A fence estimate, line by line

A fence estimate should state the measured run, fence specification, removal work, gates, grade changes and what happens if digging conditions change. Separate included work from rates for possible extras.

The two examples below use fictional customers and invented prices. Confirm measurements, property boundaries and the required fence design before using the structure for a real job.

214 feet of cedar privacy fence, with the old chain link coming out

Rockwell Fence & Gate, LLC Estimate #2026-483 · Issued August 23, 2026 · Valid through September 13, 2026

For: J. Whitaker, 6 Foxglove Court Scope: Remove existing chain link; install 214 linear feet of 6 ft cedar fence, excluding the gate openings. Add one 4 ft walk gate and one 10 ft drive gate, priced separately: 228 feet overall including those openings.

Included: [post-hole count from the confirmed layout] holes to the required depth in normal soil; gate hardware adjusted at final walkthrough; site raked and debris hauled. Complete the hole count and depth from the actual layout and local requirements before sending. Confirm they are covered by the fence and gate prices.

Excluded: property survey or pin location; HOA submittal and approval fee; tree or shrub removal; sprinkler line repair where a head sits inside the fence line; staining or sealing; any grading or fill to close a gap under a stepped panel.

A 68-foot vinyl run replacing storm damage

Plenty of fence work is not a whole fence. This run came down in a storm, on a line shared with a neighbor.

Included: color and profile matched to the existing fence where the supplier still stocks it.

Excluded: any panel outside the 68 ft marked on site; discoloration difference between new and weathered panels; insurance claim documentation beyond a copy of this estimate.

The digging line sits at zero on purpose: the customer sees the rate before you dig, not after.

Linear foot, per section, or per post

A linear-foot price needs assumptions about corners, end posts, gates and grade. Count these in the takeoff; two runs of equal length may need different materials and labor. Confirm post sizes, spacing and footings against the selected system, site conditions and local requirements.

Do the takeoff in the units the material ships in, then convert:

• Stick-built wood — count posts, then rails and pickets against the bay spacing. Partial bays get cut on site, so a linear-foot price converts back cleanly.
• Vinyl, aluminum and pre-fab panels — count sections. Panels come in fixed widths, and cutting one down to fill a 3-foot gap wastes most of a panel. Price per section and say how many.
• Chain link — fabric and top rail run by the foot, but terminal posts, tension bands and gate frames are counted one by one.

Present whichever unit the customer can compare against the next bid.

Price unexpected digging conditions

Underground conditions may be unknown before excavation: rock, buried footings, roots or water can change the equipment and time needed. State which conditions the included price assumes.

Three honest ways to handle it, all better than absorbing it:

• An allowance line with hours and a rate, as above, billed only against what you use.
• A stated per-hole adder: "Holes requiring rock drilling or footing demolition are quoted at $85 each above the estimated price, for written approval before drilling or demolition."
• A call-first threshold: "If difficult conditions look likely to exceed six hours, we stop and get written approval of the added scope, price and schedule before continuing."

State how the fence will follow the slope and what gap will remain underneath. Check the chosen system’s installation instructions: for example, Barrette’s horizontal privacy panel instructions describe stepped installation. Confirm the allowed method and any extra hardware before pricing.

Where the fence goes, and who signs off

Confirm the proposed boundary before installation. If the line is uncertain, get a qualified surveyor to establish it; a customer’s informal marks are not a substitute for resolving the uncertainty.

Ask whether the boundary is established by survey information that applies to the proposed fence line. If it is uncertain, agree who will obtain a survey and resolve the installation line before work. State any survey cost excluded from the fence price; customer staking alone does not resolve a disputed boundary.

Two more things to flag rather than assume:

• Utility locate. Contact 811 before digging, follow your state’s notice and marking rules, and arrange any private-line locating separately.
• Approvals. Three separate rulebooks can land on one fence: local zoning or building code, HOA covenants, and any recorded easement. Between them they can govern height, material, setback, which way the finished face points, whether you need a permit, and what a utility may do to a fence built inside its easement. Rules vary town to town and subdivision to subdivision, so check the building department and the customer's own covenants, then state who obtains each approval and by when; confirm which responsibilities local rules place on you.

How long the price holds

Cedar and treated pine prices swing, and a vinyl color can go on backorder for weeks. That is what the September 13 expiration date on the cedar estimate is for. Pick a window your supplier's pricing supports, and say what happens after it: an unaccepted estimate will be rechecked and reissued for approval. For an accepted contract, use its agreed price-change procedure.

Reuse fence descriptions and prices

Save fence descriptions, gate builds, removal rates and possible digging rates in DoneQuote. Describe the measured job or paste the customer’s request to draft a quote using your catalog. Review the scope, quantities and terms before sending; any later extra work needs its own written scope, price, schedule impact and approval.

Before sending, check that removal, gates, grade and digging assumptions are visible and that the customer knows how to approve the estimate.