Fence installation cost: compare materials and project sizes

How much does a fence cost? Start with the run

For an illustrative 150 ft yard boundary without gates, wood privacy comes to $2,550–$5,550 using the saved Fixr privacy rate. Chain link comes to $1,950–$4,050 using Fixr's specified galvanized configuration. These totals include materials and labor for the run. They leave out permits, removal, tax and delivery. Use them as a starting budget for comparing scope; a final price for your address needs a local quote.

Wood privacy: Fixr · 2026-10-24. Chain link: Fixr · 2026-10-24. The tables below show the rates, other materials and additional project lengths.

Installed cost per foot by material

Each installed range includes the fence run's materials and labor. Material-only and labor-only ranges show the separate buying options; they are not add-ons to the installed rate. Wood uses privacy rates. Other material rates cover the configurations named in the source tables below.

Total cost examples: 100, 150 and 200 ft

These gate-free examples multiply the installed per-foot range by the stated length. They exclude permit fees, removal, tax and delivery. They use material-wide rates; height, style and local labor conditions still need to match your quote.

Why the installed ranges differ

Compare sources by configuration and publication date. Homewyse rows below are premium configuration references, not the rates used by the calculator.

Wood

The calculator uses Fixr's wood privacy rates. Angi publishes a higher wood privacy range. Angi's separate privacy article combines all materials, and general wood ranges include other styles. Compare the wood privacy rows separately from those broader ranges. The Forbes reference was published in March 2023 and shows no update date.

Vinyl

Angi and Fixr publish the same broad installed range. Homewyse is a premium configuration reference for 6 ft flat-top privacy panels with finial posts and a lifetime warranty, estimated in May 2026; it is not the calculator's typical range. The Forbes reference dates from 2023. Gate ranges also differ by size and style.

Chain link

Fixr describes a 4 ft, 9 ga galvanized fence and its page was updated in January 2025. Angi publishes a broader residential range. Homewyse is a premium configuration reference for 6 ft, 12.5 ga galvanized fabric and 16 ga posts, estimated in May 2026, with labor, supplies, equipment and delivery bundled. It is not the calculator's typical range.

Aluminum

The installed calculator rate comes from Angi. Fixr's installed range spans powder-coated, ornamental and picket styles; its material rate covers powder-coated aluminum. The Forbes reference covers aluminum or metal and was published in March 2023 with no update date shown. Compare matching styles and scopes, and do not add labor to an installed rate.

Labor versus materials

A material order buys the parts. An installation quote should also describe layout, digging, setting posts, assembling the fence and hanging gates. If you supply materials, confirm the installer accepts the selected system and who handles a missing or damaged part.

The calculator uses per-foot planning ranges independently of its quantity list. It does not price every fitting or adjust the rate when you change height or style. Use the quantities to check scope and request a matching local quote.

Fence permit cost and removal add-ons

Permit requirements and fees depend on the location and project. Confirm them with the local building department before budgeting a fee. Ask whether the contractor's quote includes the application work and any survey needed to establish the boundary.

For an existing fence, list dismantling, hauling and disposal separately. Buried footings, vegetation and access can change the removal work. These add-ons are shown separately and are not automatically added to the estimator.

Angi's permit article and its wood fence article publish different ranges. Neither identifies the jurisdictions behind the difference, so the higher range cannot be assumed to apply only to tall fences. Check the local fee. Removal ranges differ between Angi's general guide and its removal guide; compare demolition and disposal scope before budgeting.

Get quotes you can compare

Give each installer the same length, height, material specification and gate layout. Ask for the fence run, gate assemblies, removal, permit work and exclusions as named lines. Use the fence post depth calculator to understand the footing quantities, then confirm the design with the installer.

Measure the job before choosing a budget

Draw the boundary you actually want to fence. Mark the start and end of every side, shared corners, existing fence that will stay and every gate opening. Measure those sides instead of estimating from the size of the lot. Yard area does not determine boundary length, and a house wall may form part of the enclosure without needing new fencing.

Send the same drawing to each bidder. State whether the length includes openings: this calculator prices the full entered length and handles sourced gate charges separately. Some installers price net fence length plus gates. Both conventions can be understandable, but the footage and gate lines must match the convention before you compare totals.

Choose the result before comparing materials

For screening a patio, compare wood privacy with a specified vinyl privacy panel. For an open boundary, compare chain link with ornamental aluminum or an open vinyl style. A lower price for a fence that leaves the view open does not meet a need for a solid screen. Keep height, gate function and ground clearance on the comparison sheet along with the material name.

The broad installed ranges overlap because they describe different product and work scopes. An aluminum quote may cover a different panel grade from another aluminum quote; a wood quote may use different species or board layouts. Ask for product names and construction details before treating a per-foot difference as evidence that a material is cheaper for your job.

DIY versus hiring: compare the work you will still need

A material-only budget leaves you responsible for layout, post setting, assembly and gates. Make a supplier list for the parts omitted by the calculator and add delivery, rental tools and disposal if needed. Count the work you can complete before deciding which part to contract out. The gap between published materials and installed ranges is not a promised cash saving, especially when the ranges come from different sources.

A labor-only contract can be useful when you already own compatible materials. Agree who checks the order, who accepts delivery and what happens if the crew finds shortages. If the contractor supplies everything, ask for a complete installed scope instead of combining unrelated retail prices with a general labor rate. Keep the gate assemblies visible in either arrangement.

What can move the quote beyond the planning range?

Have the contractor inspect slopes, rock, roots and access before fixing a price. Ask whether the job requires removing old footings, protecting nearby landscaping or carrying material through a narrow passage. Describe the chosen height and any special gate separately; the calculator does not change its per-foot rate when those details change.

Ask how changes will be approved and priced. A note that says “extra work as needed” is harder to budget than an agreed process for showing the obstruction, explaining the proposed fix and getting approval. Keep any allowances separate from fixed scope so the initial total does not hide work that remains unpriced.

Before post holes are dug

Confirm the boundary and any local or association requirements with the relevant office. Arrange the utility locate through the call-before-you-dig service and follow your state's waiting and response instructions. If the contractor handles the request, confirm that responsibility in the proposal. Neither a cost estimate nor a material list locates buried lines.