A vinyl fence can be useful, aesthetically pleasing, long-lasting, and easy to care for, but it can also get expensive. Most homeowners pay $2,181 to $6,089 for a professionally installed vinyl fence, with a national average cost of about $4,135.
For a more accurate estimate of how much your specific vinyl fencing project will cost, figure out how many linear feet of fence you need and multiply that number by the national average rate of $28 per linear foot. Depending on what fence style you want, you could pay anywhere from $17 to $38 per linear foot.
How Much Does Vinyl Fencing Cost?
- National average cost: $4,135
- Typical price range: $2,181 to $6,089
- Extreme low end: $1,215
- Extreme high end: $12,500
Fence installers across the country charge approximately $2,181 to $6,089 on average to install a vinyl fence for a standard residential yard. However, vinyl fencing comes in different styles suited for different purposes, such as solid privacy, classic picket, and decorative designs, and each has its own price ranges.
Depending on the vinyl fence style you choose, the specifics of your property, and your installer’s prices, you might pay anywhere from the low end of about $1,215 to the more premium end of around $12,500.
On This Page
- Cost Estimator by Size
- Other Factors That Affect Cost
- Extra Services
- Cost of Installing a Vinyl Fence DIY
- Cost of Vinyl Fencing by Location
- FAQ
- Conclusion
Cost Estimator by Size
Most contractors charge for vinyl fence installation by the linear foot, so the size of your fence decides the overall cost.
On average, national homeowners pay about $17 to $38 per linear foot for different variations of a vinyl fence. To help you figure out the approximate price of your own project, multiply how many linear feet of fence you need by the national average price of $28 per linear foot.
Keep in mind that some contractors may not charge by the linear foot but by the hour or by the number of preassembled fence panels you need. Whatever metric your installer uses to charge, the overall price will most likely be about the same.
At that average rate, the total price of a vinyl fence around a typical mid-sized backyard (about 2,000 square feet) would be close to $3,780 professionally installed. For a small backyard (about 500 square feet), that cost drops to around $1,932. A larger project (about 3,500 square feet) will usually cost $5,040 or so total.
Other Factors That Affect Cost
Do you need a tall privacy fence for the backyard or a quaint decorative picket fence in the front? A vinyl fence can serve either of those uses be or anything in between.
Depending on the reasons you need a fence, the look you want for your home, and characteristics of the land where you’re building the fence, your overall costs can be higher or lower than the national averages.
Here are some of the factors other than size that might affect the price of your vinyl fencing project:
Fence design
Whatever you want your fence to look like, you should be able to find a long-lasting, low-maintenance option in vinyl. An affordable style that works for decoration and marking properties is split-rail fencing, which runs at about $20 per linear foot.
If you want something with a more intricate and aesthetically pleasing look (and you’re willing to pay for it), try a shadowbox style for an average price of $35 per linear foot or a fence featuring decorative designs for about $34 per linear foot.
Vinyl picket fences, lattice-top fences, and standard privacy fences are still much more expensive than split-rail, but they’re affordable when compared to more premium options.
Color
Vinyl fencing comes in different colors without you having to paint it (unless you want to). The most common colors of vinyl fencing are solid white, solid black, and wood-grain styles meant to replicate real wood. Plain white is the cheapest vinyl fence, costing about $25 per linear foot.
Wood-grain vinyl fence designs cost in the middle at about $40 per linear foot, and black is the most expensive at about $60 per linear foot. You can usually find all the different styles of vinyl fences in various colors and finishes, so there is a lot of mixing and matching you can do when deciding the look you want for your fence.
| VINYL FENCE COLOR | NATIONAL AVERAGE COST *linear foot |
| White | $25 |
| Wood-grain | $40 |
| Black | $60 |
Gates
When you add gates to your vinyl fence, you also add extra costs. Because fence gates require hardware and more labor to install, gates cost significantly more than regular fence panels.
Estimating how much a gate will add to your project’s overall budget can be difficult, since gates come in all different shapes and sizes.
Some variations include manual vs. automatic gates, single vs. double gates, and ornate designs. The national average price of vinyl gates in general is $318 to $1,172. That range includes manual single gates at the low end and custom automatic driveway gates at the high end.
Height
In most cases, a fence for the backyard will be 6 feet tall. Some vinyl fences come in 8-foot or 4-foot panels, too, so you can choose the right height for your needs. Check with your homeowners association or local municipality to find out if your neighborhood has any rules about fence height.
If you want an 8-foot fence, you can expect your budget to increase by 25% – 35%. For a 4-foot fence, expect a decrease of 25% – 35%. That price difference is simply the result of larger vinyl panels costing more and smaller vinyl panels costing less.
Slope of land
Installing a vinyl fence on an incline will take more work, and therefore cost more, than installing one on flat ground. Depending on the steepness of your property’s hill and the positioning of the fence, your contractor may need to regrade the land to install your fence properly.
The way slope affects overall cost works on a case-by-case basis. If you want your fence on a slope, plan to add about $900 to $3,000 to your budget for land grading.
Permits
Where you live may or may not require you to get a building permit to put up a fence around your yard. If you plan on hiring a contractor to install your fence, that pro usually will know what permits you need locally and will obtain them for you.
Otherwise, you’ll need to contact the building regulators in your city or county. Permits can add anywhere from $20 to $400 to the overall cost of your project, depending on factors such as what kind of permits you need and the size of your fence.
Extra Services
Sometimes, to install a fence, you’ll need to include additional services (and pay for them).
For example, you might order some of these services at the same time as your fence installation and from the same contractor, while you might need to hire a separate pro for others.
If you think you might need one of the following extra services, remember to factor it into your budget.
Removal of old fence
If your new vinyl fence will replace an existing fence, your contractor can probably remove the old one for you.
Most fence contractors offer to dig up the old fence and haul away the debris for an extra fee. The overall cost of fence removal depends on the type of fence, how much of it there is to remove, and whether or not the surrounding terrain makes it difficult to dig.
Some contractors may offer a flat rate for fence removal, but most charge by linear feet of fence to be removed.
Added cost: $3 – $5 per linear foot of fence to be removed
Removal of trees, stumps, or bushes
In addition to the slope of your land, other existing features of your property could present obstacles to your fencing project and increase the overall cost.
For example, you will have to remove any trees, stumps, bushes, or other landscaping in the way of your fence.
If you have the necessary tools and know-how to remove small trees and bushes yourself, you won’t have to worry about any additional costs here. If hiring a professional tree service, the amount you’ll pay depends on the size and location of the plants you need removed.
Added cost: About $385 to $1,070 per tree, $175 to $516 per stump, or $75 to $125 per bush
Painting
Even though vinyl fences already come in different colors, you may want to further customize your fence with a color of your choice. You don’t have to paint or otherwise coat a vinyl fence for maintenance, as you would with wood fencing, but the option is still there.
Painting a vinyl fence tends to be more expensive than painting a wood fence, whether you do it yourself or hire a contractor, because you have to use epoxy-based paint to stick to the vinyl.
Added cost: About $5 per linear foot of fencing
Pressure washing
One of the main benefits of vinyl fences is how low-maintenance they are.
With fence materials like wood or wrought-iron, you have to apply protective sealants every few years to help your fence stand up to the elements — but not with vinyl. Vinyl isn’t susceptible to pests, rust, water damage, or other issues that often damage fences.
To keep a vinyl fence looking its best, the only thing you have to do is pressure wash it occasionally. If you don’t own a pressure washer or simply don’t want to do the work yourself, you can usually hire a contractor to clean your fence for you.
Added cost: National average of $213 for professional pressure washing
Cost of Installing a Vinyl Fence DIY
Another draw of vinyl fencing is that it’s one of the easiest kinds of fencing to install. The hardest part is anchoring the vinyl fence posts in concrete — if you can do that, the rest is as easy as snapping panels into place.
Even though a vinyl fence would be easier to install than many other types, DIY installation would still take a fair bit of work and money. You may decide paying a little more for a contractor is worth it.
Equipment needed
You’ll need several basic tools to install a vinyl fence. If you’ve worked on many home improvement projects, you probably already have most of these tools in your tool shed.
If not, we’ve researched the approximate price you would pay for new tools and other gear you will need to build your vinyl fence, based on prices from Amazon, Lowe’s, and Home Depot:
| EQUIPMENT NEEDED | COST |
| Screwdriver | $12 |
| Mason’s line | $15 |
| Ground stakes | $16 |
| Mallet | $16 |
| Trowel | $17 |
| Tape measure | $18 |
| Hammer | $20 |
| Level | $21 |
| Post hole digger | $50 |
| Drill | $80 |
| TOTAL | $265 |
Cost of materials
Based on average prices from Lowe’s and Home Depot, here is a breakdown of how much you would pay for materials for a 150-linear-foot vinyl fence.
| MATERIALS | COST * per item | TOTAL COST * approximate per 150-linear-foot vinyl fence |
| Fence rail brackets | $5 for a two-pack (including screws) | $100 |
| Vinyl fence cement | $6 per tube | |
| Vinyl fence post caps | $10 | $200 |
| Concrete mix | $20 / large bag | |
| 8-foot vinyl fence posts | $32 | $640 |
| 6-foot-high by 8-foot-wide vinyl privacy fence panels | $118 | $2,242 |
| Gravel | $400 / large bag | |
| TOTAL | $3,608 |
How to install a vinyl fence DIY in 11 steps
1. Figure out how much material you need. Measure the area you want to fence in (your backyard, for instance) to figure out how many fence panels, posts, and other materials you have to buy. The prices listed above reflect the material needed for 150 linear feet of fencing. Your project may end up significantly smaller and cheaper or larger and more expensive.
2. Outline the fence. Use simple ground stakes and mason’s line (or another durable string you can pull taut without breaking it) to outline where the fence will go before you put anything in the ground.
3. Mark for fence posts. Along the outline you just created with mason’s line, mark a spot on the ground where each fence post will go using a ground stake or spray paint. If you’re using 8-foot wide pre-assembled vinyl panels, space the posts out every 8 feet. For 6-foot panels, mark a post hole every 6 feet.
4. Dig post holes. Before you do any digging, call 811 to make sure you don’t run into any underground utility lines. Once you have the all-clear, use your post hole digger to dig, following the marks you made with stakes or spray paint. If you have one, a power auger might make this step easier. Each post hole should be about 10 inches wide. Dig deep enough to bury one-third of the posts (2 feet for 6-foot posts, 2½ feet for 8-foot posts), then dig down another 6 inches for the gravel base. For terminal posts and gate posts, dig 6 inches deeper for added strength.
5. Lay gravel base. Don’t install your fence posts yet. First, backfill each post hole with about 6 inches of gravel, which will help water drain away from the post. After you pour the gravel in each hole, pack it down so the top is somewhat flat.
6. Prepare concrete. Follow the manufacturer’s instructions to prepare your concrete mix. You’ll probably only need to add water. You can use fast-acting concrete if you want your posts to set faster.
7. Install fence posts. Press each fence post into the wet concrete so that concrete fills the hollow center of the post. Keep pressing the post down until it meets the gravel base. Use a small trowel to slope the concrete on top away from the posts.
8. Keep posts in line. When installing your fence posts, start with the main posts (the ends and corners), then install all the posts in between. Use the mason’s line you laid out earlier and a level to make sure each post is standing up straight and in line with the others. Wait for all the concrete to set before moving on to the next step.
9. Install rail brackets. Use whatever screws fit the size bracket you’re using (which may come with its own screws) to attach one bracket per rail on each post. Most pre-assembled vinyl fence panels have two rails, one near the top and one near the bottom. Some also have a middle rail for increased stability. Install brackets according to the rails on your specific fence panels.
10. Fit panels into place. Line up the rails of each fence panel with the brackets on each post and slide them into place. Use screws to fasten them.
11. Attach post caps. Use vinyl fence cement to attach your choice of cap to each post. Push down on the cap and hold for at least 10 seconds. Wipe off any excess cement.
DIY cost vs. professional installation cost
Assuming you have to buy all-new equipment and fencing materials for this project, you would spend about $3,873 to build a vinyl fence DIY. In addition to the money, you should expect to invest two days into building your fence.
If you hired a professional fence contractor to install the same size fence (150 linear feet) in the same style, you would pay about $4,200 based on national average costs. So, you would only save a few hundred dollars by going the DIY route — and you would create a lot more work for yourself, too.
Cost of Vinyl Fencing by Location
While national averages can help you calculate an approximate budget for your vinyl fencing project, there are always local variations on those averages. Someone in a rural town, for example, will most likely pay less in professional labor costs than someone in a metropolitan area. Prices can also vary based on what region of the country you live in.
FAQ About Vinyl Fencing
Upfront, installing a vinyl fence costs more than wood. However, vinyl fences don’t need the regular maintenance (painting, staining, sealing, etc.) of wood fences, so you may actually save money in the long run by going with vinyl.
PVC (polyvinyl chloride) is an affordable type of vinyl. Most vinyl fences are made of PVC.
With proper cleaning and barring any accidents, a vinyl fence can last several decades.
Vinyl fences aren’t vulnerable to water damage, pests, or rot, but some can topple in high winds because the solid panels don’t leave space for air to move through.
DIY or Hire a Pro to Install Your Vinyl Fence?
You will pay more for vinyl fencing, but that higher cost comes with more convenience and durability. Vinyl fences require little maintenance, they’re easy and quick to install, and they can last a lifetime.
To have a vinyl fence professionally installed on your property, you would pay approximately $2,181 to $6,089, according to national average prices. If you want to install a vinyl fence yourself, you’ll spend about $3,873 on tools and materials.
Remember these numbers are only guides. The actual cost of vinyl fencing varies from project to project depending on the color of the vinyl, how decorative the fence is, the size of the property, and a million other variables.
Main Photo Credit: pb3131 / Flickr / CC BY 2.0
