Fence Cost

Budget a fence by measured linear feet, matching material and height, then price gates, removal and site work separately. Angi’s August 2026 guide gives a $3,277 whole-project average and $10-$45 per linear foot for wood fencing.* A 100-foot wood run at that band is $1,000-$4,500, but it is not a quote for your yard. A materials-only DIY list and an installed contractor price are different budgets.¹

National average fence cost references*

These material-category ranges come from Angi’s fence installation guide. The 100-foot column is our multiplication of its published ranges, not a separate survey, contractor bid or promise that every extra is included.¹

*National average cost references from named publishers, not an independent MeasureScout survey. Per-foot figures are published ranges, not arithmetic averages. Contact local suppliers or installers for current prices with the same material, height, style, gates and site scope. Check whether tax, delivery, removal, permits, finishing and cleanup are included.

Why published fence prices disagree

Angi gives a $3,277 project average and a common $1,860-$4,843 project range. Thumbtack gives a $3,314 national average and $1,943-$5,648 low/high averages. Those are whole-project figures from different publishers, not the cost of a particular 100-foot fence.¹, ²

Thumbtack’s material sections give wood $15-$45/ft, vinyl $19-$35/ft and chain-link $7-$12/ft. Its broad headline is $23-$57/ft, which does not match every material section. It explicitly describes wrought iron’s $24-$34/ft as material costs. That old comparison must not be presented as an installed iron price alongside installation figures. We use one named source’s material-category ranges in the main table instead of averaging incompatible ranges.²

Angi’s own broad $6-$50/ft band also differs from some of its material-category ranges. Use the relevant category and confirm the exact local scope, rather than treating a generic headline as a ceiling. Differences in date, fence height, design, region and included work can outweigh a small difference in whole-project averages.¹

Measure the fence route, not the yard area

• Draw each straight run and label corners, ends, gates, elevation changes and existing walls. Measure the actual proposed fence line in feet.
• Record gate openings separately. Ask whether the contractor’s per-foot amount includes those openings or charges them separately; do not pay for a gate twice.
• Confirm boundaries, local setbacks, permitted height, permits and any HOA rules before ordering. A mowing edge or an old fence does not establish a legal property line.
• For panels, use the selected system’s usable span and post layout, not a generic 8-foot label. Corners, gates and short end sections need their own plan.

Lowe’s calls for a plan showing posts and gates, checking local codes and boundaries, and accounting for the way gate hardware attaches. The Home Depot also advises measuring the perimeter and documenting gate sizes. These are retailer planning guides, not approval of your boundary or local requirements.³, ⁴

Fence cost formulas

Installed budget = priced fence length × quoted installed rate + separately quoted extras.
DIY budget = sum of purchased component quantities × unit prices + delivery + equipment + permits + finishing + disposal.

Do not add a full materials budget to an installed quote that already includes those materials. Do not add a general labor figure to a rate already described as installed. For DIY work, keep your time and the cost of tools or rentals visible even when no one sends a labor invoice.

Count pickets and posts on the right basis

For a single row of equal-width pickets covering a selected width, with a gap only between neighboring pickets: N = round up [(target width + gap) ÷ (actual picket width + gap)]. Use the same units throughout. N pickets create N−1 internal gaps. Edge gaps, cuts, corners and separate bays require their own layout; this formula is our geometry, not a manufacturer’s installation specification.

A nominal board size does not prove actual coverage. Lowe’s particular shadowbox plan uses 5.5-inch-wide pickets and a 3.5-inch space, with a second row on the opposite face covering those spaces. A single-row count is not a full shadowbox or board-on-board order. YellaWood offers multiple picket widths, thicknesses and heights; confirm the actual product and the approved layout before pricing.³, ⁵

For one isolated straight run with no gate or shared endpoint, a selected maximum post interval gives bays = round up (run length ÷ maximum interval), then posts = bays + 1. Re-space the bays to fit. In a multi-run layout, count unique corner/end/gate posts from the plan instead of adding one generic number to total footage. Post depth, rail count, structural size and spacing need the chosen system and local/site requirements.

Three checked fence budget examples

The sizes and local unit prices below are selected examples, not typical projects or supplier offers. Source-derived budget ranges are identified separately. None establishes a safe structural design.

Example 1: 100-foot wood fence budget band

At Angi’s published wood range, 100 × $10 = $1,000 and 100 × $45 = $4,500. If a local contractor instead quotes a selected $32/ft for that 100-foot run, the fence line is $3,200. Suppose its written quote separately lists a $450 gate, $350 old-fence removal and $125 permit: $4,125 total before tax or any unlisted work. The extra amounts are invented quote inputs, not national averages.¹

Confirm that the 100-foot rate and gate charge do not overlap, and that the removal amount includes the relevant old posts, footing work and hauling. If the contractor’s rate includes any of those extras, do not add them again.

Example 2: a materials-only DIY list

For a selected 100-foot continuous coverage width, actual 5.5-inch pickets and 0.5-inch internal gaps give round up [(1,200 + 0.5) ÷ 6] = 201 pickets. Their uncut coverage is 201 × 5.5 + 200 × 0.5 = 1,205.5 inches, so the end layout needs adjustment. A chosen 10% purchasing allowance gives round up (201 × 1.10) = 222 pickets. Ten percent is our example allowance, not a universal requirement.

If the selected system permits bays no longer than 8 feet, one separate 100-foot straight run needs 13 bays and 14 posts; equal bays are about 7.69 feet. Suppose the approved design uses three rails per bay: 39 rails. These are arithmetic assumptions, not design approval. Post concrete in this example is a separately checked hypothetical 28-bag order, not a bag recommendation for every post hole.

This is not an installed price or a complete DIY project total. No gates, labor, tax, tools/rental, finish, permit, demolition or disposal are included. Check bag yield with the fence post concrete calculator after the actual hole and post dimensions are settled, and build the component list with the fence picket and board calculator.

Example 3: compare complete bids, not headline rates

A selected 120-foot boundary route includes one 4-foot gate opening. If both bids price 116 feet of fence plus the gate separately, Bid A at $28/ft gives $3,248, plus a $600 gate and $650 removal: $4,498. Bid B at $34/ft gives $3,944, plus a $500 gate with removal included: $4,444. Bid B is $54 less despite the higher per-foot rate. All prices are invented. Specifications, taxes, permits and remaining exclusions must match before that comparison counts.

What changes a fence quote

• Material and construction: species/grade, treatment, coating, panel or stick-built construction, picket layout and hardware.
• Height and site conditions: slopes, access, rocks, roots, existing footings, changes in elevation and required retaining work.
• Gates: opening width, post reinforcement, hinges/latches, double or rolling gates, and any powered equipment.
• Demolition: existing fence/posts/footings, debris hauling and restoration. Angi lists existing fence removal at $3-$5/ft, but that is a publisher reference, not a quote for every removal scope.¹
• Finishing and long-term work: wood staining/sealing, cleaning, repairs and eventual replacement. Keep those outside an initial installation total unless explicitly included.

Before any post-hole digging

In the U.S., contact 811 or your state 811 center before digging. Wait the required response period, confirm all utilities have responded, and follow the ticket and safe-digging instructions around the marks. Fence installation is specifically included in 811’s digging guidance. Utility marking is not a property survey, building permit or approval of a hole depth.⁶

Fence cost FAQ

How much does a 100-foot fence cost?

Using Angi’s named material ranges, 100 feet is $800-$4,000 for chain-link, $1,000-$4,500 for wood or $1,500-$4,000 for vinyl. Confirm height, style, gates, removal and other exclusions locally; these are source-based budget multiplications, not bids.¹

Is the national average the price for my fence?

No. A whole-project average mixes project sizes and scopes. Measure your route and compare itemized local quotes for the same specifications.

Can I use one picket count for every privacy fence?

No. Single-row, shadowbox and board-on-board layouts have different coverage. Actual width, overlap, two faces, corners and gate work matter. Lowe’s shadowbox example uses two faces, not one.³

Should I add 10% to the entire contractor quote?

Not automatically. A chosen purchasing allowance applies to specific DIY material quantities, not necessarily delivery, permit fees or an installed bid. Ask what contingency and waste the quote already includes.

Are iron prices in the old table installed prices?

Thumbtack explicitly labels its $24-$34/ft wrought-iron range material costs. Do not compare it directly with installed bids. The main table now uses Angi’s named installation-guide categories with the scope caveat kept visible.²

Related fence planning

• Fence picket and board calculator, fence cost calculator, land survey cost
• Fence post spacing and layout
• Fence post concrete calculator
• Concrete bags for fence posts

Sources

1. Angi: Fence Installation Cost (updated August 3, 2026; consumer cost publisher)
2. Thumbtack: Fence Installation Cost (page labels last update Friday, August 8, without a year in the fetched body; marketplace data)
3. Lowe’s: DIY Wood Privacy Fence Plans (retailer project guide; one specific shadowbox design)
4. The Home Depot: How to Build a Fence (retailer planning guide; not a local price quote)
5. YellaWood: Pressure-Treated Fence Pickets (manufacturer product range; confirm actual dimensions locally)
6. 811: Before You Dig (U.S. utility marking and response process)

Estimates only. Confirm boundaries, local rules, design requirements and current supplier or installer quotes. This guide is quantity and cost planning, not structural or legal advice. | Pressure washing cost | Deck staining cost | Fence staining cost