Lifestyle fencing has grown to become the main line of work for Tauranga-based Stag Fencing and Rural Services, broadening its scope of work to be able to take on any type of project.
It specialises in both rural and lifestyle fencing across the Bay of Plenty, including orchard construction and retaining walls. With a team of four to five staff, led by owner Lance Brough and his wife Gin managing administration, lifestyle fencing now accounts for 60 to 70 percent of their workload.
It adds a huge variety to the scope of work, Lance says.
“It’s challenging, but the reward is seeing a landowner’s vision come to life.”
The company’s lifestyle projects range from the standard post-and-rail fencing to interlock systems and deer fencing for clients who want fallow deer on their properties.
The diversity of projects keeps the work interesting, often requiring custom solutions and a high level of finish,” Lance says.
This has included some pretty unusual jobs, he says.
“One was a set of pig dog kennels and an exercise area for a keen hunter. The whole thing was enclosed in a deer-fenced area, and the posts on either side of the gate were clad to look like square columns because the client didn’t like the look of round posts.”
Another standout project involved constructing a large retaining wall with a built-in clay bird thrower and a custom fire pit.
The client wanted to be able to stand on the wall and shoot clays,” he says. “It was a bit different, but a lot of fun to build.”
Lance says there is a huge variety and creativity in lifestyle fencing that comes with the satisfaction of delivering a tailored solution.
He says it’s hard to pick a favourite project from over the years.
“We’ve completed some really cool ones, and they’ve all been enjoyable in different ways.
“What I like about lifestyle fencing is the challenge to bring the landowner’s vision to reality in a way that they are going to love the end result.”
It also comes with its own set of challenges – particularly when it comes to materials, Lance says.
Sourcing dry timber is critical for post-and-rail fencing, and he’d like to see a more consistent supply across the industry.
“I always try to source dry timber when working on post-and-rail fencing. Otherwise, you end up doing a beautiful fence, only to come back a couple of months later and find the joins have opened up.”
He would like to see an industry-led approach to addressing the issue.
“I think as an industry we should be pushing timber merchants to supply quality dry timber.”
Stag Fencing takes pride in its attention to detail and the high quality of its work, using uni rounds – also known as landscape posts – for their consistent diameter, with each post finished with a router to quarter-round the tops. They also arris the rails, which Lance says gives a clean, professional look.
“Little things like that don’t take much longer to do but can set you apart from the fencer down the road,” he says.
While the company continues to service working farms, orchards, and council contracts, Lance sees lifestyle fencing continuing to be an area of growth for the business.
Stag Fencing came about when an opportunity presented itself three years ago.
“We had been managing sheep and beef stations for over 15 years and felt like a change,” Lance explains.
At the time, Lance and Gin were managing a station in the Kaimai Ranges, with their two children attending good schools.
“So, we didn’t want to move them out of the Tauranga area.”
Lance was offered a contract, fencing for Armer Farms in Te Puke in early 2022, and jumped at the opportunity. From there, the business grew rapidly, he says.
The lifestyle fencing side of the business grew with the increasing number of lifestyle blocks around the Tauranga and wider Bay of Plenty area, and a high demand for timber fences.
Lance had a background in building before going into farming and has always enjoyed working with timber, so timber rail work and custom-built wooden gates came naturally and were a good fit for the business.
With the high quality of workmanship going into the fences, it didn’t take long for word-of-mouth to get out, and the business grew a lot faster than expected.
They now give back to the community through sponsorship of local hunting competitions and the annual Te Puna Speed Shearing Competition.
“It has been great to give back to the community that has welcomed and supported our business from the beginning,” Lance says.
The future looks bright with plenty of work on the books, thanks to strong support from the locals.
And with son Hunter leaving school to join the team, the couple are excited to continue growing the family business.
Written By Rosa Watson
Published in WIRED issue 79/December 2025 by Fencing Contractors Association NZ
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