What is brush? Brush, also known as “Brushwood” & “Broombush” is an Australian native lignotuber, Melaleuca uncinata. Originally cut from the wild in the Mallee areas, it is now sourced mainly from plantation brush. Brush fencing originated in South Australia in the 1800’s & was hand packed on site from loose bundled brush, however these days new fencing is now constructed from machine made panels.
What are the regulations regarding fire safety? In 2007 the South Australian government brought in new regulations relating to Fire Safety. In general new brush fences can’t be built within 3m of a house/building. Existing brush fences can be repaired & maintained wherever they are located, however extensions to existing fences (height or length) are not allowed. For a complete guide re: this regulation, please refer to the FAQ provided by “SA Planning”. Full Minister Specifications PDF: protection_of_buildings.pdf
What is the maximum legal height allowed for a new brush fence? Check with your local council, but generally 2100mm overall height is allowed without approval.
What is the life expectancy of a brush fence? The life of a brush fence depends on the climate and wind conditions, but also mechanical damage impacts such as children playing sport & pets jumping and burrowing etc. In tropical environments, such as North Queensland, the brush does not last as long as it does in a drier Mediterranean climate, such as found in Southern Australia. Generally a hand packed fence will require maintenance after approx 12-15 years & has a life of approx 30 years, whereas a machine compressed panel fence is maintenance free with a similar life of approx 30 years. Roll top & post roll finishes require replacement every 12-15 years.
Can you come today to provide a quote & do you work in my area? Generally we do 1 to 2 days of free quoting a week, from early morning to mid-day, depending on how busy we are and how many calls we receive. We group our quotes by area for efficiency & make every effort to cater for your needs. If the job location is not within a reasonable radius of our Salisbury Plain office or we can’t meet you at your requested time, we can also email an estimate based on images/measurements provided by you, subject to a site visit prior to work commencing. Yes, we work all over South Australia, subject to the cost of logistics travelling to and from the job and accommodation for remote locations.
Can you do it any cheaper? Brush fencing is very labour intensive and requires skilled workers with many years experience in the trade to get the best result. When we quote we allow for a reasonable profit margin & overheads, our quotes are already as cheap as we can provide & we are not prepared to compromise on quality workmanship. However, depending on the job, there can be a number of repair or installation options to save cost. For example, options for a sagged fence might include a full restoration to the original height, a cheaper option is to lift the brush top layer to recover height and fit a light facing of brush, or the cheapest option, to trim the post tops/brushwork to a stringline & refit the existing capping top or new brush roll top finish. A few examples for saving cost on your new installation is the client removing the existing fence structure to create a cleared fence line, or the client installing the fence posts & concrete base with Adelaide Brush to install the brushwork and finishes.
Where can I look at some of the new fences you have installed? Please contact us to obtain a complete list (including addresses) of all new installations we have completed in Adelaide, dating back to 1999.
Do you install swinging, sliding & automatic gates? Because of the various range of types and styles of gates & contractors available, we don’t install any gates other than brush. We can liaise with your selected gate contractor in regards to timing etc. We do manufacture swinging brush gates using heavy duty, powder coated, all welded frames, however we don’t install any automatics. We do supply/set gate posts on most jobs or they are supplied/set by the gate contractor, however if automatics are involved, the gate contractors will supply/install.
Why choose Adelaide Brush over a cheaper quote? Adelaide Brush commenced business in 1991 & has a peerless reputation for quality new & repair work and we are known for our professionalism in the industry. We use only the highest quality brush for all our repair work and new installations & use highly experienced, friendly & competent tradesmen. We quote all our work with a fair margin & the only saving that could be achieved would be through compromising quality & service, which we are not prepared to do.