Fence Cost Calculator: What a New Fence Costs in 2026
A fence quote can look precise and still mean very little until you know what is inside it. One installer includes gates, removal and concrete in the per-foot price; another prices the straight runs cheaply and adds everything else later. This fence cost calculator puts the whole job into one honest number: choose a material, enter your length, add your gates, and decide whether you are paying for installation or doing the work yourself. This page prices the job. For panels, posts and concrete quantities, the Fence Calculator does the materials maths instead.
The defaults describe a common job: 100 ft of 6 ft wood privacy fencing, professionally installed at $33 per linear foot, with one gate at $300. Change any figure to match your own quote. The per-foot price stays editable after you pick a material, because a preset is only a starting point and the quote in your hand is the one that matters.
Use the estimate three ways. First, as a budget: the number to plan around before anyone visits. Second, as a sense-check: a quote far outside the ballpark range deserves questions, whichever side it lands on. Third, as a comparison tool: run the same length, material and gate count for every installer, and the differences you see are differences in their rates, not in your job.
How this calculator works
The maths is short. The calculator multiplies your fence length by the effective cost per linear foot, then adds the gates at the gate price you set. Professional mode uses the full installed rate. DIY mode uses 55% of that rate, because that is roughly the materials share of an installed price, while gate costs stay the same either way. Finally it shows a ballpark range, from 20% below the total to 25% above it, because access, ground conditions and local labour rates move real quotes by at least that much.
Fence Cost Calculator
Choose a material, enter the length and gates, then pick professional installation or DIY. Results update as you type.
Enter your fence details to see the cost.
DIY mode counts materials only, at 55% of the installed per-foot price. Gate costs stay the same in both modes.
Fence cost per linear foot
These are typical US installed ballparks for 2026, for a 6 ft fence on a straightforward plot. Treat them as a sense-check against quotes, not as prices anyone owes you.
| Material | Installed cost per linear foot |
|---|---|
| Chain link | $10–$30 |
| Wood privacy | $20–$45 |
| Vinyl | $30–$60 |
| Composite | $45–$75 |
| Aluminium | $50–$85 |
The spread inside each range is mostly height, ground and region. Chain link sits at the bottom because the material is light and a practiced crew covers ground quickly. Vinyl, composite and aluminium cost more per foot but ask for almost no upkeep, while wood is the cheapest route to privacy and the dearest to maintain over twenty years.
One line for Canada: wood privacy fences in major Canadian cities commonly land around CAD 45–80 per linear foot installed, with the biggest cities at the top of that range.
What moves the price
Height. Every figure on this page assumes a 6 ft fence. Drop to 4 ft and materials and labour both fall; go to 8 ft and posts get longer, panels get heavier, some areas need a permit for the extra height, and the per-foot price climbs fast.
Ground and access. A slope means stepped or racked panels and more labour per foot. Rocky soil means slower digging, sometimes a powered auger. Removing the old fence first is its own line on many quotes, often $5–15 per foot including disposal, and tight side access that rules out machinery adds time to everything.
Length. Long, straight runs are the cheapest fencing there is per foot, because setup, delivery and layout spread over more feet. Short jobs carry minimum charges, so a 20 ft repair run can cost nearly as much per foot as a premium material on a long boundary.
Rules and corners. Permits and HOA rules can add fees, inspections and delays, and an HOA may dictate style and colour. Every corner needs a heavier corner post, every extra gate adds hardware and labour, and a boundary that turns several times costs more per foot than one straight run of the same length.
DIY vs professional
Materials are roughly 55–65% of an installed price. The rest is labour, tools and disposal: post-hole digging, concrete mixing, panel hanging, and a truck to take the old fence away. That split is why DIY mode on this page uses 55% of the installed rate — it is the share you still pay when the labour is yours.
DIY suits straight, level runs and people who have set posts before. Hiring suits sloped ground, long boundaries, and anyone whose weekends are worth money. Our DIY vs Hire a Contractor guide walks through that decision job by job, including the hidden costs on both sides.
What to calculate next
With a budget in hand, work out the materials and the neighbouring jobs before you commit to a start date.
- Fence Calculator — panels, posts and concrete quantities for the same fence
- Deck Calculator — boards and joists if the yard project grows
- Calculators hub — every free Wolveyes calculator in one place
Frequently asked questions
How much does a 100 ft wood fence cost?
About $3,300 installed for the fence itself, at a typical $33 per linear foot for wood privacy fencing, plus gates — one gate at $300 brings the example on this page to $3,600. Height, ground conditions and your region move the figure from there, so treat it as a solid starting point, not a promise.
What is the cheapest fence to install?
Chain link, by a wide margin. At roughly $10–30 per linear foot installed it usually costs about half what wood costs and a third of vinyl, which is why it is the default for long runs and anywhere the fence is about boundaries rather than looks.
How much can I save by installing a fence myself?
Around 45% of the installed price. Materials are roughly 55–65% of a professional quote, so doing the work yourself removes the labour share. What it costs instead is time, tool hire, and the risk of posts set wrong — a leaning fence saves nothing.
Does a new fence add value to a home?
A sound privacy fence usually helps. It improves kerb appeal, privacy and security, and buyers notice all three. How much of the cost comes back at sale varies by market and material, and few fences return their full price — buy the fence you want to live with.
Estimates only — fence quotes vary a lot by region; get three local quotes before deciding.