Loan Fence Cost Estimator
Fences are priced by the linear foot, and the material spread is five-to-one. Enter the run and pick the fence: get the installed range with gates and tear-out as separate lines — the two items that ambush every fence budget.
Measure the full run along the property line, corners included. Bands are for the standard 6-ft privacy height (4-ft chain-link and picket run lower). Most suburbs cap backyard fences at 6 ft — check the local rule and any HOA covenant before ordering taller.
How it works
Per-foot installed bands at standard height: wood $25–$45, vinyl $40–$65, chain-link $18–$32, aluminium $55–$85, composite $50–$80 per lineal foot. Gates are not fence: budget $250–$450 per standard gate installed (wide drive gates far more). Removing an old fence adds about $8 per lineal foot for tear-out and haul-away. Labour sits near half the total on wood and vinyl; chain-link's cheapness is mostly material.
Method & worked example
Method: Total = length × material band (wood $25–45, vinyl $40–65, chain-link $18–32, aluminium $55–85, composite $50–80 per lineal ft) + gates at $250–450 each + optional tear-out at $8 per lineal ft.
Worked example: 100 ft of wood privacy with one gate: $2,500–$4,500 of fence + $250–$450 gate = $2,750–$4,950 installed.
When to use this
- You are budgeting a yard fence and material choice is still open.
- A fence quote arrived as one number and you want the anatomy.
- You are adding gates or an old-fence tear-out to the plan.
How to use it, step by step
- Measure the full run along the property line.
- Pick the material.
- Count the gates honestly — walk gates and any drive gate.
- Toggle tear-out if an old fence occupies the line.
What the inputs mean
| Input | What it is | Typical values |
|---|---|---|
| Fence length | Total lineal feet on the line | 50–150 ft typical yards; 250+ large lots |
| Material | Installed band per lineal foot | Chain-link $18–32; wood $25–45; vinyl $40–65 |
| Gates | Standard walk gates | $250–450 each installed |
| Tear-out | Removal and haul-away of old fence | $8 per lineal ft |
Another worked example
150 ft of vinyl privacy with two gates: fence 150 × $40–65 = $6,000–$9,750; gates 2 × $250–450 = $500–$900; total $6,500–$10,650 installed (mid-band rate $52.50/ft). The same run in wood would land near $4,000–$7,650 — the material gap on a long run is a used car.
Frequently asked questions
How much does 100 ft of wood fence cost?
$2,750–$4,950 installed including one gate: $2,500–$4,500 of fence plus $250–$450 for the gate. The same 100 ft in vinyl runs $4,250–$6,950; in chain-link, $2,050–$3,650. Material is destiny in fence pricing.
How much does 150 ft of vinyl fence cost?
With two gates: $6,500–$10,650 installed. Vinyl's mid-band rate is $52.50 per foot against wood's $35 — the gap buys zero staining and wash-clean maintenance for the fence's life.
Wood or vinyl?
Wood: cheaper, repairable board-by-board, needs stain every few years. Vinyl: roughly 50% more up front, washes clean, never stains, but repairs mean whole panels and it can crack on hard impacts in deep cold. The 15-year cost gap is narrower than the quote gap.
Why do gates cost extra?
A gate is a small engineered structure — heavier posts, hardware, a frame that must not sag — hung in a hole in your fence. $250–$450 installed for a walk gate is normal; double drive gates run $800–$2,000+.
Can I save by DIY-ing a fence?
Posts are the job: straight, plumb, at depth, in concrete — rent the auger and it is a very doable two-weekend project, saving most of the labour half. The Concrete Calculator sizes post-hole concrete at about 1–2 bags per post.
🪨 Rather build a wall?
Where a fence will not do — slope, privacy, permanence — the Retaining Wall Estimator counts blocks, caps and gravel for a segmental wall instead.
How long does a wood fence last?
Pressure-treated pine privacy fencing typically serves 15–20 years with stain maintenance; cedar a few years longer. Posts are the failure point — gravel-set or concrete-set with the crown shedding water is the longevity decision.
Should neighbours split the cost?
Custom varies by state and city (some fence laws presume shared benefit on boundary fences). A written agreement before work beats a customary assumption after the invoice — another reason the itemised total here is useful.