On this coast a fence stands or falls on its posts. We dig the holes ourselves, set every post in concrete to depth and hang the gates square, so the line holds through the winter.
Fencing is the boundary structure that marks and encloses a property: posts set into the ground, the boards or panels spanning between them, and the gates and returns that finish the line. The posts do the structural work.
That matters more here than almost anywhere in the country. A fence on an exposed Cornish boundary is a sail, and the wind load it collects in a January gale goes straight into the ground around the base of each post. Set them shallow and the fence racks, leans and eventually goes over, panels intact.
So the useful question about a garden fence is not what it is made of. It is how deep the posts went, what they were set in and whether the line was set out to follow the ground. That is groundwork, and it is our trade.
Full boundary runs and single elevations, new lines and replacements. The height, the finish and the boards or panels are chosen with you at the site visit against what the boundary actually has to do.
Pedestrian gates, double gates and vehicle openings, with the gate posts sized and concreted for the weight they carry and the swing they hold. A gate that drops is nearly always a gate post that was treated like a fence post.
Post holes dug through rock, roots, old concrete and made ground with our own machines, and every post set in concrete to depth rather than rammed into a hole and hoped for.
A boundary that falls away is set out before anything is dug, either raked to follow the ground or stepped down it, with the levelling and any retained edge done by us.
Fences that have come down in a gale, replaced with the posts checked as carefully as the panels, because the panels are usually the symptom.
Where the fence is one part of a wider scheme it runs alongside the rest of the work: see landscaping and garden design.
Most of our fencing runs along the exposed boundaries between Helston, Porthleven and the Lizard: full replacement lines after a winter of gales, stepped runs down sloping gardens, double gates into yards and driveways, and boundaries put back in as part of a wider garden job. Every photograph on this site is our own work.
Our Google reviews are public, live and beyond our editing reach, and they are worth more than anything we could write here ourselves.
Based on 4 Google reviews
Commenting as the owner of this property I can honestly say that Aaron was a pleasure to work with. Efficient, reliable, extremely hardworking, on schedule, amazing quality and just an all round lovely guy! Thank you Aaron! You can see the almost (steps leading up to the tub yet to be added as a finishing touch) finished project on the Boutique Retreats website: Kilter House, Coverack
Read more on GoogleWould definitely recommend. Our driveway was a mismatch of 3 different sections of gravel, some old concrete and a step. In two days he has completely overhauled it and it looks amazing. Very fast worker, polite and professional and reasonably priced as well. You won’t be disappointed by Michael’s team at all!
Read more on FacebookAaron laid us a wonderful patio for our back garden. From the start he was highly professional and courteous. He sat with us to discuss the best, most cost efficient options to get us exactly what we imagined. Aaron was very reliable and his after care has been exceptional ensuring he delivers the highest quality for his clients. Highly recommended!
Read more on GoogleMike and his son did a fantastic job on our sandstone patio. They provided a competitive quote and had expert knowledge. The job itself was completed to a very high standard. We are very happy with it. I highly recommend. Thank you again for the fantastic work.
Read more on FacebookReally happy with the work from Aaron Hunt Groundworks. Aaron and his team were super easy to deal with—friendly, reliable, and clearly know what they’re doing. They turned up on time, got stuck in, and made sure everything was done properly with a great finish. They kept the place tidy and checked in with us throughout the job to make sure we were happy. No fuss, no stress—just solid, professional work. Would definitely recommend them to anyone needing groundwork done. Top team!
Read more on GoogleWe had been waiting for along time for this small bit of garden to be finished…the original person we had booked just didn’t work out in the end. We booked Sunset Surfacing We are so pleased with the work and can’t wait for the summer to arrive. They were clean, tidy and professional…thank you
Read more on FacebookExtremely happy with my new patio. It wasn’t the most straight forward to lay but Aaron managed to get the finish I wanted and was completely flexible and accommodating to make it happen for our time lines. Would highly recommend.
Read more on GoogleIt stands up in a blowDepth and concrete are what stop a fence racking and going over, and they are the two things that get shortened when a fence line is priced on speed.
The line is rightSet out first, then dug, so the fence follows the ground instead of fighting it and the tops run true.
The gates still shut properlyGate posts are sized and set for the weight they carry, so the gate does not drop and start catching on the ground.
One firm digs it and fences itRock, roots, old footings and made ground are an ordinary day for us.
The old fence goes with usTaking out the old posts and panels and clearing the line is part of the job.
Your postcode, roughly how long the run is, whether there are gates in it, and a photo of what is there now.
Free of charge. One of the owners walks the boundary with you, checks the ground, the levels and the access, and talks through height and where the gates want to go.
The run, the posts, the gates, the removal of the old fence and any levelling or digging out, itemised, with no obligation.
Old fence and posts out and away with us, holes dug to depth, posts set plumb in concrete and left to go off properly.
Boards or panels fixed, gates hung and adjusted, and the line cleared down.
A fence is a post problem, not a panel problem. BS 1722, the British Standard series that specifies fencing, is written around exactly that: each part sets out the post section, the spacing between posts and the depth a post is set to, because the post carries the wind load while the panel simply spans between them. On an exposed Cornish boundary that is the difference between a line that lasts and one back on the ground in January.
We are groundworkers who fence, not fencers who dig. Our own machines, our own dumper and post holes through whatever the ground turns out to be.
Two owners on the tools. The person who prices your boundary is one of the two people building it.
Fully insured. Public liability and full business insurance sit behind the work.
Mike Wherry has spent 30 years working on this coast and knows what it does to a boundary, most of the last five in and around Helston. Aaron Hunt has 10 years behind him and runs the machines, having come up through groundworks and landscaping. Forty years of combined experience, and one of them is on your job.
I have taken down a lot of fences on this coast and the panels are almost never the reason. It is a post that rotted at ground level or never went deep enough.Mike Wherry, co-owner of HW Contractors
CPCS 360 excavator tickets above and below 10 tonnes between them, plus dumper tickets and CSCS cards
Fully insured: public liability and full business insurance
Boundary work takes us across the whole patch from the Lizard up to Newquay. Helston, Porthleven and Mullion are the ground we are on most weeks, and Camborne and Redruth are a routine run from Porthleven. Penzance, Falmouth, Truro, St Ives and Newquay are all covered as well.
Exposed sites out towards the coast are the ones we get called to most, and they are where depth earns its money.
Two fence lines of the same length can be very different jobs, so we price the boundary in front of us rather than publishing a rate. The site visit and the written quote are both free.
The quote sets out:
Anything agreed on payment is written into the quote before work starts.
Whole garden schemes where the boundary is one part of a bigger plan.
Landscaping & Garden Design
The digging, levelling and retained edges a fence line on falling ground needs.
Groundworks
The other half of most garden jobs, built on a base we dig and compact ourselves.
Patios & PavingSend your postcode, roughly how long the run is and a photo of the boundary, and one of us will come and walk it with you. The visit and the written quote are free.
Call us on 07886 070245·Get a free quote online
Porthleven, Cornwall
Phone: 07886 070245
Email: info@hwcontractors.co.uk
Hours: Monday to Friday, 8am to 5pm
Last updated: 22 September 2026