Fencing cost calculator

Fencing is one of the easier trades to price per metre, right up until you hit rock, a sloping boundary, or an old fence that has to come out first. Four things move the number:

1. Length and height. Price climbs with height because the panels, posts and footings all get bigger. A 2.1 m Colorbond fence is $104 to $120 per metre against $92 to $110 at the standard 1.8 m.
2. What the fence is made of. Colorbond is the budget benchmark. Aluminium slat costs 50 to 100% more per metre for the look and the airflow, not for any saving.
3. The ground. Post holes are the slow part. Rock or reactive clay adds $10 to $25 per metre, and a sloping run adds 10 to 20% to the labour because panels have to be stepped or raked.
4. Everything that is not fence. Removing an old fence is $20 to $40 per metre, and gates are costed as fixed items rather than folded into the per-metre rate.

Measure the full fence line, not just the visible boundary. Corner posts, gate openings and step-downs all still count toward the metres you pay for. More detail in the Colorbond cost guide and the fencing quote guide.

A Colorbond fence costs $75-$120 per linear metre supplied and installed. At the standard 1.8 m backyard height it is $92-$110 per metre, and a 2.1 m fence runs $104-$120 because the posts, footings and sheet all get bigger. Gates and old-fence removal are quoted separately.

A typical suburban backyard needs 30-50 m of fencing once you count both side boundaries and the rear, which lands most Colorbond jobs at roughly $3,000-$6,000. Enter your own measured run above for a closer number, because length is the single biggest driver of the total.

Measure the full fence line, not just the visible boundary. Corner posts, gate openings and any step-downs for slope all still count toward the total metres. Most fencers quote per linear metre of fence line and cost gates separately as a fixed item.

Yes, if there is one. Removing and disposing of an old fence adds $20-$40 per linear metre. It costs more if it is asbestos-era fibro, which needs licensed removal, so do not let anyone break that up on site.

Post holes are the slow part of a fencing job. Rock or reactive clay adds $10-$25 per metre because a jackhammer or rock auger is needed. A sloping boundary needs stepped or raked panels, which adds 10-20% to the labour rather than the materials.

No. Aluminium slat fencing runs $150-$240 per metre at 1.8 m against $92-$110 for Colorbond, because the material and powder-coating cost more and installation is fiddlier. It is chosen for the look and the airflow, not to save money.

For a shared dividing fence the general convention across most Australian states is a 50/50 split for a fence of a sufficient standard, under each state's own dividing fences legislation. If you want something above standard, such as extra height or a premium finish, you can still ask to split the standard cost and cover the upgrade yourself. Get it in writing before work starts.

It is an indicative estimate built from current Australian supply-and-install rates, and it deliberately shows a range rather than a single number. Site access, ground conditions and your location all move the real figure. Always get two or three written quotes before you commit.