Severe storms do more than pass through. High winds and heavy rain topple fences, bring down trees onto boundaries, and leave properties exposed. Once the weather clears you are left to work out what needs fixing and in what order, and delaying makes it worse: pets escape, boundaries blur, and exposed posts and panels become hazards. For a property that relies on its fence for security or pool compliance, quick action matters. Here is what to do, and how a local contractor gets you sorted.
1. Safety first, before you inspect anything
Before you go near the fence, make the area safe:
- Stay well clear of fallen power lines and contact your electricity provider straight away, in the Hunter and Central Coast that is Ausgrid. Treat any downed line as live.
- Watch for broken glass, nails and splintered material around the yard.
- Clear loose branches off paths, driveways and the fence line.
- Secure pets indoors or in a section of the yard that is still fenced.
- Do not lean on damaged fence sections, they may collapse.
- If the fence is near a pool, check for displaced fencing that affects compliance (more on that below).
2. Walk and document the whole perimeter
Walk the fence line slowly and photograph every section that is loose, leaning, missing or shifted, plus any gate that no longer latches and any damaged posts. Note where pets or stock could get out. This documentation is what you will need for both contractors and your insurer, so do it thoroughly before anything is moved or cleaned up.
3. Contact your insurer
If your home insurance covers storm damage, report it as soon as you can. Give them your photos, the fence material, and an estimate of how much is affected. The insurer will usually ask for a quote from a licensed contractor, so keep all receipts and correspondence. Getting a proper quote early keeps the claim moving.
4. Sort out a shared fence with your neighbour
If the damaged fence sits on a boundary, it is likely a shared responsibility, so talk to your neighbour early about what is damaged and how your insurers will coordinate. Shared, or dividing, fences have their own rules in NSW, and NSW Fair Trading explains how costs and disputes are handled. Clear communication now prevents an argument later. If the fence is entirely on your side, you can proceed on your own.
5. Book the repair, even for minor damage
Even a fence that is not fully down should be dealt with quickly, a lean or a damaged section only gets worse and leaves the property exposed. A contractor can assess whether reinforcement, a partial replacement or a full rebuild is the right call, and can put up temporary fencing straight away to keep the property secure while a permanent repair is planned. Choose someone who knows local wind zones, soil conditions and council rules, that local knowledge is what makes a repair last through the next storm rather than fail again.
The storm damage we repair
- Leaning or broken fence posts
- Torn chainwire mesh or panels
- Damaged gates and misaligned hinges
- Sections lifted from their footings by wind or washout
- Tree-impact damage
- Erosion or pooling at the fence base
- Compliance breaches on pool fencing or secure areas
All repairs are done to meet Australian Standards and matched to the existing fence design where possible. If your pool fence has moved, restoring compliance is urgent, the current barrier rules are on the NSW Swimming Pool Register.
Preventing the next one
Once the fence is restored, a few steps cut the odds of a repeat:
- Trim back trees overhanging the fence line
- Improve drainage around the posts
- Use reinforced footings in soft or eroded soil
- Fit wind-rated fixtures on exposed boundaries
We can recommend these upgrades at repair time so the rebuilt fence is tougher than the one the storm took.
Why local experience counts on a storm job
Storm repairs throw up surprises, and moving fast without cutting corners is the whole game. Since 2004 we have repaired storm-damaged fences on homes, schools, industrial sites and rural blocks across Newcastle, Lake Macquarie, the Hunter and surrounding areas, from a single backyard panel to large boundary enclosures. Our crews hold current certifications and can work on sites with strict safety and access requirements (councils, schools, railways, mines and rural properties), and every job runs to current work method statements and safety assessments.
When they were setting up our temporary fencing around the perimeter of our job, their work was professional, timely and of great quality. Nigel went out of his way to set up extra posts and fixings in areas that were difficult to access and difficult to secure. Richard Kolomy, on 145 metres of temporary and permanent chainwire fencing at Warners Bay
Thank you for the prompt service on our gate replacement. Your company was the first of four contractors to respond, the job was commenced and completed within one day of ordering. I have no hesitation recommending you. Glenn Mitchel
The practical takeaway: make the area safe, document everything for insurance, sort a shared fence with your neighbour, and get a licensed local contractor to secure and repair it, with temporary fencing up straight away if needed. Whether it is one panel or a whole boundary, we can get to you quickly across Newcastle, the Hunter and the Central Coast, arrange a site check and quote, and get your fence back up ready for whatever comes next.