Fence estimate template to win the fence job

What to include on a fence quote template

Price a new or replacement fence by the run with this fence estimate template. Materials, pulling out the old fence, building the new one and the gate each get their own line, and a stain coat can be offered as an optional extra. The sample replaces 38 m of 1.8 m high timber paling fence with one pedestrian gate. Edit it in your browser, or download Word, Excel or PDF.

A fence quote should let the customer, and any neighbor sharing the cost, see where the fence runs, how tall it is, what it is made of and what happens to the old one. Measure the full run, mark the gates, and note the ground conditions before you put a number on it.

1. Fence line and lengthThe total run in linear feet or meters, measured side by side, with corner and end posts counted. A dimensioned sketch heads off disputes later.
2. Height and stylePaling, picket, board on board, chain link or panel, with the finished height, for example 6 ft or 1.8 m.
3. Posts and footingsPost size, material and spacing, hole depth, and whether posts are set in concrete. Timber fences are commonly built with posts around 8 ft or 2.4 m apart.
4. Rails and infillRails per bay, picket or paling size and spacing, and the nails or screws used, including whether they are galvanized.
5. Gates and hardwareEach gate’s opening width, frame, hinges, latch and drop bolt, priced each so a wider or second gate is easy to add.
6. Removing the old fencePulling posts, breaking out old concrete footings and disposal, priced per meter or as one job.
7. Boundary confirmationWho confirms where the line is. If the survey pins are missing, a survey may be needed before anyone digs.
8. Ground and accessRock, tree roots and slopes that need stepped or racked bays, and whether the old fence must stay up until the new one is built to keep dogs in.
9. FinishStain, paint or left natural, the number of coats, and which side or sides are treated.

Sample fencing quotation with per meter rates

This sample from Straightline Fencing replaces 38 m of timber paling fence for Karen Brooks. Posts, rails and palings are priced per meter at $58, with the gate and hardware as one item at $380. Labor is also per meter: $12 to remove the old fence and $42 to build the new one. One coat of stain at $14 per meter is optional, the subtotal is $4,636 and a 10% deposit applies. Use your own local rates.

Edit the Straightline Fencing estimate

5 lines are filled in, from posts, rails and palings to stain, one coat. Put in your own fencing rates, then download the PDF.

Open the fencing sample

How fencing contractors price a job

Most fencing is priced by the linear foot or meter, with gates, corners and removal added as items. The per meter rate only holds up if it is built from a real takeoff of posts, rails and infill for that height and style, so build it once from real numbers and reuse it with care.

1. Per linear foot or meterOne rate covering posts, rails and infill for a given style and height, with labor included or on its own per meter line. Easy for customers to compare.
2. Takeoff plus laborCount posts, rails, pickets, concrete bags and fixings, price each, then add crew hours. Use it for unusual designs, sloping ground or mixed materials.
3. Items for gates and extrasGates, extra corner posts, end posts and stepped bays priced each, so a longer or shorter run only changes the per meter lines.
4. Shared boundary splitWhere two neighbors split the cost, show the full price and each owner’s share, and have both accept before you order materials.

Concrete, posts and lumber are your biggest costs, so set the markup per material type and test it with the markup calculator. The guide to pricing a job covers overhead per day on site.

Worked example: materials for 150 ft of 6 ft privacy fence

1. PostsAt 8 ft centers, 150 ft is 150 / 8 = 18.75, so 19 bays and 20 posts. Using 8 ft treated 4×4 posts set 2 ft deep at an example $14 each: 20 x 14 = $280.
2. RailsThree rails per bay for a 6 ft fence: 19 x 3 = 57 rails at an example $6 each, which is $342.
3. Pickets150 ft is 1,800 in. With 5.5 in pickets butted tight, 1,800 / 5.5 = 327.3, so 328 pickets, plus 5% waste makes 345 at $3 each: $1,035.
4. ConcreteTwo 50 lb bags per post: 20 x 2 = 40 bags at an example $7 a bag, or $280.
5. Cost per foot$280 + $342 + $1,035 + $280 = $1,937, or about $12.91 per linear foot before fixings, the gate, markup and labor.

Wider post spacing, a fourth rail on a taller fence, or rocky ground that needs a hydraulic auger all change the takeoff and the hours, so rebuild the per foot rate when any of them apply.

Fence estimate inclusions and exclusions

Fence quote mistakes that cause call backs

• Building on the line the customer points to without checking the boundary, then moving the fence after a neighbor complains.
• Digging post holes before calling 811 or your local locate service.
• Pricing old fence removal by eye and finding every post sitting in a large concrete footing.
• Listing the gate with no width, then fitting a single walk gate where the customer wanted to drive a mower through.
• Ignoring slope: stepped or racked bays on a sloping yard take longer and use more lumber.
• Not agreeing which side faces the neighbor, which matters for looks and for some HOA rules.