How Much Does a Fence Really Cost? Wood, PVC, Metal, and More

A fence enhances the home's appearance and provides security. As a permanent addition to the property, a well-built fence also increases the property's value. On average, a fence costs $3,930. On the low end, it costs $1,720, but it can cost as much as $6,140.

Fence Cost by Linear Foot

A fence costs $28 per linear foot, and its total cost range is from $16 to $40 per linear foot.

Many factors influence the cost of a fence, and length is one of the most important factors. A longer fence requires more posts and fencing material.

Fence Cost by Lot Size

The average fence cost for a one-acre lot is $23,350, with a total price range of $13,340 to $33,360.

Residential lots in incorporated areas are much smaller. On average, a fence for a one-quarter-acre lot will cost $5,840. That cost includes fencing on all four sides of the property.

The average cost will likely be less since the entire front is often not fenced, or if it is, the fence is shorter or made of different materials.

Fence Cost by Material

Wood Fence

On average, a wood fence costs $25 per linear foot, with a total cost range of $15 to $34 per linear foot.

Wood is a popular fence material for its natural look, moderate cost, and simple maintenance. However, wood fences are always at risk of deterioration, so it's essential to choose a type of wood that ages well naturally or to keep it sealed or painted.

• Cedar: Including Western Red and Japanese Cedar, cedar is durable, lightweight, and strong. It also weathers well without staining or painting.

• Redwood: Redwood is more expensive than cedar. Its characteristic red tone browns with age, and it weathers well.

Vinyl

The average cost of a vinyl fence is $33 per linear foot. Its price ranges from $25 to $42 per linear foot.

A PVC or polyvinyl chloride fence doesn't experience the same deterioration pattern of wood as there are no organic materials. However, it can warp in hot weather and crack in severely cold temperatures.

Metal

Metal fences cost an average of $44 per linear foot, ranging from $21 to $67 per linear foot.

Metal fences range from security wrought iron and palisade to sleek, modern aluminum and steel fences.

Chain Link

Chain link fence costs $24 per linear foot, ranging from $8 to $40 per foot.

Chain link fence is an inexpensive material for enclosing property for security or to keep kids and pets safe.

Tip

Though chain link itself isn't aesthetically pleasing, there are several methods of covering up chain link to make it more attractive.

Composite

Composite fences start at $17 per linear foot and range up to $43 per linear foot. On average, a composite fence costs $30 per foot, on average.

Composite fence material is made of a combination of reclaimed wood and plastic, so it tends to look a little more like wood than PVC materials.

Fence Cost by Labor

The average cost of labor to build a fence is $35 per hour or about $11 per linear foot of fence. In some areas, the labor cost is as much as $70 per hour, and the linear foot cost is as much as $17.

These would be the prevailing rates if you purchased your own materials and hired tradespeople to build the fence.

Fence Cost Factors

Fence Length

The one factor that most influences a fence's cost is its length. For example, every additional 100 linear feet that you add to a wood fence adds another $2,500 to the project's overall cost.

Fence Height

A taller fence requires more fencing materials. Six feet is the standard height for most residential fences, so if you raise the fence to 8 feet, expect to pay more.

Tip

Make sure that your municipality allows fences taller than six feet. Some areas do not allow this.

Fence Material

Expect to pay more for a metal fence or a premium wood fence than for a chain link or a traditional vertical wood cedar or pine fence.

Slope

A fencing contractor will charge more to build a fence on a slope than on flat ground. The fence posts may need to be set differently, and the fence boards may need to be contoured to align with the slope.

Fence Removal

The cost to remove an old fence is about $5 per linear foot. You may need to pay an additional cost to dispose of the materials.

Permits

The cost of a fence permit is usually between $20 and $60 per permit. In some areas, a permit may not be necessary if the fence falls below a certain height (such as eight feet) or is made only from wood rather than masonry materials.

Additional Fence Cost Factors

Tree Removal

The cost to remove a tree is as little as $250 or as much as $1,730, for an average of about $1,000 per tree.

Trees pose an obstacle for fences. Often, it's easier and less expensive to build around the tree.

Yard Grading

Grading the property for a fence starts at around $1,000 and ranges up to $3,200, for an average of $2,100 per project.

Grading the property isn't always necessary, and this is where a fence contractor's advice is valuable.

Staining and Painting

Staining or painting the fence ranges from $4 to $8 per linear foot.

Gates

The average cost to add a gate to a fence is $225. To save on costs, you may decide to build your own wooden gate.

Fence Cost by Style

Vertical Wood

Wood vertical fences cost $31 per linear foot, and the price range for this type of fence is from $23 to $40.

With vertical wood fences, the fence boards are vertical and the stringers are horizontal. These fences can either be constructed with large pre-built panels, usually eight feet long and six feet tall, or they can be built piecemeal, using individual fence boards and stringers made from two-by-fours.

Horizontal Wood

The cost of a horizontal wood fence starts at $50 per linear foot and ranges up to $70 per linear foot, for an average of $60 per linear foot.

Horizontal fences have a more modern look than traditional vertical wood fences. Due to the lack of stringers, fence posts must be six feet apart, not eight feet apart.

Decorative Fence

The cost to install a decorative wood fence begins at $45 per linear foot and reaches a high cost of $55 per linear foot. Most people will pay around $50 for a decorative fence.

A decorative wood fence has embellishments such as wood framing, specialty post caps, or lattice tops.

Ranch or Split-Rail

A ranch or split-rail fence costs $14 per linear foot, and the price range for this fence is from $12 to $17 per linear foot.

A ranch or split rail fence typically consists of two or three horizontal beams that fit into slots in the fence posts. These fences are rustic and might be used as a garden fence. Ranch or split rail fences are not privacy fences since they are relatively low and there is a great deal of space between the beams and posts.

Post-and-Rail Fence

Post-and-rail fences cost an average of $12 per linear foot. They start at $9 per linear foot and can go up to $15 per linear foot.

A post-and-rail fence is built like a ranch fence, with two or three horizontal beams supported by short fence posts. The difference is that this type of fence uses milled instead of split wood for a smoother look.

Picket Fence

Picket fences start at $20 per linear foot and can cost as much as $31 per linear foot. The average cost of a picket fence is $26 per linear foot.

A picket fence is made of short boards, typically spaced several inches apart, thus saving on materials and often on cost. As such, a picket fence defines a property line and adds to the home's beauty, but it doesn't provide privacy.

DIY vs Professional Installation

Building your own fence costs about $225 per 8-foot section or about $28 per linear foot. To save costs, build a board-and-stringer fence for about $180 per section or $22 per linear foot.

By building your own fence, you pay only for the materials, saving on the cost of labor. You'll need to arrange for the building materials to be delivered to your home in bulk.

Tip

Broken fence posts, tilting footers, and sagging stringers can all be repaired, significantly reducing fence costs. Wood fences can often be successfully revitalized with stain and protectant.

You may already own some tools, like a hammer, cordless drill, and saw. You may need to rent or purchase a few additional tools. Either a manual post-hole digger or a motorized auger is required. A rotary laser level is helpful but not necessary.

• Manual post-hole digger: A post-hole digger costs $50 to $100 to purchase and is a practical, though slow, method of manually digging fence post holes.

• Motorized auger: A motorized auger digs more post holes with less effort. Cordless or gas-powered augers cost from $200 to $600 to buy. One-person augers rent for about $100 per day,

• Rotary laser level: Rotary laser levels are expensive to buy, but you can rent one for about $75 to $85 per day.

5 Ways to Save on Fence Costs

Because fences tend to be expensive, it's a good idea to explore ways to save on fence costs.

• Share the cost: In most states, fences on property lines are the property of each neighbor—no matter who built the fence—with the cost to be shared equally.

• Build in an off-season: When you build a fence in the off-season of fall and winter, both you and the fence contractor can come out ahead. Ask about discounts.

• Remove the old fence yourself: Fence panels are simple to knock apart with a small sledgehammer and a reciprocating saw. Fence posts are difficult to remove and some might even be reusable, so check with the fence contractor before taking them down.

• Use alternative fencing: Consider evergreen hedges as privacy screens. Bamboo grows fast, tall, and densely, making it another alternative to traditional fencing. 
  

• Use fewer materials: Privacy fences with full panels that reach six to eight feet tall cost the most because they use the most materials. Instead, choose a picket fence or a ranch-style split rail fence, both of which use less materials.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much is 200 feet of fence?

The cost to build 200 feet of fence is about $5,000. That is the average cost to build a wood fence, all materials and labor included.

What is the cheapest fence to have installed?

The cheapest fence to have installed in a chain link fence, at as little as $8 per linear foot. The cheapest wood fence is a vertical wood fence, which can start at $23 per linear foot.

How much should I spend on fencing?

You should spend around $28 per linear foot on fencing. The total range to spend on a fence generally starts at $16 per linear foot and goes up to $40 per linear foot.

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Read the original article on The Spruce.