Free Contractor Tool
Fence Cost Calculator
Estimate what a fence costs to install — by material, height, length, and terrain, with gates and old-fence removal priced separately. Get a total and a true all-in cost per linear foot.
Built by SubcontractorHub — the software contractors use to quote, finance, and run every job.
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Estimate Your Fence Installation Cost
Enter the perimeter in linear feet and pick a material. Height, terrain, and region adjust the per-foot rate; gates and removal are added on top.
Measure the perimeter you are enclosing, not the lot area.
$18–$38 per ft at 6 ft • typical life 12–18 yrs
Estimated installed cost
$3,431 – $7,099
$17–$35 per linear foot all-in
Fence run
$3,240–$6,840
Gates (1)
$191–$259
Old fence removal
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Encloses about
0.06 acre
Reading the result: the “encloses about” figure assumes a square lot — an irregular or narrow lot needs more fence for the same acreage. Permits ($50–$400) and 811 utility locating (free, and legally required) are not included above.
Fence Cost Per Linear Foot by Material
Installed cost at a standard 6-foot height, materials and labor. Expected life matters as much as price — vinyl often beats wood on 20-year cost despite the higher upfront number.
Perimeter does not scale with acreage
A square acre is 43,560 ft², which is about 835 linear feet of perimeter. But four acres is not four times the fence — a square four-acre parcel has roughly 1,670 feet of perimeter, only double. Perimeter grows with the square root of area.
Lot shape matters more than size. A long, narrow parcel can need 40% more fence than a square one of identical acreage, so always measure the actual property line rather than working back from an acreage figure.
Posts decide how long the fence lasts
Nearly every premature fence failure traces back to posts, not panels. Posts need to go below the frost line and roughly a third of their length into the ground — a 6-foot fence wants posts about 9 feet long set 3 feet deep.
This is also where cheap bids hide. A quote well under the ranges above is often setting posts shallow, spacing them 10 feet instead of 8, or skipping concrete. The fence looks identical on install day and leans within three seasons.
From Material Takeoffs to a Signed Proposal
SubcontractorHub is the platform contractors use to turn takeoffs like these into a branded proposal, financing the customer can accept on the spot, and a scheduled job — without re-entering the job anywhere. This tool is free to use; the platform is here if you want a closer look.
Fencing is a fast-turnaround, high-volume trade where the bottleneck is usually quoting speed, not install capacity. Measuring a line and handing over a priced, branded proposal before leaving the driveway is what wins these jobs. See how contractor estimating software and proposal software shorten that cycle.
Common Questions About Fence Cost
How much does a fence cost per foot?
Installed, roughly $12–$25 per linear foot for chain link, $18–$38 for pressure-treated pine, $25–$50 for cedar, $28–$60 for vinyl, $30–$65 for aluminum, and $50–$120 for wrought iron — all at 6 feet tall including labor. Height shifts these a lot: a 4-foot fence is about 78% of the 6-foot price and an 8-foot fence about 135%, since taller fences need deeper posts and more material.
How much does it cost to fence 1 acre?
A square acre is 43,560 ft², or about 835 linear feet of perimeter — roughly $10,000–$21,000 in chain link, $15,000–$32,000 in pressure-treated wood, or $23,000–$50,000 in vinyl. Perimeter does not scale with area: four acres in a square needs only about twice the fence of one acre, not four times.
How much does a fence gate cost?
A walk gate adds about $175–$250 in chain link, $250–$400 in wood or vinyl, and $450–$700 in aluminum or wrought iron, installed. Double drive gates cost two to three times a walk gate because of heavier posts, drop rods, and reinforced hardware. Automated openers are another $800–$3,000. Gates fail first, so hardware quality matters most here.
Do I need a permit to build a fence?
Usually yes, typically $50–$400. Most codes cap front-yard fences at 3–4 feet and back-yard at 6 feet, with taller needing a variance, and HOAs often add material and color rules. Always call 811 for free utility locating before digging — it is legally required in every state, and hitting a buried gas or fiber line is the most expensive mistake on a fence job.
Is it cheaper to build a fence yourself?
Materials are about 40–60% of the installed price, so the savings look real. The catch is post setting — fence life depends almost entirely on posts going below the frost line, about a third of their length deep, and plumb. Rented augers struggle in rocky or root-bound soil. DIY makes most sense on flat ground with easy soil and a simple panel or chain link system.
What is the cheapest fence to install?
Chain link at $12–$25 per linear foot installed, and it lasts 15–20 years with almost no maintenance. The cheapest privacy option is pressure-treated pine at $18–$38 per foot, though it needs staining every two to three years. Over 20 years vinyl often costs less than wood despite the higher upfront price, because it never needs refinishing.
Quote, Finance, and Run Every Job in One Platform
SubcontractorHub helps contractors turn field measurements into accurate proposals, present financing, and close jobs on-site — built for the way contractor sales actually works.
Book a Free DemoCost ranges are national planning estimates based on typical published contractor pricing, adjusted by the height, terrain, and region factors you select. Permits, utility locating, surveying, and tree or brush clearing are not included. Verify quantities and pricing against local supplier and labor rates before bidding or buying.