LINEAR FEET
The single biggest driver. Measure your perimeter; that number times the per-foot rate gets you most of the way there.
THE SHORT ANSWER
Most suburban backyard fences run 150–250 linear feet. At that size, here's the range most of our customers land in — installed, including posts, concrete, materials, and labor.
Material
Per linear foot
Typical 200-ft yard
Warmth, character, most popular.
Per ft:$45–$70
200-ft yard:$9,000 – $14,000
Install it and forget it.
Per ft:$55–$85
200-ft yard:$11,000 – $17,000
Security without losing the view.
Per ft:$60–$90
200-ft yard:$12,000 – $18,000
Wood look, no maintenance.
Per ft:$85–$140
200-ft yard:$17,000 – $28,000
These are real ranges, not teaser numbers. Where you land inside them depends on the six factors below.
★ The Six Factors ★
WHY TWO YARDS ON THE SAME BLOCK QUOTE DIFFERENTLY
HEIGHT
A 6ft privacy fence uses noticeably more material than a 4ft. Going to 8ft usually means a permit and a bigger number.
GATES
Every gate is hardware, framing, and labor. Budget $400–$1200 each, more for a double or a driveway gate.
GRADE AND OBSTACLES
Slopes, tree roots, buried utilities, rock, and tight access all add labor. A flat, open, square yard is the cheapest yard to fence.
TEARING OUT THE OLD FENCE
Removal and disposal runs about $5–$12 per foot. Worth asking every contractor whether it's in their number.
PERMITS
Most suburbs require one. Typically $50–$250. We pull it for you — several of our reviews mention exactly that.
★ The Hidden Number ★
THE LOW BID ISN'T THE LOW COST
A fence is only as good as what's holding it up. The cheapest quote in your inbox is almost always cheap in the same place: the posts. Standard 4x4s, set shallow, in a small hole. It looks identical to ours the day it goes in.
Four winters later, the difference is in your backyard. Leaning sections, sagging gates, and a repair bill that erases everything the low bid saved you.
We set every fence on custom heavy-grade 5x5 posts — over 50% more wood in the ground, sunk below the frost line. It's why our fences are still standing straight thirty winters later, and it's why we're not the cheapest quote you'll get.
THE LOW BID
- Standard 4x4 posts
- Shallow footings
- Builder-grade lumber
- Repairs starting in year 4
THE CEDAR MOUNTAIN BUILD
- Heavy-grade 5x5 posts
- Set below the frost line in concrete
- Hand-selected cedar
- Still straight in year 30
COST BY MATERIAL
CEDAR
$45–$70/ FTYou're paying for hand-selected, straight-grained cedar and the heavy-grade 5x5 post system underneath it. Right for anyone who wants warmth, privacy, and a fence that looks like something a person built.
See cedar fences →VINYL
$55–$85/ FTHeavy-gauge panels with color through the material, not painted on. Right for anyone who wants a crisp, uniform look and never wants to think about a stain gun again.
See vinyl fences →ALUMINUM
$60–$90/ FTPowder-coated ornamental aluminum, rackable for sloped yards, pool-code compliant. Right for anyone who wants security and sightlines — especially around a pool.
See aluminum fences →COMPOSITE
$85–$140/ FTEngineered wood-fiber and polymer boards on the same heavy post system. Right for anyone who wants the substance of wood without a single stain job over twenty years.
See composite fences →COMMON QUESTIONS
Not always. But ask what size the posts are, how deep they're set, and whether removal and permits are included. That's usually where the difference lives.
GET A REAL NUMBER FOR YOUR YARD
Free, in person, no obligation. Steve or Jon will get back to you the same day.