What actually goes into the total
A fence estimate is the run length times a per-foot rate for material and labor, plus a post every 6 to 8 feet, plus a flat charge per gate. Sloped or rocky ground adds 15 to 25 percent because posts take longer to set. Add 10 to 20 percent material waste for offcuts and 10 percent for permits and hardware.
Installed cost per foot by material
| Material | Cost per foot | Lifespan | Upkeep |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chain link | $8–15 | 15–20 yrs | Low |
| Wood | $15–30 | 10–15 yrs | High |
| Aluminum | $25–45 | 20–25 yrs | Low |
| Vinyl | $25–40 | 25–30 yrs | Low |
| Wrought iron | $30–72 | 30+ yrs | High |
Gates run $150 to $600 each, roughly $300 up to 6 ft wide and $450 above that. Posts add about $25 apiece including concrete.
Where the money goes on a typical job
A 200-foot wood fence with two gates lands near $5,000. This is roughly how it splits.
| Component | Share |
|---|---|
| Material | 40–45% |
| Labor | 35–40% |
| Posts & hardware | 10–12% |
| Gates | 5–8% |
| Permit & misc | ~10% |
For a fast mental estimate: wood is about length × $25, vinyl about length × $35, then add 15 percent for gates, posts and extras.
The line items people forget
- Waste. Cuts and shipping damage eat 10 to 20 percent of material. Order that much extra or you make a second trip.
- Posts and concrete. Every 6 to 8 feet, set in concrete. Skipping the concrete is the main reason a fence starts to lean within a couple of years.
- Permit. Usually $50 to $200, and required almost everywhere. Building without one risks a fine and a stop-work order.
- Location. City labor runs 40 to 60 percent above suburban rates; rural areas run below. The same fence can vary by thousands on labor alone.
Common questions
How much does a fence cost per foot?
Installed, most fences run $20 to $60 per linear foot. Chain link is cheapest at $8 to $15, wood is $15 to $30, vinyl and aluminum are $25 to $45, and wrought iron reaches $30 to $72. Those figures already include labor.
How many fence posts do I need?
Posts go every 6 to 8 feet, so divide the length by about 7 and add one for the final post. A 200-foot run needs roughly 30 posts. Corners and gates need their own posts on top of that.
What is the cheapest way to fence a yard?
Chain link is the lowest material cost, and doing the labor yourself saves 40 to 50 percent. But skipping posts set in concrete or a permit to save money usually costs more later, when the fence leans or a fine arrives.
