What this fence cost calculator does
It counts the materials for your fence (the same way as the fence calculator) and prices each line with the unit prices you enter. You get a materials subtotal, optional labor and tax, an estimated total and a cost per foot or metre, with every line shown as quantity × price so you can check it.
The prices it starts with are examples to show how the estimate is built. They are not current market prices, and they are no substitute for local quotes. The value of the tool is in using your numbers.
What goes into the estimate
| Line | How it’s counted |
|---|---|
| Posts | Sections plus end and gate posts, from your length, spacing, corners and gates. |
| Pickets / panels / fabric | Pickets along the fenced length; one panel per section; or fabric by the foot. |
| Rails | Wood: 2–4 per section by height. Chain-link: top rail by the foot. Panels: included. |
| Concrete | Bags per post × posts, rounded up. |
| Hardware | An allowance per section for fasteners, brackets, caps and ties. |
| Gates | A price per gate, including its hinges and latch. |
| Waste | Extra pickets, rails, fabric or top rail bought on top of the exact quantity. |
| Labor | Optional: a rate × total fence length, or a fixed amount. |
| Tax | Optional: your rate on materials, and on labor if it’s taxed where you are. |
About the example prices
Each material loads its own example prices (last reviewed September 2026). They are rounded, illustrative U.S. figures for common home-center materials:
- Pressure-treated wood: 4×4 posts, 2×4 rails and 1×6 dog-ear pickets, privacy style.
- Cedar: Cedar 1×6 pickets and 2×4 rails, often on pressure-treated posts. Adjust the post price if you use cedar posts.
- Vinyl: Pre-built privacy panels with matching posts. Rails are part of the panel.
- Chain-link: Galvanized fabric sold by the foot, a top rail by the foot, and an averaged post price (terminal posts cost more than line posts).
- Composite: Composite boards sold as a panel kit per section, with composite or aluminum posts.
Prices depend on region, supplier, lumber grade, season and quantity. For a real budget, price your exact materials at one or two suppliers and ask installers for written quotes.
Worked example
The calculator opens with 150 ft of 6 ft pressure-treated privacy fence, posts at most 8 ft apart, one gate, 10% waste and no labor. At the example prices:
- 22 posts × $16 = $352, and 319 pickets × $3.50 = $1,116.50.
- 60 rails × $7 = $420, and 44 bags of concrete × $7 = $308.
- Hardware 20 sections × $6 = $120, and the gate $160.
- Waste: 32 extra pickets and 6 extra rails = $154.
- Materials total $2,630.50, about $17.54 per foot before labor and tax.
What’s not included
Removing an old fence, permits, surveys, delivery fees, tool or auger rental, stain and sealer, and extra work for slopes, rock or roots. Add these as a fixed labor amount or keep a separate contingency. Many people add 10–15% to a budget for the unexpected.