Fence Cost Calculator — Material Cost per Metre or Foot
Estimate the material cost of a new fence from its real component list — posts, rails, pickets or panels, and concrete — using your local prices. Enter fence length, height and style, adjust the price presets, and get a total and cost per metre.
Free to try — no sign-up
Plan the whole job — not just this calculation
Save results to a project: budget and shopping list build themselves, and the whole plan exports as a PDF. Draw your floor plan and room sizes pre-fill the calculators.
How the fence cost is estimated
- 1Count components: posts, rails, pickets/panels and concrete from fence length, height and style
- 2Multiply each by its unit price — the presets are editable, so use your local supplier prices
- 3Total material cost = sum of all component lines
- 4Cost per metre/foot = total ÷ fence length, for comparing quotes
- 5Add 10% waste on rails and pickets
- 6Labour is not included — add it from local quotes
Worked example
Picket fence: 30 m long, 1.8 m high — 14 posts, 93.6 lm of rail, 300 pickets, 23 bags of concrete, priced with your local unit prices.
The calculator totals each component line at the prices you enter and shows cost per metre — so a contractor quote for the same fence can be compared line by line.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a fence cost per metre?
Material cost varies several-fold with style and timber: simple post-and-rail sits far below close-board or composite panels. There is no honest single number — price the actual component list with local prices, which is exactly what the calculator does.
Does the estimate include labour?
No — it is a materials calculator. Installed prices typically run well above materials alone; digging and concreting post holes is most of the labour. Get two or three local quotes and compare them against your material total.
What is the cheapest fence to build?
Post-and-rail uses the least material per metre. Picket fences cost more (many small boards), close-board and panel fencing more again, and composite/metal systems the most upfront — but with lower maintenance cost over their life.
Are gates included in the cost?
No — add gates separately. A gate needs heavier posts, deeper footings, hinges and a latch, and pre-made gates are usually bought as units rather than built from components.
How can I reduce the cost of a fence?
Longer post spacing (within the 2.4 m limit), a lower height where privacy allows, dry-pour concrete, and buying rails/pickets in full packs. The posts-and-concrete part is hard to economise on — it is what keeps the fence standing.