Fence Cost Calculator
Estimate what a new fence really costs in 2026: pick a material, set the height and length, add gates, terrain, old-fence removal and permits — and compare DIY against hiring a pro. Every number below comes from the same cost engine that powers the calculator.
Your fence estimate
- Fence run
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- Gates
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- Old-fence removal
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- Permit
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- Materials / labor split
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- Cost per year of service
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Same fence in every material
| Material | Total | Per foot | Lifespan |
|---|
Head-to-head totals for your exact length, height, terrain and gates — pro install.
How fence installation cost is calculated
A fence quote has four parts: materials (posts, panels or fabric, concrete, hardware), labor (digging, setting posts, hanging panels), gates, and site extras (old-fence removal, permits, difficult terrain). This calculator prices each part separately and adds them up:
Height scales both materials and labor (a 4 ft fence costs 0.80× the 6 ft rate; an 8 ft fence 1.25×). Terrain scales labor only: flat 1.00×, slight slope 1.10×, moderate slope 1.25×, rocky 1.50×. DIY mode drops the labor column entirely.
Fence cost per linear foot by material (2026)
Pro-installed national ranges for a standard 6 ft fence on flat ground. Labor is 55–65% of the bill on most jobs — digging and concrete work is the expensive part, not the boards.
| Material | Installed $/ft | Materials only $/ft | Labor $/ft | Typical lifespan |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chain Link — Galvanized | $10 – $25 | $3 – $12 | $7 – $13 | 15–20 yrs |
| Chain Link — Vinyl-Coated | $12 – $30 | $4 – $14 | $8 – $16 | 20–25 yrs |
| Split Rail | $12 – $30 | $5 – $12 | $7 – $18 | 10–15 yrs |
| Wood — Pressure-Treated Pine | $15 – $35 | $7 – $15 | $8 – $20 | 10–15 yrs |
| Wood — Cedar | $20 – $45 | $10 – $20 | $10 – $25 | 15–20 yrs |
| Aluminum — Ornamental | $25 – $60 | $12 – $28 | $13 – $32 | 25–35 yrs |
| Vinyl | $40 – $70 | $18 – $35 | $22 – $35 | 25–30 yrs |
| Steel — Ornamental / Wrought-Iron Style | $40 – $80 | $20 – $40 | $20 – $40 | 25–35 yrs |
| Composite | $45 – $70 | $22 – $38 | $23 – $32 | 25–30 yrs |
2026 national ranges for a 6 ft fence on flat ground, pro-installed. Ranges compiled from the HowMuchFence 2026 price guide, Angi/HomeAdvisor data via estimationpro, and BarrierBoss itemized builds — full citations in SOURCES.md. Your state, yard access, and local lumber prices move you within (or occasionally outside) the band.
The bands are wide because quotes genuinely vary that much: lumber prices, crew rates, and yard access move you up or down inside the band, and premium markets (coastal California, Hawaii) sit above it.
Worked example 1: 150 ft cedar privacy fence, pro-installed
A typical suburban backyard: 150 linear feet of 6 ft cedar on flat ground, one 4 ft walk gate, $75 permit.
- Base per-foot rate: cedar at 6 ft, flat, pro = $20–$45/ft (materials $10–$20 + labor $10–$25).
- Fence run: 150 × $20 = $3,000 low; 150 × $45 = $6,750 high → $3,000 – $6,750.
- Gate: one walk gate = $200 – $400 installed with hardware.
- Permit: $75.
- Total: $3,275 – $7,225 — $21.83–$48.17 per foot all-in.
- Annualized: cedar lasts 15–20 years, so $163.75–$481.67 per year of service.
Worked example 2: 100 ft chain-link fence, DIY
A budget side-yard job: 100 ft of 4 ft galvanized chain link on a slight slope, tearing out 100 ft of old fence, $75 permit, installed yourself.
- Materials rate: 4 ft chain link = $2.40–$9.60/ft (the 6 ft $3–$12 rate × 0.80 height factor; slope does not change material cost).
- Materials: 100 × $2.40–$9.60 = $240 – $960.
- Removal: 100 ft × $3–$5 = $300 – $500.
- Permit: $75.
- DIY total: $615 – $1,535.
- Same job pro-installed: $1,231 – $2,679 ($12.31–$26.79/ft) — the slight slope adds 10% to labor, and labor is what you pay a crew for.
Same fence in every material: 150 ft head-to-head
One job priced nine ways — 150 ft, 6 ft tall, flat ground, pro install, one walk gate, $75 permit:
| Material | Total project | Per linear foot |
|---|---|---|
| Chain link (galvanized) | $1,775 – $4,225 | $10 – $25 |
| Chain link (vinyl-coated) | $2,075 – $4,975 | $12 – $30 |
| Split rail | $2,075 – $4,975 | $12 – $30 |
| Pine, pressure-treated | $2,525 – $5,725 | $15 – $35 |
| Cedar | $3,275 – $7,225 | $20 – $45 |
| Aluminum ornamental | $4,025 – $9,475 | $25 – $60 |
| Vinyl | $6,275 – $10,975 | $40 – $70 |
| Steel ornamental | $6,275 – $12,475 | $40 – $80 |
| Composite | $7,025 – $10,975 | $45 – $70 |
Same job, every material: 150 linear feet, 6 ft tall, flat ground, pro install, one 4 ft walk gate, $75 permit — computed live by the calculator engine above.
DIY vs hiring a pro
Expect the pro number to be roughly double the DIY materials number: on the chain-link example above, $615–$1,535 DIY versus $1,231–$2,679 pro. What you buy with the difference is speed and warranty — a crew fences 150 ft in 1–2 days; a first-timer needs 2–3 weekends, a rented auger, and straight post holes. DIY makes the most sense for chain link and split rail (simple, forgiving); vinyl and composite punish sloppy post spacing because the panels are pre-sized.
Gates, terrain, removal, permits — the line items quotes hide
- Gates are mini construction projects: posts get upsized, concrete footings get deeper, and hardware alone runs $65+. Budget $200–$400 per walk gate, $400–$1,200 per double drive gate.
- Rocky ground can add 50% to labor. A 6 ft cedar fence at $20–$45/ft on flat ground becomes $25 – $57.50/ft on rocky ground — same boards, slower digging.
- Old-fence removal ($3–$5/ft) is routinely excluded from per-foot quotes. A 100 ft tear-out adds $300 – $500.
- Permits run $50–$150 in most cities. Some HOAs cap height at 4 ft in front yards — check before you buy.
Fence lifespan and maintenance
| Material | Service life | Maintenance |
|---|---|---|
| Wood — Pressure-Treated Pine | 10–15 years | Medium — stain/seal every 2–3 years |
| Wood — Cedar | 15–20 years | Medium — stain every 3–5 years (or let weather gray) |
| Chain Link — Galvanized | 15–20 years | Low — hose off dirt, check wire tension yearly |
| Chain Link — Vinyl-Coated | 20–25 years | Low — same as galvanized, coating resists rust |
| Split Rail | 10–15 years | Low — rustic; replace rotted rails as needed |
| Vinyl | 25–30 years | Very low — soap and water wash |
| Composite | 25–30 years | Very low — soap and water wash |
| Aluminum — Ornamental | 25–35 years | Low — powder-coat lasts, rinse yearly |
| Steel — Ornamental / Wrought-Iron Style | 25–35 years | Medium — touch up paint every 8–10 years to stop rust |
Service life assumes normal residential exposure and the maintenance listed. Wet climates shorten wood life and lengthen metal life.
Practical tips before you buy
- Measure twice, order once: walk every run with a tape, add 5–10% waste for cuts and bad boards, and round panels up — a 150 ft run at 8 ft spacing needs 20 posts, not 19.
- Call 811 before you dig. Utility locates are free in the US and legally required; hitting a gas line costs more than any fence.
- Gates first: decide gate positions before ordering — a 12 ft double gate needs a 12 ft opening plus beefier gate posts, which changes your panel count.
- Get 3 quotes and make each one itemize gates, removal, and permit separately. A quote that is 30% cheaper usually omitted one of them.
- Board-on-board costs ~8% more than standard cedar ($3,395 – $7,465 vs $3,275 – $7,225 on the 150 ft example) but hides gaps as boards shrink — worth it if privacy is the point.
- Stain cedar within a year if you want the full 15–20 year life; unstained cedar still lasts, it just weathers gray.
How to measure your yard
Add up each straight run in feet — a rectangle 60 × 90 ft with the house covering 40 ft of one side needs 60 + 90 + 90 + (60 − 40) = 260 ft. Subtract driveways and existing structures you will not fence. If your lot is L-shaped, measure each leg separately; the calculator’s length field takes the total either way.
Frequently asked questions
Pro-installed on flat ground, a 6 ft fence runs about $10–$25 per linear foot for galvanized chain link, $15–$35 for pressure-treated pine, $20–$45 for cedar, $25–$60 for aluminum, $40–$70 for vinyl, and $45–$70 for composite — materials plus labor, 2026 national ranges. For a typical 150 ft backyard with one walk gate that works out to roughly $1,775–$4,225 for chain link or $3,275–$7,225 for cedar, before old-fence removal.
Galvanized chain link is the cheapest full-perimeter option: $10–$25 per linear foot installed, or $3–$12 per foot for materials if you DIY. A 100 ft, 4 ft chain-link fence on a slight slope runs about $1,231–$2,679 pro-installed ($12.31–$26.79 per foot, including a $75 permit and $300–$500 for old-fence removal), versus $615–$1,535 in DIY materials. Vinyl-coated chain link costs about $2 more per foot and lasts 20–25 years instead of 15–20.
For 150 ft at 6 ft, pro-installed on flat ground: cedar privacy $3,275–$7,225, vinyl privacy $6,275–$10,975, composite $7,025–$10,975. Board-on-board cedar (overlapping boards, zero gaps) adds about 8% over standard cedar — $3,395–$7,465 for the same 150 ft. The budget privacy route is chain link with privacy slats at $2,375–$5,575.
Galvanized chain link at $10–$25 per linear foot installed, followed by split rail at $12–$30. Materials alone for 100 ft of 4 ft chain link are just $240–$960 — a weekend DIY job can fence a small yard for under $1,000 before removal and permits.
Roughly half the bill: the same 100 ft chain-link job costs $615–$1,535 DIY versus $1,231–$2,679 pro-installed. Industry data puts labor at 55–65% of a pro-installed fence bill, because digging holes and setting posts in concrete is the slow part. DIY saves the labor but costs you 2–3 weekends plus tool rental and a much stronger back.
Installed with hardware: a 3–4 ft walk gate $200–$400, an 8–12 ft double drive gate $400–$1,200, a sliding gate $900–$1,800. Gates are the most common reason a bid lands above a raw per-foot estimate, so price them as separate line items — this calculator does.
Yes — terrain multiplies labor, not materials. A slight slope adds about 10% to labor, a moderate slope 25%, and rocky or hard digging up to 50%. A 6 ft cedar fence that costs $20–$45 per foot on flat ground runs $25–$57.50 per foot on rocky ground.
About $3–$5 per linear foot for tear-out and haul-away — $300–$500 for a 100 ft fence. Many quotes exclude it, so add it as its own line (the calculator has a removal field) or you will be surprised on demo day.
Most cities require one, typically $50–$150 — this calculator defaults to $75. Check setback rules, corner-lot sight triangles, and HOA height limits before buying materials; 6 ft is the common residential maximum.
Walk each straight run with a tape or measuring wheel and add the runs together, or measure your lot and subtract the frontage you will not fence (house, driveway). At the standard 8 ft post spacing, 150 ft needs 20 posts (posts = ceil(length ÷ 8) + 1). For post depth, size, and concrete, use our fence post size calculator.
Up front, cedar wins ($3,275–$7,225 vs $6,275–$10,975 for vinyl, 150 ft at 6 ft). Per year of service they are close: about $163.75–$481.67 per year for cedar over its 15–20 year life versus $209.17–$439 per year for vinyl over 25–30 years — and that is before cedar’s staining every 3–5 years, which narrows the gap further.
Pressure-treated pine 10–15 years; cedar 15–20; galvanized chain link 15–20; vinyl-coated chain link 20–25; vinyl and composite 25–30; aluminum and steel 25–35+ with occasional touch-up paint. In wet climates, wood lives at the low end of its range and metal at the high end.
Free tool by NRTechStudio