How much does a fence cost to install?
Fences are priced per linear foot, but posts, gates and corners decide the real total. See how to estimate your own run accurately.
Add to favorites
The numbers at a glance
- Wood privacy
- $32 – $63 per linear ft
- Post spacing
- 6 – 8 ft on center
- Gate allowance
- about $180
- Concrete per post
- 1 – 2 bags
- Height in most codes
- 6 ft without a permit
Estimating a fence run
Fencing is quoted per linear foot, which makes it one of the easier projects to estimate yourself. Measure the length of the run, then add for every corner, end and gate — each of those needs its own post, and each post needs a footing.
Standard post spacing is six to eight feet on center. Tighter spacing means more posts, more concrete and more labour, but a stronger fence. The fencing calculator takes your run length, chooses the spacing for the material and returns the post count, the panel count and an installed range.
Counting the parts of a run — how a fence breaks down
| Item | Rule of thumb | Cost behaviour |
|---|---|---|
| Posts | One more than the number of sections (a 100 ft run at 8 ft spacing is 13 sections and 14 posts) | Set by spacing and terrain: every corner, end and gate adds a post and a footing |
| Panels or rails | One panel per section; two rails up to 5 ft high, three rails at 6 ft | Scales directly with the length of the run and with the height |
| Concrete per post | One to two 80 lb bags per post | A small material cost, but skipping it is the most expensive repair |
| Gates | About $180 for a walk gate | A drive gate uses heavier posts and hardware and more than doubles that |
| Removal of the old fence and footings | Quoted separately from the new fence | Pulling the old footings is often the slowest, most variable part |
Ask for removal as its own line item so competing bids can be compared like for like.
What changes the price
Material choice is the largest variable, then height and terrain. A fence that steps down a slope needs more posts and either stepped panels or racked panels, both of which cost more than a level run.
Installed cost by material — per linear foot for a privacy-height run
| Material | Installed cost per linear foot | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Wood privacy (cedar or treated pine) | $32 – $63 | The reference band, set at 8 ft post spacing |
| Vinyl privacy | $42 – $77 | Higher material cost, no staining, gate allowance about $240 |
| Chain-link | $22 – $47 | Cheapest per foot, set at 10 ft spacing, gate allowance about $160 |
| Aluminum ornamental | $48 – $87 | Set at 6 ft spacing for heavier panels, gate allowance about $350 |
Bands cover the fence line and include posts, rails, panels and a walk-gate allowance. Corners, ends and terrain add posts and footings on top.
- Material: wood, vinyl, chain link, aluminum and composite each land in a different band.
- Height: a 4 ft garden fence costs noticeably less than a 6 ft privacy fence.
- Terrain: slopes require extra posts and cut panels.
- Removal: taking out an old fence and its concrete footings is a separate charge.
- Gates: a walk gate needs heavier posts and hinges; a drive gate more than doubles that.
Posts, concrete and the part that fails
Fences fail at the posts, not the panels. Setting each post in concrete below the local frost line is what stops a fence leaning after two winters. Skipping concrete or setting posts too shallow is the most common shortcut — and the most expensive to fix.
Run the concrete calculator for the number of posts to see how much ready-mix you need. For a typical privacy fence, one to two 80 lb bags per post is normal.
Before you dig
Call the utility locating service before any digging — it is free and it is the law in most states. Damage to a buried line from a fence post is far more expensive than the fence.
Check the height limit and setback rules for your property line before ordering materials. Most jurisdictions allow a six foot fence without a permit, but many require the finished side to face the neighbor and set the fence back from the property line.
A worked example: 100 ft wood privacy fence at 8 ft spacing
Here is the run the calculator returns most often: 100 ft of 6 ft cedar privacy fence at 8 ft post spacing, which is 13 sections and 14 posts.
Prices below are national averages for materials and a single crew. Once the gate and the removal are counted, they land inside the $32 to $63 per linear foot band.
100 ft, 6 ft cedar privacy, 8 ft spacing, one walk gate
Eight line items, priced at national averages for a single crew.
- Panels (13 sections)13 cedar sections at about $95 each
- $1,235
- Rails (39 rails)Three rails per section at 6 ft height, about $9 each
- $351
- Posts (14 posts)14 posts at about $18 each, one more than the sections
- $252
- Concrete (21 bags)One and a half 80 lb bags per post, about $6 a bag
- $126
- Gate (one walk gate)Heavier posts and hinges at the gate opening
- $180
- Hardware (hinges, latch, fasteners)Gate hardware, brackets and screws
- $120
- Labour (set, assemble, hang)Excavation, setting posts, building the run, hanging the gate
- $1,500
- Removal of the old fence and footingsDemolition, haul-away and breaking out the old concrete
- $400
$4,164 — about $42 per linear foot
That lands inside the $32 to $63 band and shows why removal, the gate and the hardware deserve their own lines. A level site with no old fence to pull sits near the bottom of the band; a sloped or heavily landscaped run climbs towards the top.
How long a fence install takes
Durations assume a two-person crew and a level site. The one wait you cannot skip is the concrete.
Layout and utility locating
1 day
Call 811 before any digging, mark the run, then confirm the property line, the height limit and the setbacks.
Demolition and haul-away of the old fence
1 – 2 days
Tear out the old fence, break out the footings and take everything away.
Digging and setting posts in concrete
1 – 2 days
Dig each hole below the frost line, set the posts, brace them straight and pour the concrete.
Rails and pickets or panels
1 – 3 days
Hang the rails, then the pickets or panels, once the concrete has cured.
Gate hanging and finishing
1 day
Hang the gate on its hinges, set the latch and true the swing.
The concrete needs to cure roughly 24 to 48 hours before the panels are loaded onto the posts, so a simple run is usually a three to five day job once the start day is fixed.
The six most expensive fence mistakes
Fences fail at the posts, and most of these mistakes only show up after a winter or two.
Setting posts above the local frost line
A footing that stops short of the frost line lets the post heave with the ground and lean within a couple of winters. Dig below the frost depth for your area, not to a fixed depth found online.
Skipping concrete or using too little
One to two 80 lb bags per post is normal. A post packed in soil alone, or set with a single shovel of mix, moves as soon as the ground freezes and thaws.
Digging before calling the utility locating service
Call 811 before any digging. It is free and it is the law in most states, and striking a buried line with a post-hole digger costs far more than the fence.
Ignoring the local height limit and setback rules
Six feet is the usual limit before a permit is required, and many jurisdictions require the finished side to face the neighbor and set the fence back from the property line. Get it wrong and you may have to move a finished fence.
Choosing a material on price alone in a windy exposure
An open or windswept site loads a fence hard. A cheap light panel can be the lowest quote and the shortest-lived fence; use tighter post spacing and a stronger panel where wind is a factor.
Forgetting to price removal and footing breakout as its own line item
Demolition, haul-away and breaking out the old concrete are usually quoted separately. If removal is buried in a lump sum, competing bids cannot be compared like for like.
Pre-dig checklist
Walk the line and confirm each of these before the first hole is dug.
- Call 811 and wait for the buried lines to be marked before any digging.
- Measure the run, then count the corners, ends and gates that each need their own post.
- Confirm the property line, the height limit and the setback with the local building department.
- Decide the material, the height and the post spacing, then order materials to match.
- Confirm the number of posts, rails and panels, and the concrete bags each post will take.
- Price removal of the old fence and its footings as a separate line item.
- Check the local frost depth so each footing is dug deep enough.
- Agree the gate position, its swing and its hardware before the posts are set.
Put a number on your project
Fence Calculator
Estimate posts, rails and total fence cost.
Concrete Calculator
Calculate concrete volume and materials.
Mulch Calculator
Work out cubic yards or bags of mulch.
Planning estimate only — confirm quantities with your supplier or contractor before ordering.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a fence cost per linear foot?
Wood privacy fencing typically runs $32 to $63 per linear foot installed, including posts, rails, panels and a gate allowance. Vinyl and composite cost more; chain link costs less.
How far apart should fence posts be?
Set posts six to eight feet on center for most residential fences. Use the tighter spacing in windy or exposed sites, and add a post at every corner, end and gate.
Can I install a fence myself?
Yes, and the savings are substantial because fencing is mostly labour. The hard part is setting posts deep enough in concrete to survive frost — if you get that right, the panels go up quickly.
How many posts does a fence need?
Posts are always one more than the sections. A 100 ft wood privacy run at 8 ft spacing is 13 sections and 14 posts, while chain-link at 10 ft spacing is 10 sections and 11 posts. Every corner, end and gate adds another post and footing.
What fence height needs a permit?
Six feet is the usual limit before a permit is required, and many jurisdictions also require the finished side to face the neighbor and set the fence back from the property line. Fence rules are set locally, so check with the building department, not the state.
Does removing an old fence cost extra?
Yes. Demolition, haul-away and breaking out the existing concrete footings are normally quoted separately, and pulling footings is often the slowest part of the job. Ask for removal as its own line item so competing bids can be compared like for like.
Where these numbers come from
Ranges are national averages and assume a licensed contractor, permits and a single crew. Local labour rates, frost depth and material prices move the result.
Keep reading
All guidesHow much does a pool fence cost?
A pool fence is a safety device before it is a design feature. The material changes the view and the price, not the standard it has to meet.
How much does deck lighting cost?
Deck lighting is cheap per fixture and easy to oversize. What you are buying is a safer stair and a deck you can use after dark.
Comparing contractor quotes? Request free quotes and check them against your own estimate — all 27 calculators on the site are free.