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Fence Cost Calculator

What a fence costs per foot, installed, with gates.

Your measurementsEvery assumption editable01

$10–25 per foot is typical. Rocky ground and slopes cost more.

Installed, including heavier posts and hardware.

Zero if there is nothing to take out.

Estimated costCalculated live02

Result

$4043–6738estimated

Midpoint $5390 — about $35.93 per ft

Fence length
150 ft
Materials
$2100
Labour49% of the subtotal
$2400
Gates
$400
Subtotal
$4900
Contingency10%
$490
Midpoint estimate
$5390
Likely range±25%, the usual concept-stage spread
$4043 – $6738
Cost per ft
$35.93

This is a budgeting figure, not a quote. Regional labour rates vary by a factor of two or more across the country, and the same job priced in a busy season and a quiet one can differ by a third. Get three local quotes before committing to anything.

The range matters more than the midpoint. Construction estimating works to roughly ±25% until a scope is drawn and priced, and a single confident number would be pretending to a precision that does not exist at this stage.

Labour is usually the larger half and the more variable half. If the figure looks wrong, the labour rate is almost always the input to revisit first — material prices are far more consistent between regions than crews are.

Priced by the linear foot, with gates separate — a gate needs heavier posts and hardware and costs several times a comparable length of fence. Old fence removal is its own line because it is frequently forgotten.

Why use this tool?What it does differently03

Why use this tool?

Gates priced properly

Heavier posts, hinges and latches make a gate cost several times an equivalent run of fence.

Five material tiers

Chain link through ornamental aluminium, a spread of more than seven to one.

Removal included

Taking out an old fence and disposing of it is real cost that estimates skip.

Ground conditions flagged

Rock, slopes and tree roots all push labour well above the default.

How this worksThe method04

How this fence cost calculator works

Material and labour are both rated per linear foot and applied to the total run. Gates are added as fixed costs because their price bears no relationship to fence length.

Labour is roughly half the job on a wood fence and is where regional variation bites hardest. Ground conditions matter enormously — rocky soil, slopes and tree roots can double post-setting time.

Old fence removal is charged per foot of existing fence and includes disposal. Set it to zero for a new run where there is nothing to take out.

How to use itStep by step05

How to use it

  1. Step 1: Measure the run

    Total linear feet. The fence calculator works out posts and pickets from it.

  2. Step 2: Pick a material

    The spread from chain link to aluminium is very wide.

  3. Step 3: Count the gates

    Each needs heavier posts and hardware, which is why they are priced separately.

  4. Step 4: Check property lines

    A survey costs far less than moving a fence. Not included here.

Example usageWorked figures06

Example usage

150 ft of privacy fence
Pressure-treated with one gate: $2,100 material, $2,400 labour, $400 gate — about $5,390 midpoint, or $4,042 to $6,738. That is $35.93 per foot.
Cedar instead
Raising the material rate to $22 takes the midpoint to about $6,710. Cedar costs more up front and lasts longer untreated.
Replacing an existing fence
Adding $4 per foot of removal puts another $660 on the job before anything new goes in.
Frequently asked questionsCommon questions07

Frequently asked questions

How much does a fence cost per foot?

Roughly $25 to $45 per linear foot installed for a wood privacy fence. Chain link is considerably less, vinyl and ornamental aluminium considerably more.

How much does a gate add?

Typically $300 to $700 installed, because it needs heavier posts, hinges, a latch and often a diagonal brace. A standard post carrying a gate will eventually lean.

What affects fence labour cost most?

Ground conditions. Rocky soil, slopes and tree roots can double post-setting time, and posts are most of the labour.

Should I include removal of the old fence?

Yes, if there is one. Removal and disposal typically runs $3 to $8 per foot and is routinely left out of quick estimates.

Do I need a survey?

If there is any doubt about the property line, yes. A survey costs a fraction of what moving a fence costs, and boundary disputes are expensive.

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