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View all 5 tools →Fence Cost Calculator
Estimate fence installation cost by material, height and gate count: chain link, wood, vinyl or ornamental, priced from Angi's 2026 national data.
Project Details
1. How much fence do you need?
Measure the perimeter you're fencing, not the yard's whole boundary if only part gets a fence.
2. Material
Tall, solid-board fencing built to block sightlines.
3. Fence height
The height Angi's per-foot figures are based on.
4. Gates
Walk gate (3-4 ft)
A single-panel pedestrian gate -- the cheaper, more common end of Angi's combined gate figure.
Double / driveway gate (10-12 ft)
A wide double-panel or driveway gate -- bigger posts, heavier hardware, and often an automatic opener push this well past a walk gate's cost.
Priced as their own line items -- a gate is bought and hung separately from running fence panel.
5. Removing an existing fence?
Tearing out and hauling away an old fence is a real cost most quotes list separately -- check this if the old fence is still standing.
This calculator prices a fence the way a contractor's quote actually breaks down: a per-foot rate for the run itself, plus gates priced separately, adjusted for height. Pick a material, or type in your own supplier quote, and get a total you can compare against a bid.
Reviewed by Usama, Civil EngineerHow we source our numbers
How it works
- Measure the total linear feet you need fenced -- the perimeter getting a fence, not the whole property line if only part of it is being enclosed.
- Pick a material. Each one loads a national per-foot price range, which you can overwrite if you already have a local quote.
- Set the height and gate count. Height adjusts the per-foot rate; gates are priced and added as their own line, since they are bought and installed separately from the fence run.
- Read the total range. Ask contractors for a number near the top of it so the estimate does not come in short once labor and site conditions are factored in.
Fence material cost per linear foot, installed
| Material | Cost per linear foot | Best for | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chain link | $8 – $40 | The cheapest option. Security and pet containment, no privacy. | Angi 2026 Fence Installation Cost guide |
| Wood picket | $10 – $20 | Low, decorative front-yard fencing. Not built for privacy. | Angi 2026 Fence guide (Wood range, lower half) |
| Wood privacy | $20 – $30 | Tall, solid-board fencing built to block sightlines. | Angi 2026 Fence guide (Wood range, upper half) |
| Vinyl | $15 – $40 | Privacy or picket style with no painting or staining ever. | Angi 2026 Fence Installation Cost guide |
| Ornamental (aluminum/steel) | $10 – $90 | Decorative metal fencing for pool code, estates and front yards. | Angi 2026 Metal Fence Cost guide |
Why the range is so wide
Fence pricing swings on more than the material. Angi's 2026 national data shows chain link running $8 to $40 a foot and ornamental metal from $10 to $90 -- a tenfold spread inside one category. Labor rates by region, yard terrain (slopes, tree roots, rocky soil all slow post-hole digging), local permit requirements, and whether an old fence has to be torn out first all move the number independently of the material itself. Treat the total this calculator gives you as a planning range, and get two or three local quotes before committing.
Why gates are priced separately
A gate is not a slice of fence panel -- it is a separate hinged assembly with its own hardware, and Angi prices it that way: a national average of $2,320 per gate, ranging $877 to $3,811 depending on size, material and whether it is manual or automated. Folding a flat per-gate cost into the per-foot rate would either overcharge a fence with no gates or undercharge one with three. This calculator keeps them as separate line items so you can see exactly what each is contributing to the total.
How height changes the price
Every per-foot rate above assumes the common 5-6 ft residential height. No published dataset breaks fence cost out by exact height, so this calculator applies a stated rule of thumb rather than inventing false precision: roughly 15% less for a low 3-4 ft fence, and 25% more for a tall 7-8 ft privacy or security fence, reflecting the extra material, taller posts, and added labor time a taller run takes. If you have a quote that already reflects your exact height, type its per-foot price straight into the material fields above and skip the multiplier entirely.
Chain link vs. wood vs. vinyl vs. ornamental
Chain link is the cheapest way to secure a yard or contain a pet but gives zero privacy. Wood is the mid-priced default -- picket for a low, decorative front-yard line, privacy for a tall solid-board run -- but needs restaining every few years. Vinyl costs more up front than wood but never needs painting, which is where its higher sticker price gets clawed back over a decade of ownership. Ornamental aluminum or steel is the most expensive per foot and covers everything from a plain pool-code rail to hand-forged wrought iron, which is why its range is the widest of any material here.
Further reading
Frequently asked questions
How much does it cost to install a fence?
Nationally, fence installation runs about $8 to $90 per linear foot depending on material, with most residential jobs landing between $10 and $40 per foot once you include labor. A typical 150 ft backyard run costs anywhere from about $1,500 for basic chain link to $6,000 or more for a tall privacy or ornamental fence. Enter your own footage and material above for a number specific to your project.
How much does a wood fence cost per foot?
About $10 to $30 per linear foot installed, according to Angi's 2026 data. A low picket-style front-yard fence sits at the cheaper end of that range; a tall 6 ft privacy fence with solid boards sits at the higher end, since it uses more lumber and more labor per foot.
How much does a vinyl fence cost?
Roughly $15 to $40 per linear foot installed. Vinyl costs more upfront than wood but never needs painting or staining, which is where the higher sticker price gets clawed back over years of ownership. Factor that into a side-by-side comparison with wood, not just the day-one quote.
How much does a chain link fence cost?
About $8 to $40 per linear foot installed, making it the cheapest common option. It is the right call when the job is security or pet containment rather than privacy, since chain link offers none.
How much does an ornamental or aluminum fence cost?
Roughly $10 to $90 per linear foot, the widest range of any material, because "ornamental" covers everything from a plain aluminum pool-code rail to hand-forged wrought iron. Get a quote for your specific style rather than assuming the low end applies.
How much does it cost to add a gate to a fence?
About $2,320 on average, ranging $877 to $3,811 depending on size, material and whether it is a simple manual gate or an automated one. This calculator prices gates as their own line item, separate from the per-foot fence cost, since a gate is a separate hinged assembly with its own hardware.
Does fence height affect the cost?
Yes. The per-foot rates above assume a common 5-6 ft residential height. A low 3-4 ft fence runs somewhat cheaper per foot; a tall 7-8 ft privacy or security fence runs more, since it needs taller posts, more material and more labor. No published dataset breaks this out precisely, so the calculator applies a stated rule-of-thumb adjustment. Override it with your own per-foot quote if you have one.
How many linear feet of fence do I need?
Measure the actual perimeter getting fenced, not your whole property line: many yards only fence part of the boundary (say, the back and two sides, leaving the front open). Walk the line with a measuring wheel or tape, or pace it off in known step lengths, and add it up in feet.
Wood vs. vinyl fence: which costs less long-term?
Wood costs less to install but needs restaining or repainting every few years, plus eventual board replacement as it weathers. Vinyl costs more upfront but needs essentially no maintenance. Over a 15-20 year ownership horizon the totals often converge; over a shorter hold, wood's lower install cost usually wins.
Is chain link or wood cheaper?
Chain link is generally the cheaper of the two at the low end ($8/ft vs. wood's $10/ft), though wood's range overlaps chain link's upper end. The bigger difference is what you get: chain link gives security and containment with no privacy, wood gives both a solid visual barrier and a more finished look.
How much does a privacy fence cost?
A wood privacy fence runs about $20 to $30 per linear foot installed; vinyl privacy panels run $15 to $40. For a typical 150 ft backyard, that puts a wood privacy fence around $3,000 to $4,500 before gates.
What's the cheapest fence I can install?
Chain link, at roughly $8 to $15 per linear foot for a basic residential run: the least expensive way to secure a yard, though it provides no privacy. A low wood picket fence is the cheapest option that still gives a finished, decorative look.
Does this price include labor?
Yes. Every per-foot rate in this calculator is Angi's installed cost, material and labor together, which is how contractors typically quote a fence job. If you are supplying your own labor (a DIY install), your real cost will land toward the low end of each material's range or below it, since labor is usually the larger half of the number.
Why is my fence quote higher than this estimate?
This is a national planning estimate, not a local quote. Regional labor rates, sloped or rocky terrain that slows post-hole digging, permit fees, and removing an existing fence before the new one goes in can all push a real bid above the range shown here. Use this number to sanity-check quotes, not to argue a contractor down to it.