Fence Cost Calculator

Fencing an acre takes roughly 836 linear ft, so plan on about 420 ft for a half acre. Measure along the line you'll actually build on — most jurisdictions require the fence fully inside your property boundary, and a few inches of mis-survey across 400 ft is a real chunk of lumber and concrete. At national-average pricing, that's about $7,400 in 4-ft chain-link (≈ $5,900–$10,000) or about $17,600 in 6-ft vinyl (≈ $14,100–$23,800) with two walk gates. HomeGuide's per-foot bands ($10–$40 chain-link, $30–$60 vinyl installed) bracket both totals.

At 6 ft high with posts and concrete included, our national rates are about $19/ft for chain-link, $30/ft for pressure-treated pine, $38/ft for cedar or aluminum, and $40/ft for vinyl. That lines up with HomeGuide's 2025 installed ranges (wood $20–$50, vinyl $30–$60, aluminum $25–$75, chain-link $10–$40) and Fixr's 6-ft galvanized chain-link figures ($15.25–$25.40 per ft).

Chain-link pulls out cheaply — around $3–$5 per ft (Fixr), which is our $5/ft rate. Wood, vinyl, and aluminum fences with concrete-set posts run $10–$20 per ft (HomeGuide); we model $12/ft. On a 200-ft replacement that's $1,000–$2,400 extra, so ask whether a bid includes tear-out — many base quotes assume a clear fence line.

Often yes, and almost always for a pool fence. Fees are modest — BobVila cites $20–$60 and HomeGuide $40–$150 depending on the jurisdiction — but the rules matter more: height caps (4 ft front / 6 ft back is common), setback lines, and shared-boundary agreements with neighbors. Pool enclosures add their own hardware chapter — gates must self-close, self-latch, and swing away from the pool with the latch out of a toddler's reach — so make sure the quote prices code-grade hinges and latches, not just the panels. Permit costs are excluded from our totals; call your building department and 811 (free utility locate) before digging.

Fencers either 'rack' panels to follow the grade or step each panel and fill the gap. Both take longer than level ground, especially where posts hit rock or clay. We add 12% labor for gentle slopes and 25% for steep terrain. If the yard needs regrading first, BobVila puts that at $900–$3,000 — a separate earthwork line, not fencing labor.

Up front, no: our 200-ft 6-ft example computes to about $8,400 in vinyl vs $6,300 in PT pine. But wood needs cleaning and resealing every 2–3 years, and pressure-treated boards commonly need replacing by year 15–20; vinyl lasts 20–30 years with just hose washing (aluminum 30–50). If you stay in the home past the first two stain cycles, vinyl usually catches up on total cost.

HomeGuide puts a typical job at 2–4 working days; wood picket and privacy installs run 13–16 labor hours per 100 ft. Chain-link goes faster once posts are set, but concrete footings need up to a week to cure before panels hang or tension gets applied. Sloped, rocky, or tree-rooted ground stretches the schedule — and the quote.