Fence Cost Per Foot by Material
Installed fencing runs $10 to $55 per linear foot depending on what it is made of. On a typical 150-foot back yard that is the difference between a weekend project and a five-figure job, which is why the material decision is worth more attention than the contractor decision.
Installed Cost by Material
Six-foot fence on flat ground, before gates and before removing anything that is already there. Project columns apply the same height factors the fence planner uses.
| Material | Per foot | 100 ft | 150 ft | 200 ft | Lifespan |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bamboo | $10 to $25 | $1,000 to $2,500 | $1,500 to $3,750 | $2,000 to $5,000 | 5 to 15 yrs |
| Wood | $15 to $35 | $1,500 to $3,500 | $2,250 to $5,250 | $3,000 to $7,000 | 10 to 20 yrs |
| Metal | $20 to $50 | $2,000 to $5,000 | $3,000 to $7,500 | $4,000 to $10,000 | 20 to 40 yrs |
| Cedar | $20 to $45 | $2,000 to $4,500 | $3,000 to $6,750 | $4,000 to $9,000 | 15 to 25 yrs |
| Vinyl | $20 to $40 | $2,000 to $4,000 | $3,000 to $6,000 | $4,000 to $8,000 | 20 to 30 yrs |
| Aluminum | $25 to $55 | $2,500 to $5,500 | $3,750 to $8,250 | $5,000 to $11,000 | 20 to 30 yrs |
| Composite | $25 to $55 | $2,500 to $5,500 | $3,750 to $8,250 | $5,000 to $11,000 | 25 to 35 yrs |
What Height Does to the Price
Height is the second biggest lever after material, and it does not scale the way the arithmetic suggests. Eight feet costs about 40% more than six, not 33%, because taller panels want heavier posts, deeper footings, and usually a third rail. Four feet comes in around 30% under six.
| Height | Rate factor | Bamboo, 150 ft | Wood, 150 ft | Metal, 150 ft | Cedar, 150 ft |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 ft | ×0.7 | $1,050 to $2,625 | $1,575 to $3,675 | $2,100 to $5,250 | $2,100 to $4,725 |
| 5 ft | ×0.85 | $1,275 to $3,188 | $1,913 to $4,463 | $2,550 to $6,375 | $2,550 to $5,738 |
| 6 ft (most common) | ×1.0 | $1,500 to $3,750 | $2,250 to $5,250 | $3,000 to $7,500 | $3,000 to $6,750 |
| 8 ft | ×1.4 | $2,100 to $5,250 | $3,150 to $7,350 | $4,200 to $10,500 | $4,200 to $9,450 |
Check local zoning before you commit to eight feet. Most residential codes cap back yard fences at six and street-facing fences at three or four, and going taller usually needs a variance.
What a per-foot quote covers
- ✓Pickets or panels
- ✓Posts, rails and brackets
- ✓Concrete for the footings
- ✓Fasteners and hardware
- ✓Layout, digging, setting and hanging
- ✓Basic site cleanup
What it usually leaves out
- ✗ Gates $150 to $1,800 each depending on material and width
- ✗ Permits $50 to $500, and some jurisdictions want a survey
- ✗ Tearing out an old fence $3 to $8 per foot including haul-away
- ✗ Staining or sealing $1.50 to $4 per square foot for a first coat
- ✗ Grading or dirt work quoted separately when the lot needs it
Why Two Quotes for the Same Fence Differ
Most of the gap between a low bid and a high one is scope rather than margin. One contractor quotes eight-foot post spacing and another quotes six, which is two more posts and two more bags of concrete on every ten feet of fence. One includes hauling the old fence away and the other leaves it stacked in the driveway. One is pricing knotty cedar and the other clear.
Put the quotes beside each other and make each one answer the same questions: material and grade, height, post size, post spacing, footing depth, gate count and gate construction, who pulls the permit, and whether removal and disposal are in. The cheapest number in a stack of quotes is usually the one that left something out.
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Price your own yard
Draw the fence line on a satellite map of your property and get a length and a cost range in a couple of minutes.