you only need the removal, that is fine too.

What We Remove

Timber paling, lapped and picket fences, including rotted and leaning runs
Colorbond and steel fencing, with scrap metal sent for recycling
Aluminium and tubular pool fencing
Chain wire, mesh and rural wire fencing
Concrete footings and post stubs below ground level
Failed timber sleeper and block retaining walls
Old gates, gate posts and automation hardware

How We Work

Removal Before a New Fence

The most common job. We remove the old fence and build the new one in the same visit, so your boundary is open for the shortest time possible. Useful if you have pets or kids and need the yard secure again quickly.

Removal Only

Clearing a boundary for a new build, a pool install, landscaping or a neighbour's fence going up on the line. We take it out, clean up the site and leave the ground ready to work with.

Excavator Work

For long runs, deep footings, acreage boundaries and retaining wall demolition. The machine makes short work of concrete footings that would otherwise be dug out one by one. We assess access before quoting.

Storm and Emergency Clean-Up

Bayside storms bring fences down. We clear the damaged sections, make the boundary safe and can install temporary fencing if the yard needs to be secure before the replacement goes in.

What You Can Expect

A fixed price quote after we have seen the fence, not a guess over the phone
All material removed from site, with metal and clean timber recycled where possible
Footings removed and holes backfilled, not just posts snapped off at ground level
Care taken around gardens, irrigation, services and paving
Site raked and left tidy at the end of the job
Full insurance and QBCC licensing on every job

Frequently Asked Questions

Do you take the old fence away or leave it on site?

We take it away. Removal and disposal are quoted together, so there is no pile of broken palings left on the verge. Scrap metal goes to a recycler and clean timber is diverted where we can. You do not need to book a skip.

Do the concrete footings come out too?

Yes. Leaving footings in the ground causes problems later, because the new posts need to go roughly where the old ones were. We dig them out and backfill the holes. On long runs the excavator does this quickly; in tight access we do it by hand.

Can you get an excavator into a normal suburban backyard?

Often yes, with a compact machine and around a metre of side access. We check gate widths, slopes, soft ground and overhead wires on the site visit and tell you straight away whether the machine is viable or whether the job is better done by hand. Either way the quote reflects the method.

Who pays when the fence is shared with a neighbour?

Under Queensland's Neighbourhood Disputes Resolution Act, a dividing fence is generally a shared cost between the two owners, including removal of the old one. We can supply a written quote you can give your neighbour, and we are happy to talk both parties through what the work involves. Sorting the cost split is between you and them.

How quickly can you remove a storm-damaged fence?

Call us and we will tell you honestly where you sit in the queue. After a big blow across the bayside suburbs everyone rings at once, but a large team means we can usually get a crew out to make a dangerous fence safe sooner than a one-man operation could.

Can you handle asbestos fencing?

No. Older fibre cement fence sheeting may contain asbestos and must be removed by a licensed asbestos removalist under separate regulations. If we identify suspect material on the site visit we will tell you and stop, so you can engage the right licensed contractor. We will happily build the new fence once the site is cleared.

No Job Too Big

From a single panel to a whole acreage boundary, we have the gear and the crew to clear it.

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