Enter the fence length in linear feet, pick a fence type — chain link, pressure-treated wood, cedar, vinyl, or aluminum — add old-fence tear-out or rocky terrain if the site needs it, and get a competitive 2026 price range in seconds. Then hand the homeowner a branded estimate before they call the next fence contractor.
A fence costs $10–$60 per linear foot installed in 2026, depending on the material: chain link runs $10–$30, pressure-treated wood $18–$40, cedar privacy $30–$60, vinyl $28–$55, and aluminum or ornamental steel $30–$60. Tearing out and hauling an old fence adds $2–$6 per linear foot, and rocky or sloped terrain that slows post-digging adds $3–$8, while large runs price 5–15% lower per foot at scale. A typical 150-foot backyard lands around $2,700–$6,000 for a wood privacy fence. The calculator below prices it instantly by length and type, and QuoteIQ turns the result into a sendable, branded estimate — or an online self-quote your customers run themselves. Plans start at $29.99/mo.
Fence jobs are priced by the linear foot: the fence length times a per-foot rate for the chosen type, plus add-ons for tear-out and tough terrain. The formula: linear feet × type rate × scale factor = base price. The material you install is the biggest lever — a basic chain link fence and a cedar privacy fence can differ by 3× per linear foot — and the site is the wildcard, because tearing out an old fence, digging posts through rock or roots, and following a sloped grade all add cost before a single panel goes up. The calculator above uses the 2026 U.S. market ranges below; your material grade, fence height, and local labor decide where you land inside each band.
| Fence type / add-on | Typical 2026 rate (per linear ft, installed) |
|---|---|
| Chain link | $10 – $30 |
| Pressure-treated wood | $18 – $40 |
| Cedar privacy | $30 – $60 |
| Vinyl / PVC | $28 – $55 |
| Aluminum / ornamental steel | $30 – $60 |
| Old fence tear-out & haul (add-on) | $2 – $6 |
| Rocky / sloped terrain (add-on) | $3 – $8 |
Post-setting is the silent margin killer. Bidding a clean per-foot price on a yard full of tree roots, buried rock, or a stiff slope — without pricing that dig time and the old-fence tear-out as their own lines — is how a straightforward job turns into a break-even weekend. Quote the dig and the haul, or the auger eats the profit.
Three factors move every quote beyond the material itself: site conditions (rock, roots, and buried debris slow post holes and can force hand-digging), grade (a sloped or stepped run takes more layout, more panels, and more labor than a flat straight shot), and scale — long, straight commercial runs price 5–15% lower per linear foot because mobilization, equipment, and crew costs spread across more footage, which is why the calculator’s Large run toggle applies a 10% reduction. For benchmarks on managing job costs and margins, the U.S. Small Business Administration is blunt: price from your costs, not your competitors’.
A $5,000 cedar fence isn’t $5,000 in your pocket. Pickets, posts, rails, concrete, gate hardware, fasteners, dump fees for the old fence, equipment, fuel, and labor all come out first — and fence margins live or die on dig time and material waste, not on any single quote. The SBA’s guidance on managing finances is blunt: track cost per job, not per month.
If the calendar is full but the bank account isn’t growing, the quotes weren’t the problem — under-priced post-setting and wasted lumber were. QuoteIQ Job Costing attaches material, labor, and dig time to every fence so you see real margin per job, not a guess.
Fence work is a trust game: the contractor who shows up with a clear, professional number usually wins the job. Inside QuoteIQ, the price you just calculated becomes a branded estimate sent from the property line, a slot on the schedule, and an invoice that collects card payment the day the last post is set — and customer self-quoting puts this same per-foot logic on your website so homeowners price their own backyard and book while you’re on another job.
Review Multiplier turns finished fences into Google reviews automatically — the social proof that sells the next job. QuoteIQ serves fence contractors among 50+ home service industries — and if you run other services too, try the free lawn care, pressure washing, and tree removal calculators, the detailing price list template, or browse all our free tools.
Linear feet are the start — gates, grade, and material tiers decide the margin. Fencing estimating software builds tiered wood/vinyl/chain-link bids in minutes, and the top scheduling software for fencing companies keeps install crews booked tight.
Turn this estimate into a branded, sendable quote in about 60 seconds — or put this calculator’s logic on your own website with customer self-quoting, then run the schedule, the invoice, and the review request without leaving QuoteIQ. Plans start at $29.99/mo.
“The app is incredible if just for the free option, they do not send many marketing emails and the platform is easy to navigate.”
Verified App Store ReviewA fence costs $10–$60 per linear foot installed in 2026, depending on the material: chain link runs $10–$30, pressure-treated wood $18–$40, cedar privacy $30–$60, vinyl $28–$55, and aluminum or ornamental steel $30–$60. A typical 150-foot backyard lands around $2,700–$6,000 for a wood privacy fence, and site work — tearing out an old fence ($2–$6 per linear foot) or digging through rock and roots ($3–$8) — is the most common reason a quote climbs. Enter your length and fence type in the calculator above and the range updates instantly, then send it as a branded quote through QuoteIQ.
Fencing a backyard — about 150 linear feet — costs roughly $1,500–$9,000 in 2026 depending on the material. At 150 feet, a chain link fence runs about $1,500–$4,500, a pressure-treated wood fence $2,700–$6,000, a cedar privacy fence $4,500–$9,000, a vinyl fence $4,200–$8,250, and an aluminum fence $4,500–$9,000. Tear-out of the old fence adds $2–$6 per linear foot and rocky or sloped ground adds $3–$8. Price your exact yard in the calculator above.
A cedar privacy fence costs $30–$60 per linear foot installed in 2026 — a premium over pressure-treated pine because cedar resists rot and insects, holds a finish, and ages to a clean gray without staining. For a 150-foot backyard that is about $4,500–$9,000. If the budget is tight, a pressure-treated wood fence ($18–$40 per linear foot) delivers the same privacy for less, though it needs sealing to last. Compare the two side by side in the calculator above.
A chain link fence costs $10–$30 per linear foot installed in 2026, including posts, top rail, fabric, and concrete footings — the most affordable common fencing because the materials are inexpensive and it goes up fast. A 150-foot residential run lands around $1,500–$4,500; taller fabric, privacy slats, or a vinyl-coated finish push toward the top of the band. Choose Chain link in the calculator above to price your footage.
Vinyl fencing costs $28–$55 per linear foot installed — usually more than pressure-treated wood ($18–$40) and in the same range as cedar ($30–$60). The higher upfront price buys lower upkeep: vinyl never needs staining or sealing, resists rot and insects, and typically outlasts wood, so over 15–20 years it often costs less to own. Whether it is worth it usually comes down to how long the customer plans to stay and how much weekend maintenance they want to avoid. Compare vinyl against wood in the calculator.
Contractors price by the linear foot: fence length times a per-foot rate for the chosen type, plus add-ons for site work. The formula is linear feet × type rate × a scale factor, with extras for old-fence tear-out and haul ($2–$6 per linear foot) or rocky and sloped terrain ($3–$8). Long, straight commercial runs price 5–15% lower per linear foot because fixed costs spread across more footage. If you are setting your own rates, build from your costs — lumber and posts, concrete, gate hardware, dump fees, labor, insurance — then check against the market table on this page and track real margin per job with QuoteIQ Job Costing.
QuoteIQ is the best software for fence contractors because it runs the whole job from one app: customer self-quoting puts a per-linear-foot price calculator on your website so leads book themselves, quotes send from the property line, jobs land on the schedule, invoices collect card payment when the last post is set, job costing tracks material and labor against every fence, and Review Multiplier turns finished fences into Google reviews automatically — all rated 4.7 stars across 4,100+ reviews and serving fence contractors among 50+ home service industries. Plans start at $29.99/mo, below comparable Jobber and Housecall Pro tiers and a fraction of ServiceTitan. Book a free demo to see it on your own pricing.
Yes — the calculator on this page is free to use and works on any phone or tablet, which helps when you are quoting a fence standing at the customer’s property line. Enter the length, pick a type, add tear-out or terrain if the site needs it, and get an instant range; the first time you download or print an estimate, enter your first name and email once and it is unlocked on this device for good. When you are ready to send branded quotes and collect payment, QuoteIQ offers a 14-day free trial on every plan, and a credit or debit card is required to start. Start a trial or keep using the calculator as often as you like.
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