Arron Johnson - Hanging a gate with a grab 'n go pack: Johnson Fencing

Introducing Aaron Johnson: We caught up with Arron Johnson of Johnson Fencing, a Christchurch based business known for tackling the tough jobs across central Canterbury, from the plains to the steep country around Lake Coleridge and Banks Peninsula.

Johnson Fencing has grown from a one-man operation to a solid team of seven, equipped to handle any job that comes their way. “We do the jobs no one else wants to do,” he said. Their commitment to their clients matches their dedication to their work. “When we quote you, that’s the number - no surprises, no shock bill at the end. We may not be the cheapest, but we’re straight up.”

The team of seven undertakes a mix of rural and urban projects - ranging from bollards for Christchurch City Council to deer and sheep netting, post-and-rail fencing, and roadside security fencing. “We’ve got a kilometre of four-rail going in at Kaiapoi, retaining walls in Governor’s Bay, and a few roading and NZTA jobs in the mix,” Arron said.

Johnson Fencing’s approach is all about practicality and efficiency. One of the biggest game-changers for them has been the GOFENCE GRAB ‘N GO GATE Pack paired with the GOFENCE Impact Driver. “It’s massive,” Arron said. “We used to muck around with crescents and bits of pipe, trying not to smash our knuckles. Now we can hang a deer gate in under three minutes. Half the cost, half the time, and no injuries.”

The business also does its own earthworks with diggers on hand for rocky or steep terrain- the kind of challenging sites that define their work. “We do a fair bit of rock and back-country fencing,” Arron said. “It’s hard graft, but that’s what we do best.”

His go-to method for netting fences is the envelope tie, a simple but effective way to keep wires separate and the job looking clean. “I just thought it looked a bit different - not a lot of people do it like that,” he said. “It works really well, keeps everything separate from the wire work, and it looks tidy when it’s finished.”

Most of CG & JM Stuart Fencing’s materials come from Goldpine, including the netting, posts, and staples. “They’re pretty durable, they do the job,” Cam said. For the current dairy conversion, he’s been using 2.4m strainers and 1.80m pointed posts and GOFENCE Sheep netting.

“It’s mainly about the look,” he added. “When you line everything up nicely, it just makes the job look that much better.”.