Vinyl Fence Costs: Everything You Need to Know in 2024
Check out our amazing guide to vinyl fence costs by fence measurements, fence type and labor factors! Read on to learn how much you can expect to pay for your vinyl fence
A new vinyl fence is a great way to add curb appeal to your home! Vinyl fences can last a very long time with very little maintenance. And unlike a wood fence, they don’t require much more than a spray down with a pressure washer every once in a while when they get dirty to keep looking brand new. There are a lot of pros to getting a vinyl fence installed, and not a lot of cons!
Estimating the cost of a vinyl fence depends on a variety of factors. But to give you a general idea, the typical price range for a vinyl fence is $2,000 to $5,600. The national average cost for a vinyl fence is around $3,900.
Average costs take into account the cost of labor, materials and any permits needed to build a vinyl fence. But there are other factors that come into play for the overall cost. The average price of installing a vinyl fence depends on the circumstances of your individual project. Read on to find out more about getting a more accurate estimate for your vinyl fence project.
Not sure where to begin to find out how much your fence project might cost? Ergeon has created a simple online tool to plan out your new fence and get an estimate for how much it will cost. The fence estimator tool lets you choose potential options for styles and materials to get a better idea of what fence options will work best for you.
Since one of the factors that impacts the overall cost of your vinyl fence is how long it is, knowing how long the project will be in linear feet can help you determine your budget.
Homeowners are able to calculate the cost of a fence project by linear feet. Taking into account materials and labor, the typical cost for installing a vinyl fence is around $30 per linear foot. One way this cost can increase is if you plan on adding any gates or other decorative features and designs to your fence project.
There are other factors that come into play as well, like whether you have an existing fence that needs to be removed, and we’ll go over those in this article as well.
The cost of installing a vinyl fence depends on many factors. They include the fence materials you choose, fence style, fence height, whether you add gates, the number of posts, labor costs, terrain quality, fence removal, and cost of permits.
Panel thickness and material quality will impact the cost of your vinyl fence. Building a fence of 100% pure vinyl as opposed to a fence made of recycled PVC scraps will ensure a longer lasting and more durable fence.
Other factors that determine the cost of your vinyl fence include the style of your fence. Rail fences are usually the least expensive, and a picket fence that’s the usual three to four feet tall will also be in the same cost range. Privacy fences made of solid panels will be more expensive. Let’s go over some of the styles that vinyl fences are available in.
These days, vinyl fencing comes in many styles. Here's a look at some popular vinyl fence styles for residential areas:
Privacy fences are unlike other fences in that the boards of the fence fit together in a way that makes sure there are no gaps for anyone to see through into your property. If your aim is to build a fence to keep people from watching what you’re doing in your yard, a vinyl privacy fence is a great option.
Three-Rail, or Horse, fences are a great way to achieve a farmhouse-chic look for your property. The average price for this fence style is between $15 and $30 per linear foot. As the name implies, this is the type of fence you’d see at a ranch surrounding a horse corral. While in those circumstances the fences are made of wood, vinyl fences in this style are becoming increasingly popular. Horizontal rails run between the posts with gaps in between each rail.
A white vinyl picket fence is a traditional choice for front yards when the aim is to keep children and pets inside but still allow a view in and out of the property. It’s only three or four feet tall normally, and much cheaper than a tall privacy fence. On average, vinyl picket fences will cost between $15-$20 per linear foot.
A lattice fence refers to the decorative features that can be added to the top of your privacy fence. This is usually diagonal crisscrossed slats or vertical slats evenly spaced. It’s also possible to have your entire fence built with lattice panels. Adding a lattice to your vinyl fence will bring the cost per linear foot to anywhere from $15-$40.
A pool fence is a smaller fence that can be built around your pool. It can provide privacy and safety to keep small children out until you’re ready to swim! These fences can be built as short as 4 feet high.
For vinyl fences, the fence height has a large impact on cost. That’s because of the amount of materials needed as well as labor. For a standard six foot vinyl fence, the range is $25-$40 per linear foot. A shorter fence, like you’d have in your front yard or around a pool, would be less expensive than that. You should expect a decrease in your costs of around 25-35% for a four foot fence. For an eight foot fence, you should plan for a 25-35% increase in your budget. These estimates vary depending on the style of vinyl fence that you want to have installed.
If you want to add a gate to your vinyl fence, that will increase the overall cost. These are useful when you have a closed fence around your front yard or backyard. The costs of adding a gate vary depending on whether it’s a simple gate or a decorative gate. If you want to have a double gate instead of a single gate, that will increase the average cost. The range of average costs for a vinyl fence gate is $306-$1,391.
The cost of your vinyl fence home improvement project will depend on many factors, one of those is the number of posts. Putting in posts are one of the most labor-intensive parts of the process of building a fence. You need to dig post holes, fill them with concrete and set the posts in carefully. The cost gets higher with the increase in number of posts.
The cost of having a vinyl fence installed professionally is around $5-10 per linear foot, or $35-50 an hour. When all is said and done, by choosing a diy approach you don’t save more than a couple hundred dollars on average - considering the tools and equipment needed plus materials. Installation requires skill and precision and fence contractors already have the equipment and experience needed to make the installation go smoothly.
Some cities require permits for building residential fences, so it’s best to check with your municipal or county building regulators first before starting your project. Your professional fence installer may be able to help you with that as well. Permits can cost anywhere from $20-$400 depending on factors like the size of your fence and what kind of permit you need to get.
Finally, after considering the costs detailed above, you must also consider extra services that sometimes aren’t as obvious. One of those is having an old fence removed. Some contractors will charge a flat fee for removing the existing fence while others charge per linear foot. An average range for this would be $3-$5 per linear foot. There are other types of site preparation as well. Those include removing landscape features that might be in the way of the new fence. Trees can cost up to $1,000 for removal while a bush could cost around $75.
If your property is sloped, that can affect the overall cost. So if that’s the case for your yard, you should budget an extra $900-$3,000 for land grading. Any obstacles like large rocks, stumps, or other types of terrain - anything that will make building the fence take longer and be more challenging, will mean the total labor costs will increase. When planning for a fence on a slope, it's helpful to explore fence on a slope ideas to find creative solutions that suit your needs and budget.
There are some extra costs that apply to some vinyl fence projects. For example, the color of your vinyl fence can impact the cost. Vinyl fences with natural wood grain designs can be a bit more expensive, but also will add a natural look to the fence for style. Other examples are planning for pressure washes every few years or adding decorative hardware to your vinyl fence.
Vinyl fences are created in different colors from the beginning, so it is not necessary to paint them. However, if you want to paint your vinyl fence you must use an epoxy-based paint that will stick to vinyl. If you have your vinyl fence color changed professionally, it will cost around $5 per linear foot.
One of vinyl’s best selling points is that it is low maintenance. With metal or wood fences, you have to apply stains to the wood grain or sealants every few years to make them last despite the elements. But vinyl doesn’t need that treatment. All it needs to look its best is the occasional washing. You can do that yourself if you have the equipment, or hire a contractor. The national average cost of hiring someone to pressure wash your fence is $213.
Besides painting your vinyl fence, there are a few other ways to spice it up that can add to your total cost. One is the fence design which includes any hardware you add to the fence. You can choose from high-end designer handles or hinges that may look better than the standard equipment. You can also add decorative wall toppers to your vinyl fence.
Here are some commonly asked questions about vinyl fencing and the answers according to our experts.
Vinyl fences may cost more than wood fences initially, but since vinyl fences have a lifespan of up to 30 years and have almost no maintenance costs, that means their long-term costs are actually lower than a wood fence.
All PVC - polyvinyl chloride - has vinyl in it but pure vinyl does not have the other composite materials that are present in PVC. Pure 100% vinyl is stronger and more resilient than a PVC fence and that accounts for the price difference in material costs.
Vinyl fencing is low maintenance and has a lifespan of 10-30 years. A vinyl fence may cost more initially than a wooden fence, but many homeowners choose vinyl because the long-term costs of a wood fence are actually higher than vinyl. Vinyl can achieve the traditional fence aesthetic but some homeowners may still prefer the look of wood to vinyl. You can read more about vinyl fence pros and cons in our blog piece.
The best style of vinyl fence depends on what you need the fence for! If it's for privacy, then a privacy fence is your best bet. If it’s to keep children and pets in the yard without obstructing the view, then a vinyl picket fence or three-rail fence may be better for you.
Vinyl fences have a lifespan of 10-30 years. This depends on the climate where you live as well as the type of vinyl fence materials you choose.
Fence Costs
Fence Costs
Fence Costs
