How to Work Out a Fence Price Per Linear Foot
To work out a fence price per foot, add up the job costs, account for overhead and your target margin, then divide by the footage. The example below shows the method using made-up costs. Use your own measurements and supplier prices.
The formula
Job cost = Materials + Posts & concrete + Gates + Labor + Tear-out & haul-off + Other job costs
Overhead = your share of truck, insurance, tools, office, fuel, etc. for this job
Price = (Job cost + Overhead) ÷ (1 − Margin %)
Price / LF = Price ÷ Linear feet of fence
1. Measure the linear feet
Walk the line and measure every run. Note corners, ends and every gate opening. In this example, the footage excludes gate openings, but the job total includes the gate. The per-foot result is the total job price divided by fence footage, so it includes the gate's cost.
2. Materials
Pickets or panels, rails, fasteners, caps and trim, stain or sealer if it's in the scope. Use your supplier's current numbers, not last year's.
3. Posts and concrete
Count posts from your layout (see our fence post spacing guide), then figure concrete per hole (see concrete for fence posts and footings). Line posts, corner posts, end posts and gate posts often aren't the same size, so count them separately.
4. Gates
Price each gate as its own line: the gate, heavier gate posts, hinges, latch, and any drop rod or anti-sag hardware. See gate pricing factors.
5. Labor
Crew size × hours × your loaded hourly cost (wages plus payroll taxes, workers' comp and other per-hour costs). Include layout, digging, setting, hanging, cleanup and drive time.
6. Tear-out and haul-off
Old fence removal labor, pulling old post footings, dump or disposal fees, and the trip to get there.
7. Other job costs
Utility locate wait time, permits or HOA paperwork, equipment rental (auger, skid steer), and extra time for slopes, rock or tight access.
8. Overhead
The costs that keep the business open even when no one is digging. Spread them over your jobs, for example by billable hour or by job.
9. Margin
Margin is the share of the price you keep. It isn't the same as markup. A 25% margin means price = cost ÷ 0.75, which is about a 33.3% markup on cost.
Worked example
Example inputs, not real prices. These numbers are made up to show the math. Use your own costs.
| Line | Example input (made up) |
|---|---|
| Fence length | 150 ft |
| Materials (pickets, rails, fasteners) | $1,000 |
| Posts and concrete (20 posts) | $500 |
| Gates (1 walk gate, posts, hardware) | $200 |
| Labor | $1,200 |
| Tear-out and haul-off | $300 |
| Other job costs | $100 |
| Overhead share | $400 |
| Margin | 25% |
Job cost = 1,000 + 500 + 200 + 1,200 + 300 + 100 = 3,300
+ Overhead = 3,300 + 400 = 3,700
Price = 3,700 ÷ (1 − 0.25) = 3,700 ÷ 0.75 = 4,933.33
Price / LF = 4,933.33 ÷ 150 = 32.89 per linear foot (example only)
Change any one input and the per-foot number moves. That's the point: your price per foot comes out of your costs, not the other way around.
FAQ
Should gates be included in the price per foot?
You can include gates in the job total or quote them separately. State which approach you use. For a fence-only price per foot, exclude gate costs and their allocated overhead from the calculation. The example above includes the gate in the job total.
Is margin the same as markup?
No. Markup is added on top of cost. Margin is the share of the final price you keep. Price = cost ÷ (1 − margin).
Why not just use an average cost per foot from the internet?
Averages don't know your supplier, your crew, your soil or your overhead. Build the number from your own costs and update it when they change.
Do I need to charge for tear-out?
If there's an old fence to remove, it takes labor, a trip and disposal. Put it on its own line so the customer sees what it covers.
Quote it in the app
Put each line above on one quote in QuoteMaven. Its AI quantity helper shows its math, so check it before you send, and you can offer A/B/C options on the same quote, like two picket styles or with and without tear-out. Customers sign by link with nothing to install, you get view and sign alerts, and a signed quote becomes an invoice automatically.
Free to download, with 30 days free, no card needed. I'm a fence and concrete contractor in Slidell, LA. QuoteMaven is a quote app built by contractors.
Download free on Google Play, and coming soon to the Apple App Store.