Fence Cost Calculator

Fence installation cost depends on perimeter length, fence type, material, height, gate count, terrain complexity, and regional labor rates. Getting a reliable estimate requires separating material costs from labor costs and accounting for site-specific factors.

Total cost formula: Total Cost = (Material Cost per Linear Foot + Labor Cost per Linear Foot) × Total Perimeter + Gate Costs + Additional Items

Material + labor cost benchmarks (U.S. 2025, installed price):

Gate cost additions:

• Walk gate (4 ft wide): $150–$600 depending on material
• Double drive gate (10–12 ft): $400–$1,500

Terrain and condition surcharges:

• Sloped yard: +10–20%
• Rocky soil (requires auger rental): +$5–$15/linear foot
• Removal of old fence: $3–$7/linear foot

Perimeter formula (rectangular yard): Perimeter = 2 × (Length + Width) Subtract any shared fence sections with neighbors (if they’re contributing cost).

Worked example: Backyard 80 ft × 60 ft, with one 60 ft side already fenced by the neighbour. A 6 ft cedar privacy fence, two walk gates, and a slope that a contractor is charging 15% extra for.

Perimeter needing new fence = 2 × (80 + 60) − 60 = 220 ft At $25 to $50 a foot: 220 × $25 = $5,500, up to 220 × $50 = $11,000 Slope surcharge at 15%: $825 to $1,650 Two gates at $350 each: $700 Range: $7,025 to $13,350, midpoint about $10,188

That spread is not the calculator being vague. It is what happens when the same job is quoted by three contractors, and it is the honest shape of the answer before you have a quote in hand. Get three, then put the real numbers in above and the range collapses to something you can budget against.

One thing the perimeter formula hides: gates come out of the fence run, not on top of it. Two 4 ft gates means 8 fewer feet of fence, which at $38 a foot is $304 you are not spending. Worth subtracting on a small job, not worth the arithmetic on a large one.