Comparisons
Concrete wall vs mesh fence: which one to choose?
They do not compete for the same job. The mesh delimits: it says where the property ends and prevents passage. The wall closes: it blocks the view, the wind, the noise and access. If you need to mark a boundary at the lowest cost, mesh fencing is unbeatable. If you need privacy, mesh will not give it to you at any price.
What each solution is
Wire mesh or netting fence
Metal posts set into the ground and mesh fixed between them — welded, simple-twist or sheep netting. Little excavation, quick installation, low cost. The mesh is permeable: you can see through it, the wind passes through and so does sound.
It is the default solution for large plots, pasture and orchards, where the aim is to mark the boundary and contain animals.
Precast concrete wall
Reinforced concrete panels slotted between posts, in 2 m segments. A continuous, opaque barrier, at 57 kg per panel. Reaction to fire A1 — it does not burn or spread smoke — and water absorption ≤ 6 %.
It is the solution for when a boundary is not enough and you really need to close it off.
Free quote, with no obligation. Tell us the municipality, the length and the height — we reply with a figure.
Criterion-by-criterion comparison
Mesh wins on everything to do with cost and lightness. The wall wins on everything to do with closing off. Each line says which of the two takes the criterion.
| Criterion | Mesh fencing | Precast concrete wall | Criterion conclusion |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price, plain mesh | Simple twist mesh 40 mm Ø1.8 galvanised, Ø48 mm posts, height 1.00 m: 20.30 €/m, material and labour | Material from 25 €/m² plus installation 59–79 €/linear m, excluding VAT | Mesh fencingIt is the cheapest fence there is. No wall can compete with it on cost. |
| Price, welded mesh | 50×50 mm Ø4 galvanised mesh, 40×40×1.5 mm posts every 2 m, height 1.00 m: 41.97 €/m | The same material and installation above | Mesh fencingEven the mid-range mesh option comes in well below a wall. |
| Price, modular panel | Modular welded mesh with reinforcing bends, 60×40×2 mm posts: 59.33 €/m², material and labour | Material from 25 €/m²; installation is charged per linear metre | Mesh fencingIt is the only mesh reference published per m², and therefore the easiest to place alongside our material — which, note, still does not include installation. |
| Privacy | None: you can see through the mesh | Total: continuous, opaque barrier | ConcreteIt is not a difference of degree, it is a difference of nature. No mesh fence solves privacy. |
| Wind and dust | Pass through freely | Cut by the continuous surface | ConcreteDecisive on open ground and near the coast, where the wind limits how the garden can be used. |
| Noise | Acoustically transparent | Mass and continuity make an acoustic barrier | ConcreteIt reduces traffic noise. We do not promise decibels because we have not measured them. |
| Safety | Prevents casual passage; can be cut with pliers | To pass through it you have to break reinforced concrete | ConcreteAgainst deliberate intrusion the two solutions are not in the same league. |
| Installation | Very quick, little excavation, almost no concrete | 20–30 m per day; 300 × 300 × 800 mm holes per post | Mesh fencingMesh fencing goes up faster and with less machinery. |
| Footprint on the plot | Practically none | 120 × 120 mm post every 2 m | Mesh fencingOn plots where every centimetre counts, mesh is more discreet. |
| Appearance | Industrial or agricultural; disappears into the landscape | Stone, brick, wood or smooth textures | DependsIt depends what you want: to avoid blocking the view, mesh; for the front of a house, the wall. |
| Maintenance cost over 10 years | Shown in the references: 3.45 € per metre in simple twisted wire mesh, 7.13 € in the welded mesh and 10.09 €/m² in the modular panel | No compulsory maintenance cost: concrete does not corrode or rot | ConcreteMesh has a published recurring cost. The more expensive and more elaborate the mesh, the higher that cost. |
| Durability | Depends on the galvanising and the exposure; metal corrodes near the sea | Stated service life: over 40 years. Water absorption ≤ 6 % | ConcreteAbove all on the coast, where the salt air attacks metal and does not attack concrete. |
| Available height | The references cited are for 1.00 m, with options up to 1.5 and 2 m | Up to 1.5 m with a 2200 mm post, 2.0 m with 2800 mm and 2.5 m with 3300 mm | DependsBoth solutions cover the usual heights. What changes is what you get with each of them. |
| Reversibility | Easy to dismantle and move elsewhere | Modular, but moving the wall is a job in itself | Mesh fencingIf the fence is temporary or the layout may still change, mesh is the sensible choice. |
Delivery is not included in these prices. Delivery of the material to the site is quoted separately, by municipality and volume.
There is a catch in comparing prices
The published reference figure for welded mesh — 41.97 € per metre, materials and labour included — refers to a fence of 1.00 m high. A house boundary wall is usually 1.50 m or 2.00 m. Putting that figure next to that of a 2 m wall and concluding that «mesh costs three times less» is comparing different things.
At the same height wire mesh is still cheaper — that is not in question. The point is a different one: the two solutions do not solve the same problem, and for that reason the price per metre is not, on its own, a criterion for choosing.
The mixed solution, which is the most common
On a good number of plots the right answer is neither of the two: it is mesh around the whole perimeter and a wall only at the front, where there is a view from the street and where privacy matters. You get privacy where it is needed and a low cost per metre where it is not.
We do not supply mesh. We say so because in many cases that is the right answer for most of the perimeter, and we would rather sell twenty metres of wall than talk you into two hundred.
Free quote, with no obligation. Tell us the municipality, the length and the height — we reply with a figure.
Frequently asked questions
Can I install the wall in front of an existing mesh fence?
Yes. The minimum distance to an existing structure is 350 mm; below that the site has to be inspected before confirming.
Does mesh fencing work out cheaper in the long run?
It depends on the exposure. Galvanised metal corrodes faster near the sea, and the reference we cite indicates a ten-year maintenance cost for the mesh. Concrete does not corrode or rot, but it costs more at the outset. We have no ten-year data of our own to state which works out cheaper in the end.
Does the wall really cut road noise?
It reduces it. A continuous, heavy barrier cuts part of the traffic noise, unlike mesh, which is acoustically transparent. We do not give decibel figures because we have not carried out that measurement.
And for keeping animals in?
For livestock and dogs, both do the job. Mesh is far cheaper per metre and is what makes sense on a large agricultural plot. A wall is only justified if, as well as containing, you also need to block the view.
Completion
Concrete wall or wire mesh fence: how to decide
Against wire mesh, the concrete wall wins on privacy, wind, noise, security and resistance to corrosion; it loses on price, speed of installation and reversibility. Put plainly: mesh marks a boundary, a wall creates an enclosed space — and the choice comes down to which of the two you need, not to the cost per metre.
Choose the concrete wall if…
- you want privacy from the street or from neighbours;
- the property faces a road with traffic or noise;
- you want real security and not just a marked boundary;
- you want to protect the garden from the wind — coastal area or open plot;
- it is the front of the house and appearance matters.
Choose mesh fencing if…
- the aim is to mark out a large plot at the lowest cost;
- it is farmland, pasture or orchard;
- does not want to lose the view;
- the fence is temporary or the layout may still change;
- the budget does not allow a wall around the whole perimeter.
Where they are equal
- containing animals: both comply;
- appearance: depends on whether you want to screen the view or not.
How much it costs in your case
Tell us the municipality, the length and the height. We reply with a price and the lead time for the material — and if the right solution for you is the other one, we say so.
Sources
The third-party figures quoted on this page are not our own estimates. The references they came from are given here so that you can check them.
- Plot fence in simple twisted wire mesh, 20.30 €/m at 1.00 m high, ten-year maintenance 3.45 € geradordeprecos.info
- Plot fence in 50×50 mm Ø4 galvanised welded mesh, 41.97 €/m at 1.00 m high, ten-year maintenance 7.13 € geradordeprecos.info
- Modular welded mesh for plot fencing, 59.33 €/m², ten-year maintenance 10.09 € geradordeprecos.info