Typical installed price per linear foot
These are consumer-facing figures from published cost guides, not rules. They show where the market sits so you can tell whether your price is far above or below it.
| Material | Angi 2026 | HomeGuide 2026 |
|---|---|---|
| Chain link | $8 – $40 | $10 – $40 |
| Wood | $10 – $45 | $20 – $50 |
| Vinyl (PVC) | $15 – $40 | $30 – $60 |
| Aluminum | $17 – $90 (aluminum and steel) | $25 – $75 |
| Wrought iron | $25 – $55 | $50 – $85 |
| Composite | $11 – $45 | $20 – $85 |
The two sources disagree, sometimes by a lot, because they survey different customers, heights and regions. A third guide (Estimate Fence, July 2026) puts chain link at about $15 to $30, wood privacy at $18 to $35 and vinyl at $30 to $55. Treat the spread as a sign that your local market decides the price, not a national average.
What moves the price
- Material and style. Angi lists picket, rail and solid board from about $5 per foot and privacy and shadow box from about $10, before the material itself is chosen.
- Height. A 6 ft privacy fence runs $25 to $60 per foot and an 8 ft fence $50 to $85 (HomeGuide). Chain link climbs from $8 to $20 at 4 ft to $17 to $40 at 10 ft (Angi).
- Terrain and utilities. Angi cites 10 to 30 percent more when working around utilities, and sloped ground can push labor up 15 to 25 percent.
- Labor share. Angi puts labor at about half of the total; Estimate Fence says 30 to 50 percent.
- Permits. Typically $20 to $150 depending on the source, and they are the contractor’s or the owner’s job depending on your agreement. Write down which.
Gates and old fence removal are separate lines
| Item | Published range | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Gate | $150 – $2,000 each | Angi |
| Standard swing gate (chain link) | $100 – $450 | Angi |
| Remove and haul old fence | $3 – $5 per linear foot | Angi |
| Remove old fence (alternative figure) | $10 – $20 per linear foot | HomeGuide |
Pricing each of these on its own line makes the quote easier to read and harder to haggle down. The fence estimate calculator keeps them separate and also shows the section and post count for the run.
Set a minimum charge
A 20 ft repair at $28 per foot is $560, which may be fine, but a single replaced section can cost more in travel and setup than it earns. Set a minimum job charge from your hourly cost times the real time a small job takes, including driving. See how to calculate labor cost and your overhead rate for the inputs.
A worked quote
A 150 ft wood privacy fence with one gate and 100 ft of old fence to remove, using example rates (yours will differ):
| Fence: 150 linear ft × $28.00 | $4,200.00 |
| Walk gate | $350.00 |
| Remove old fence: 100 linear ft × $3.50 | $350.00 |
| Haul-away and disposal fee | $75.00 |
| Total | $4,975.00 |
|---|
Check it against the market: $4,200 over 150 ft is $28 per foot for the fence itself, inside the wood ranges above. These figures are examples, not recommended prices.
Common mistakes
- Copying a national average instead of building the price from your own material and labor costs.
- Quoting one lump sum, so the customer cannot see gates and removal and negotiates the whole price.
- Forgetting to say who calls 811 to locate utilities and who handles the permit or HOA approval.
- Ignoring slope and rock when counting labor hours.
- Taking no deposit. Read how to write a contractor estimate for deposit wording.
Turn the numbers into a quote
Use the free fence estimate calculator to price the run, gates and removal, then send it to the fence estimate maker with one click and save a PDF. No sign-up.
Sources
- Angi, How Much Does Fence Installation Cost? [2026 Data], plus its vinyl, aluminum and chain-link fence cost guides (angi.com).
- HomeGuide, How Much Does Fence Installation Cost? (2026) (homeguide.com).
- Estimate Fence, Fence Installation Cost in 2026, July 2026 (estimatefence.com).
- TWU Pro, Fence Installation Cost (2026), summarizing Angi and HomeGuide (exteriors.twupro.com).
Prices are published averages read in October 2026 and vary by region. For planning only. This is not accounting, tax or legal advice.