What are the Typical Fence Costs?

Installing a fence means your kiddos and pups can run around the yard and play safely, and a picturesque yard-and-fence combo can boost your curb appeal. Fence installation costs an average of $3,160, but your total depends on the type of fence you want, the length, height, and other factors. Most homeowners pay between $1,781 and $4,579 for fence installation. In this guide, we’ll explain the factors that influence your fence installation price to help you get an accurate estimate for your home improvement project.

 

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Fence Installation Cost Factors

There are a few factors that will affect the total cost, including the length of the fence, the fence height, the type of fence you want, and more. You could spend as little as $400 on a small DIY job or as much as $13,700 on a large, high-end fence. Here’s how that breaks down.

Photo: Boris SV / Moment / Getty Images

Fence Size

The cost to install a fence can vary based on the amount of material used, which is, in large part, determined by the size of your fence. Longer fences will naturally cost more due to higher material costs and labor costs to install them.

Common prices for a residential backyard fence by linear foot include:

• 100 linear feet: $2,300

• 150 linear feet: $3,600

• 300 linear feet: $6,900

This all comes out to an average cost per linear foot for fence installation of between $6 and $50, depending on the material, with an average per-linear-foot cost of $23.

The table below includes some average pricing for a fence based on your land’s square footage. Keep in mind that these numbers can vary based on the layout and topography of your property. 

Lot Size	Linear Feet	Average Fence Cost
1/8 acre	150	$3,500
1/4 acre	220	$4,850
1/2 acre	590	$13,570
1 acre	1,100	$24,000
2 acres	2,200	$45,000

Type of Fence

The type of fence you choose is another important factor affecting cost. For instance, if you want to block the view of your yard entirely, a privacy fence costs around $35 per linear foot. No matter the type of fence you choose, a privacy fence will always require more material to provide a barrier, so the cost will be higher. Shorter decorative fences will likely be more affordable.

Materials

There are many fencing materials you can choose from, including the following popular options:

• Wood

• Iron

• Aluminum

• PVC

• Chain-link

The costs vary wildly among the different materials, with chain-link fences tending to be the most affordable, followed by wood, iron, PVC, and then aluminum. The pricing of each material varies based on the design of the fence, though, so your total will depend on your front yard fence idea.

Beyond the fencing material itself, you’ll need to pay for additional components required for the build. These items include:

• Concrete for post bases: $0.30 per pound

• Post caps: $30–$150 per cap

• Gates: $275–$2,000

If you’re having a professional install your fence for you, these costs should all be included in your total.

Labor

As with any project, you’ll need to pay for the labor to get the job done, which will usually account for about 50% of your total project costs. On average, labor costs for fence installation will total around $1,600.

Who you hire to build a fence might charge more for heavy fencing, like wrought iron, while charging less for lighter fencing that’s easier to cut and work with, like PVC. Additionally, labor will vary quite a lot if you need things like stump or tree removal or land leveling before your experts get started on the actual installation process.

Labor costs can go up if you have particularly problematic soil or you need additional services, like removal of your old fence.

Permits

Permit requirements vary by city and local laws, but you’ll almost always need a permit to put up a fence, especially if it’s going to be located near your property lines. Fencing permits won’t add much to your total, as they cost between $20 and $60, on average.

Again, your fence installation company will usually include the cost of the permit and filing fees in your estimate, but you’ll have to budget for this separately if you’re installing your fence yourself.

Gates and Other Features

Gates are considered a specialty feature because they require additional work and materials. While some gates won’t cost more than $150, you could pay $400 to $1,200 per side gate, depending on the material, or a few thousand dollars for automatic driveway gates.

Residential Land vs. Commercial

Because most residential fences are often a form of privacy fence, these fences use more solid materials that tend to cost more, like full PVC panels as opposed to a split rail fence or a chain-link fence for security purposes.

Commercial properties tend to prioritize security with a chain-link fence with upgraded security wire at the top, which can help keep costs down. This price difference is particularly apparent when you consider the more expensive and ornate fences for residential properties, like PVC or aluminum. While aluminum fencing costs more, it looks much more inviting than chain-link.