Q.

“My neighbour wants to build a fence and has been given a quote for $100/ft. I haven’t built a fence in a while, but doesn’t that seem a little high?”

A.

This is a great question—and a very common one.

I see versions of this all the time online:
“Is this the going rate?”
“Does this sound expensive?”

And the honest answer is: it depends.

This isn’t a simple yes-or-no situation, and this is exactly why consulting exists. Every project is different, and fence pricing can vary widely based on details that aren’t always obvious at first glance.

Before reacting to the number, here’s what needs to be understood.

The Questions That Matter First

A per-foot price only means something after you know what’s included.

Start by asking:

• Does the price include materials and labour

• Does this include a property survey to determine fence location?

• What type of fence is it?

  • Big-box / pre-made panels?

  • Site-built custom fence?

  • If wood, does it include a stain?

• How much fence is being built?

• What’s the terrain like?

  • Flat ground?

  • Sloped?

  • Rock or difficult soil?

• How are the posts being installed?

  • Concrete?

  • Driven posts?

  • Screw piles?

• Who’s responsible for:

  • Property line confirmation?

  • Permits (if required)?

  • Removal of old fencing?

Without answers to these, $100/ft is just a number, not a comparison.

A Simple Example Breakdown

Let’s look at a very basic scenario to show how pricing can shift.

Example: Big-box style wood fence

• Pre-made 8' wood panel: ~$100 each

• 200 ft of fence ≈ 25 panels
  → Panels: $2,500

Now add:

• Posts + concrete

• Fasteners, caps, gates (if any)

• Labour (digging, setting, leveling, installing)

• Site conditions (flat vs. sloped)

It’s not hard for this to land closer to $6,000 total for a straightforward install.

That works out to roughly:
$6.000 ÷ 200 ft = $30/ft

That’s very different from $100/ft—but it’s also a very simple example.

So Why Might a Fence Be $100/ft?

That higher number could make sense if:

• It's well over 200 ft.

• Labour costs are higher in your area

• It’s a custom-built fence, not panels

• The site is sloped or difficult

• There’s rock or challenging soil

• The fence is taller or more complex

• Gates or special detailing are included

None of those things are obvious from a single per-foot price.

The Bigger Lesson

The mistake isn’t questioning the price.
The mistake is assuming there is a universal “going rate.”

Per-foot pricing only works when:

• Scope is defined

• Materials are known

• Site conditions are understood

• Labour assumptions are clear

Until then, numbers feel confusing and often frustrating.

This is why asking better questions matters more than finding quick answers.

Ask HQ Takeaway

If a price feels high, don’t react—clarify.

Ask what’s included. Ask how it’s built. Ask what assumptions are being made.

Good decisions come from understanding the scope, not comparing numbers without context.

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Send it to Ask HQ. Real questions lead to better projects and fewer surprises.

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