Prices by fence type
These are the installed prices our calculators start from, reviewed in . Each one is a mid-range national figure, shown with a range of 15% either side, because a real quote depends on things nobody can see from a website.
| Fence | Materials / ft | Labor / ft | Installed / ft | 150 ft installed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wood privacy, pine, 6 ft | $18 | $17 | $30–$40 | $4,460–$6,040 |
| Wood privacy, cedar, 6 ft | $24 | $17 | $35–$47 | $5,230–$7,070 |
| Vinyl privacy, 6 ft | $28 | $12 | $34–$46 | $5,100–$6,900 |
| Chain link, galvanized, 4 ft | $7 | $8 | $13–$17 | $1,910–$2,590 |
| Chain link, vinyl-coated, 4 ft | $10 | $8 | $15–$21 | $2,300–$3,100 |
| Aluminum, flat top, 4 ft | $26 | $12 | $32–$44 | $4,850–$6,550 |
Installed means materials and labor together: posts set in concrete, rails, boards or panels, and the crew's time. Gates and taking out an old fence cost extra, and both are covered below.
What a typical backyard costs
Length drives the bill more than anything else, because almost everything on a fence quote is priced by the foot. Walk the fence line with a long tape or a measuring wheel before you ask for prices, and mark where the gates go.
Take a 150-foot run of 6-foot privacy fence. In pressure-treated pine that comes to about $5,250 before gates. The same run in vinyl is about $6,000, and in cedar about $6,150.
Don't know your length? The acre calculator works it out from your lot size, and the fence cost calculator prices any length, height and material, with your own prices if you have them.
Gates
A gate costs far more per foot than the fence around it. You're paying for a frame that won't sag, hinges, a latch, and heavier posts to hang it on. A wood walk gate starts around $350 installed, and a double driveway gate around $900.
| Gate material | Walk gate, 4 ft | Double drive gate, 12 ft | Sliding gate, 14 ft |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wood | $350 | $900 | $2,200 |
| Vinyl | $400 | $1,000 | $2,400 |
| Chain link | $250 | $600 | $1,500 |
| Aluminum | $500 | $2,000 | $3,200 |
| Wrought iron or steel | $700 | $2,200 | $3,500 |
Decide on gates before you get quotes. Adding one later means cutting into a finished fence and setting new posts.
Taking out the old fence
If an old fence is in the way, someone has to take it down, dig out the posts and haul it all off. Our prices for a 150-foot fence:
| Fence type | Tear-down / ft | With concrete footings / ft | 150 ft, hauled away |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wood | $3.50 | $5.50 | $955–$1,290 |
| Chain link | $3.50 | $5.50 | $955–$1,290 |
| Vinyl | $3.50 | $5.50 | $955–$1,290 |
| Wrought iron or steel | $5 | $7 | $1,150–$1,550 |
Concrete footings are what make removal slow. When you compare quotes, check whether each one pulls the footings or only cuts the posts off at the ground. And don't burn old pressure-treated boards: the chemicals in them end up in the smoke.
Costs people forget
Permits and height limits
Many cities don't ask for a permit for an ordinary backyard fence, and plenty do. Nearly all of them limit height. The model building code most states start from doesn't require a building permit for fences up to 7 feet, but cities add zoning rules on top of it.
Two examples show how much that varies. In West Linn, Oregon, a fence needs no permit, but a front-yard fence can't be taller than 3 feet. Federal Way, Washington, lowers the permit-free height to 6 feet. Call your city or county planning office before you order anything; our guide on fence permits explains what to ask.
Knowing where the property line is
The fence has to sit on your side of the line. If you aren't sure exactly where that is, a survey is cheaper than moving a finished fence, and some cities ask for one with the permit.
Buried utilities
Call 811 a few days before anyone digs a post hole. It's free, and the utility companies come out and mark their lines.
The homeowners association
If you're in an HOA, get the style, color and height approved in writing before you sign with a contractor. HOA rules are often stricter than the city's.
How to spend less
Do the labor yourself. On a 6-foot pressure-treated privacy fence, labor is about 49% of the installed price at our numbers. Setting posts plumb and in line is the hard part. The post hole calculator tells you how much concrete to buy.
Go shorter where height doesn't matter. A 4-foot fence across the front and 6 feet around the back yard costs less than 6 feet all the way around, and front-yard fences are often limited to 4 feet or less anyway.
Mix materials. Chain link along the back of the lot, where nobody looks at it, and wood or vinyl along the sides people see.
Share a boundary fence. Neighbors often split the cost of a fence on the line between them. Put the agreement in writing, including who looks after it.
Compare quotes line by line. Get three, and make sure they price the same length, height, gates and post spacing. A low quote that leaves out removal or the gate isn't low.
Fair questions
Why do quotes for the same fence vary so much?
Labor rates differ from town to town and with how busy crews are. Rocky or sloped ground, tight access and an old fence to remove all add hours. That's why we show a range rather than one number.
Is a longer fence cheaper per foot?
Sometimes, a little. A few costs don't grow with length, like getting the crew and tools to your house, so they spread over more feet. Our calculators keep the price per foot the same at any length, which is the cautious way to budget.
Does a fence have to be stained?
Wood lasts longer when it's stained or sealed every few years. Vinyl, chain link and aluminum don't need it. Our wood vs vinyl guide compares the upkeep, and the staining calculator prices the job.
Sources
- International Residential Code, Section R105.2: the model list of work that needs no building permit, including fences up to 7 feet and small detached decks. States and cities adopt it with their own changes.
- City of West Linn, Oregon, Do I need a permit to put a fence in my yard?: an example of a city where a fence needs no permit but a front-yard fence is limited to 3 feet.
- City of Federal Way, Washington, Residential permit exemptions: an example of a city that adopts the IRC list with changes of its own, such as a 6-foot fence limit.
- Call 811: the national call-before-you-dig service, for when and how to have buried utilities marked.
- U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Burn Wise: why pressure-treated wood should never be burned.
- How we calculate: every suggested price behind this calculator, with the date it was last reviewed.
