Cost data reviewed August 2026. Sources listed at the foot of this page.
Cost per linear foot, installed
| Material | Per linear ft | Upkeep | Typical life |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chain link | $9 – $30 | Essentially none | 20 – 30 years |
| Wood privacy | $20 – $50 | Stain or seal every 2–3 years | 10 – 20 years |
| Aluminum | $25 – $75 | None | 30 – 50 years |
| Vinyl (PVC) | $30 – $60 | Occasional wash | 25 – 30 years |
| Wrought iron | $50 – $85 | Repaint to control rust | 50+ years |
The national average fence job comes to about $3,276, or roughly $23 per linear foot across all materials. Note that Angi’s survey-based figures run consistently below HomeGuide’s contractor-quote ranges — for vinyl the two sources give $15–$40 and $30–$60 respectively. We use the higher ranges, on the view that a budget that turns out to be generous is a better outcome than one that turns out to be short.
Posts are the structure and the cost
Posts carry $50 to $200 each in material and labor — digging, setting, concrete, plumbing them true — so spacing is a real budget lever. Standard spacing is 6 to 8 feet on center. Going from 8-foot to 6-foot spacing on a 150-foot run takes you from 20 posts to 27, which is meaningful money for a fence that is stiffer and handles wind better.
Closer spacing is worth it in high wind, on slopes, and for heavy privacy panels that act as sails. Eight feet is fine for chain link and light picket.
Before you price anything, find your property line
This is the one piece of advice on this page that can save you thousands. A fence built even a few inches over the line is your problem to remove, and neighbour disputes over fence position are common, slow and expensive. If your line is not marked by visible survey pins, a survey costs a few hundred dollars and settles it permanently.
Also check before you dig: many jurisdictions require a permit for fences above a certain height, HOAs frequently restrict material and color, and corner lots often have sight-line rules that cap height near the street. And call 811 — hitting a buried utility while setting posts is both dangerous and expensive.
What moves a quote up
- Removing an old fence — labor plus disposal, and old concrete footings are slow to extract.
- Slope. A fence on a grade is either stepped or racked, and both take longer than a level run.
- Rock or roots. Post holes that need an auger or breaker change the job.
- Gates. Priced per unit, and a double drive gate is a significant item. Our gate figures are an assumption — published per-foot data does not isolate them, so get gates quoted separately.
- Height. A 6-foot privacy fence uses far more material than a 4-foot picket, and needs deeper posts.
Common questions
How much does 150 feet of fence cost?
In wood privacy at $20 to $50 per linear foot, roughly $3,000 to $7,500 installed before gates. Chain link over the same run would be about $1,350 to $4,500; vinyl about $4,500 to $9,000.
How many posts do I need for a 100 ft fence?
At 8-foot spacing, 14 posts. At 6-foot spacing, 18. Both figures include the end post — a run needs one more post than it has sections.
Is vinyl fencing worth it over wood?
Vinyl costs more upfront and needs no staining, so it wins over a long horizon on effort. Wood is cheaper to install, easier to repair one board at a time, and some people simply prefer how it looks and weathers. Vinyl can also become brittle in extreme cold and is harder to repair invisibly when a section is damaged.
Who owns the fence between two properties?
It depends entirely on where it sits relative to the boundary and on local law, which varies by state and municipality. A fence wholly on your land is normally yours. A fence on the line is often a shared responsibility. This is worth resolving in writing with your neighbour before building, not after.