Privacy Fence Cost: 6-Foot Fence Prices

A professionally installed 6-foot privacy fence typically runs about $25 to $45 per linear foot in pressure-treated pine, $35 to $65 in cedar or vinyl, and $50 to $100 or more in composite. For a common suburban backyard needing 150 to 200 linear feet, that puts most wood projects somewhere between roughly $4,000 and $9,000 and most vinyl or composite projects between roughly $6,000 and $16,000. Gates, old-fence removal, slopes, rocky soil and your local labor market move the number more than most people expect, so this guide breaks the cost down piece by piece and shows where the money actually goes.

Part of our Landscaping & Hardscaping guide →

In this guide

1. 6-Foot Privacy Fence Cost by Material
2. What Goes Into the Price
3. Example Project Costs
4. How to Compare Privacy Fence Quotes
5. Ways to Lower the Cost
6. DIY vs Professional Installation
7. Long-Term Cost of Ownership
8. Frequently Asked Questions

6-Foot Privacy Fence Cost by Material

The material you choose sets the baseline price per foot, how long the fence lasts, and how much maintenance it will need. The ranges below are typical installed figures (materials plus labor) for a straightforward, mostly level run with posts set in concrete. They are not quotes, and prices in high-cost metro areas can sit above the top of each range. If you are still choosing a look, our privacy fence ideas guide covers styles and screening options; this article stays focused on what each one costs.

Material (6 ft tall)	Typical installed cost per linear foot	150 ft backyard (typical range)	Expected lifespan
Pressure-treated pine, dog-ear stockade	$25–$40	$3,750–$6,000	15–20 years
Pressure-treated pine, board-on-board or shadowbox	$30–$45	$4,500–$6,750	15–20 years
Western red cedar	$35–$60	$5,250–$9,000	15–25 years
Redwood	$45–$75	$6,750–$11,250	20–25 years
Vinyl (PVC) solid panel	$35–$65	$5,250–$9,750	20–30 years
Composite (wood-plastic)	$50–$100+	$7,500–$15,000+	25–30 years
Horizontal slat, cedar or hardwood	$45–$90	$6,750–$13,500	15–25 years

Pressure-treated pine

Treated pine is the default budget privacy fence across most of the country. A standard dog-ear stockade style with boards butted tight is the cheapest way to get full 6-foot screening. Board-on-board, where boards overlap on alternating sides of the rails, costs more because it uses roughly 40 to 50 percent more lumber, but it stays private even after the wood shrinks and gaps open. Pine needs a stain or sealer within the first year once it dries out, and again every two to three years, so budget for that upkeep. For a deeper look at wood species and grades, see our wood fence cost breakdown.

Cedar and redwood

Cedar resists rot and insects naturally, stays straighter than pine, and weathers to an even silver-gray if left unfinished. Redwood is similar but more expensive outside the West Coast because of shipping. Most installers still use treated pine or galvanized steel posts with cedar pickets, because cedar posts in the ground do not outlast treated ones. Ask which post material is in the quote; a cheaper cedar bid sometimes means cedar posts that will fail first.

Vinyl

Vinyl privacy panels cost more upfront than pine but need no painting or staining, just an occasional wash. Panel thickness and rail reinforcement matter: thin-wall vinyl is cheaper but can sag, crack in hard freezes, or blow out in high wind. Ask for the wall thickness, whether the bottom rail has an aluminum insert, and the warranty terms. Our vinyl fence cost guide goes deeper on grades, and wood vs vinyl fence compares the two over a 20-year horizon.

Composite

Composite fencing blends wood fiber and plastic into boards that look more like wood than vinyl does and will not rot, splinter or need staining. It is the most expensive common option, and many systems require proprietary posts and rails, so installation quotes vary widely. It makes the most sense for homeowners who plan to stay put for a long time and want a wood look without maintenance.

What Goes Into the Price

A fence quote bundles several cost pieces. Seeing them separately helps you spot padding and understand why two contractors can be thousands of dollars apart on the same yard. The figures below are typical ranges for a 6-foot fence; your quote may group them differently.

Cost item	Typical range	Notes
Materials (boards, rails, posts, hardware)	40–60% of total	Higher share for composite and cedar
Labor (layout, digging, setting, hanging)	$10–$25 per linear foot	Varies by region, soil and access
Concrete for posts	Usually included; $8–$20 per post if itemized	Posts typically every 6–8 ft
Single walk gate (4 ft)	$250–$700 wood; $400–$1,000 vinyl	Steel frame kits add strength
Double drive gate (10–12 ft)	$700–$2,000+	Needs heavier posts and a cane bolt
Old fence removal and haul-away	$3–$8 per linear foot	Concrete footings raise the cost
Permit	$50–$400	Set by city or county
Property survey (if needed)	$400–$1,000+	Worth it on a disputed line
Grading or stepping on slopes	10–25% added to labor	Racked vs stepped panels differ

Posts and footings

A 6-foot privacy fence acts like a sail, so posts carry most of the structural load. Standard practice is a post every 6 to 8 feet, buried about one-third of its above-ground height (roughly 2 to 3 feet for a 6-foot fence), and deeper than your local frost line in cold climates to avoid heaving. Ground-contact rated 4×4 posts are standard; 6×6 posts or galvanized steel posts cost more but hold up better in windy, exposed yards. Gate posts should always be the heaviest posts on the job.

Labor and site conditions

Labor is where site conditions show up. Rocky or clay soil may require a power auger or jackhammer. Tree roots along the line slow digging. A yard with no side gate access means every board and bag of concrete gets carried by hand. Slopes require either racked panels that follow the grade or stepped panels that leave triangular gaps at the bottom, and both take longer than a flat run. These are the factors to describe clearly when you ask for quotes, because they explain most of the price spread.

Height and local rules

Six feet is the most common maximum height for residential backyard fences, and many towns cap front-yard fences lower, often around 3 to 4 feet. Some HOAs restrict material, color and which side faces out. Going to 7 or 8 feet, where allowed, generally adds 15 to 30 percent per foot because of longer posts, deeper holes and more material. Check local setbacks and HOA covenants before you sign, since tearing out a non-compliant fence costs far more than a permit.

Example Project Costs

To make the ranges concrete, here is how typical projects tend to add up. These are illustrative estimates for planning, built from the per-foot ranges above; your actual quotes will depend on your region and site.

• Small townhouse yard, 80 ft, treated pine, one walk gate: roughly $2,300–$4,000.
• Typical suburban backyard, 150 ft, cedar, one walk gate: roughly $5,500–$9,700.
• Quarter-acre lot, 200 ft, vinyl, one walk gate and one double drive gate: roughly $8,000–$15,000.
• Large lot, 300 ft, composite, two gates, old chain link removed: roughly $16,000–$32,000 or more.

Shared fences on property lines can change the math. In many areas neighbors split the cost of a boundary fence by agreement, and some states have specific “good neighbor” fence laws. Get any cost-sharing arrangement in writing before work begins, including who owns and maintains the fence afterward.

How to Compare Privacy Fence Quotes

Fence bids are easy to compare only if they are built the same way. Ask every contractor to quote the same linear footage, the same height and the same style, then check these line items:

• Post material, size and spacing. 4×4 treated at 8 feet is not the same fence as 6×6 or steel at 6 feet.
• Post depth and footing. Full concrete, gravel base, or driven steel posts each perform differently.
• Board thickness and grade. Standard 5/8-inch pickets are cheaper than 3/4-inch or 1-inch boards and warp more readily.
• Fasteners. Galvanized or stainless ring-shank nails or screws prevent rust streaks and loose boards.
• Gate hardware. Heavy-duty hinges, anti-sag kits and a quality latch are worth paying for.
• Removal, cleanup and permits. Confirm whether they are included or extra.
• Utility locating. Calling 811 is free and required before digging; the contractor should handle it.
• Warranty. Separate the workmanship warranty from the manufacturer’s material warranty.

Be wary of a bid far below the others. It often means thinner boards, fewer posts, shallower holes or an unlicensed crew, and those shortcuts usually show up within a few years as leaning sections. Our guide to choosing a fence contractor lists questions to ask and red flags to watch for.

Ways to Lower the Cost

• Book in late fall or winter. In many regions fence crews are less busy outside spring and early summer and may price more competitively.
• Remove the old fence yourself. If you have a truck and a free weekend, tearing out and hauling away old panels can trim a few dollars per foot.
• Mix materials. Use a premium style only along the patio or the side the neighbors see most, and a simpler style on less visible runs.
• Limit gates. Each gate adds heavier posts, hardware and labor; plan only the ones you will use.
• Go with treated posts and cedar boards. This common hybrid gives most of the cedar look at a lower cost.
• Stain it on schedule. A wood fence that is sealed every few years lasts noticeably longer, which lowers the cost per year of ownership.
• Consider partial screening. If you only need privacy around a deck or hot tub, a short run of privacy panels plus hedges may cost a fraction of a full perimeter.

DIY vs Professional Installation

DIY can cut the bill roughly in half because labor is a major share of a fence project, but a 6-foot privacy fence is not a beginner build. You need a power auger or a lot of time with a post-hole digger, a string line and level for alignment, a way to move and mix a lot of concrete, and a second person to hold panels. The difficult part is keeping posts plumb, in line and at the correct spacing; one leaning post shows across the whole run. If your yard is flat, the soil digs easily and you have done carpentry before, DIY is realistic. On slopes, rocky ground or long runs with drive gates, professional crews are usually worth the money. Our how to build a fence walkthrough covers the process if you decide to do it yourself.

Long-Term Cost of Ownership

Upfront price is only part of the story. A pine fence that is cheaper on day one needs staining every two to three years, plus occasional board and post replacement after year ten. Vinyl and composite cost more to install but need little more than washing. When you divide the total cost (installation plus expected maintenance) by the years of service, the gap between materials narrows. For a homeowner staying five years, pine usually wins. For someone planning to stay twenty years and who does not want to stain, vinyl or composite often comes out close to even. For larger outdoor projects that tie fencing into patios, plantings and grading, our landscaping and hardscaping guide helps you plan the whole yard so the fence is not an afterthought.