How to Save Money on a Fencing Project with Retaining Walls in Sydney

Written By Nadia Ubugun

When planning a fencing project, many homeowners face the challenge of installing a fence on top of a retaining wall. This is common in both new builds and renovations, but it often leads to unnecessary costs and complications if not planned correctly.

Why fencing on an existing retaining wall is expensive?

If you want to install a Colorbond fence or any other type of fence on an existing retaining wall, the wall often needs to be partially dismantled. This usually involves:

  • Removing compacted soil

  • Pulling out two or three sleepers to install brackets for fence posts or rails

  • Replacing the sleepers

  • Backfilling and compacting the soil again

This process is not only costly but can also be very difficult or sometimes even impossible. In many cases, geotextile fabric is placed behind the sleepers, which easily gets damaged when soil is removed. On top of that, retaining walls are often finished with paving or concrete on top, making dismantling impractical.

Sleeper lengths and fence section costs.

Another issue comes from shortened sleeper lengths. For example, standard Colorbond fences in Sydney (as well as Hampton PVC or Security fences) are manufactured in 2400mm sections. If your retaining wall used 1500mm, 1800mm, or 2000mm sleepers, you would need more fence sections. That means more posts, rails, concrete, and panels — significantly increasing the overall cost of your fencing project.

Because of these challenges, many clients end up compromising by moving the fence back inside their property line. While this avoids dismantling the retaining wall, it also means losing valuable land space.

Our solution: retaining walls with fences built together.

At COMFYARD, we provide a smarter and more cost-effective solution. We design and build both the retaining wall and the fence together as one project. This eliminates unnecessary demolition, avoids land loss, and ensures your fence is structurally sound and visually appealing.

We offer all types of high-quality retaining walls at affordable prices and can install any fence type on top — from Colorbond fences on retaining walls to Hampton PVC and Security fencing. With us, your project will be cost-effective, reliable, and beautiful.

👉 If you are planning a fencing project in Sydney and want to avoid extra costs, contact us today for a free quote.

Nadia Ubugun