Fence Calculator
The per-metre rate is only half the job — posts, gates and the slope do the rest.
Estimate the cost and materials for a new fence: per metre by type — Colorbond, timber paling, aluminium slat or a pool-compliant aluminium or glass fence — with gates, height and site factors, plus a count of bays, posts, rails and palings, and a low-to-high range because rates genuinely vary from one city to the next.
Estimates from your fence length and typical AU rates — fence pricing varies a lot by city and site, so confirm scope and price with quotes.
How the fence cost is worked out
Length × $/m by type × height factor × site factor, then gates and removal
The calculator takes your total fence length and multiplies it by a per-metre rate for the type you pick, then applies a height factor and a site factor for slope or difficult access. It adds any gates (priced per unit) and the cost of removing the old fence if you're replacing one. Because installed rates vary a lot between cities and sites, it also shows a low-to-high band rather than pretending there's one exact price.
The materials count
Fence posts sit at 2.4 m centres, so the number of bays is your length divided by 2.4, rounded up, and posts = ⌈length ÷ 2.4⌉ + 1 — you need one extra post to close the last bay. Each bay gets its rails (about 3 for timber, 2 for most panel fences), and a timber paling fence uses roughly 6.5 palings per metre (150 mm boards with a small gap).
Worked example
A 20 m Colorbond fence at 1.8 m on a flat, accessible site, at the typical rate of about $120/m, is roughly $2,400 supplied and installed — usually somewhere in the $1,700–$3,000 range. That's 9 bays and 10 posts. Add a single gate (about $250–$650) or a driveway gate ($500–$1,500) on top, and add removal if you're pulling out an old fence.
Fence types and what they cost
Typical supplied-and-installed rates by type at 1.8 m on a flat site (2026 market-survey ranges — approximate):
- Colorbond / steel — ~$120/m (about $85–$150). Australia's most-installed fence: private, low-maintenance and quick to put up.
- Timber paling, treated pine — ~$100/m (about $75–$120). The budget choice; needs oiling or painting and eventually rots or warps.
- Timber paling, hardwood — $120–$200/m (merbau, spotted gum). Looks better and lasts longer, but dearer and still needs oiling.
- Aluminium slat — ~$250/m (about $150–$350). A modern, durable look; more expensive than Colorbond or timber.
- Pool fence, aluminium — ~$240/m (about $180–$300). Tubular pool-compliant fencing to AS 1926.1.
- Pool fence, glass — $250–$600+/m. Frameless or semi-frameless glass; the premium pool-fence option.
The trade-off is maintenance vs looks vs cost. Timber is cheapest to build but the dearest to keep looking good; Colorbond is the low-fuss all-rounder; aluminium and glass cost more upfront but hold up with almost no upkeep. There's no single "best" fence — it depends on your budget, your outlook and how much maintenance you'll do.
Gates, height, site and who pays
Gates
Gates are priced per unit, on top of the per-metre fence rate, and each opening needs its own two posts. A single pedestrian gate runs about $250–$650 supplied and installed (Colorbond around $440–$630); a double or driveway gate is $500–$1,500 depending on width, material and whether it's manual or motorised.
Height and site
The standard height is 1.8 m. Going taller means longer posts and more infill: a 2.1 m fence adds about 15% and a 2.4 m fence about 35% to the per-metre rate, while a lower 1.5 m fence saves about 10%. A sloped site adds around 20% and difficult access about 30%, because stepping the fence and getting materials in takes longer.
Who pays
A boundary fence is usually a 50/50 cost split with your neighbour under state fencing law — but only to a "sufficient" standard; if you want something dearer you generally pay the difference. Serve written notice and agree on the fence, cost and contractor before starting. Note that pool fences must meet AS 1926.1 — at least 1.2 m high, no climbable gaps, self-closing and self-latching gates — and be inspected and certified.
❓ Frequently asked Frequently asked questions
How much does a new fence cost in Australia?
Supplied and installed, most fences run about $85–$150/m for Colorbond (typically ~$120), $75–$120/m for treated-pine timber paling, $120–$200/m for hardwood paling, and $150–$350/m for aluminium slat. So a 20 m Colorbond fence at 1.8 m on a flat, accessible site is roughly $2,400 before gates or removing the old fence. These are 2026 market-survey ranges that vary by city, height and access — always get quotes.
What's the cheapest fencing option?
Treated-pine timber paling is usually the cheapest, about $75–$120/m installed (typically ~$100/m) — a little under Colorbond's ~$120/m. Timber is cheaper to put up but needs oiling or painting and eventually rots or warps, while Colorbond lasts decades with almost no upkeep. Hardwood paling looks better and lasts longer but costs $120–$200/m.
How many posts do I need?
Fence posts sit at 2.4 m centres, so the number of bays is the length divided by 2.4, rounded up, and posts = bays + 1 (you need one extra to close the last bay). For a 30 m fence that's 13 bays and 14 posts. Each gate opening needs its own two posts, so add for gates.
Who pays for a boundary fence?
A dividing fence on a shared boundary is normally a 50/50 cost split between neighbours under state fencing law, but only to a "sufficient" standard — if you want something dearer, you generally pay the difference. Serve written notice and agree on the fence, cost and contractor before starting; going ahead without agreement can leave you wearing the whole bill.
How much does a fence gate cost?
A single pedestrian gate, supplied and installed, runs about $250–$650 (Colorbond around $440–$630). Double or driveway gates are $500–$1,500 depending on width, material and whether they're manual or motorised. Gates are priced per unit on top of the per-metre fence rate, and each opening needs its own two posts.
What are the rules for pool fencing?
Pool fences must meet the AS 1926.1 safety standard — at least 1.2 m high, no gaps or footholds a child could climb, and self-closing, self-latching gates with strict clearances from climbable objects. Aluminium pool fencing runs about $180–$300/m installed and frameless glass $250–$600+/m. It must be inspected and certified, so don't cut corners on a DIY pool fence.
Where these figures come from
The cost here is built from your fence length and a per-metre rate — there is no single official price for a fence, because it depends heavily on the type, the height, the site and the finish. The rates below are 2026 market-survey ranges drawn from typical Australian fencing-contractor and supplier pricing; they are approximate and site-dependent, not a quote.
- Installed rates (1.8 m, flat site) — Colorbond ~$120/m ($85–$150), timber pine ~$100/m ($75–$120), hardwood $120–$200/m, aluminium slat ~$250/m ($150–$350), aluminium pool ~$240/m ($180–$300), glass pool $250–$600+/m. Each has a wide band because cities and sites vary.
- Gates — single pedestrian $250–$650, double/driveway $500–$1,500. Removing an old fence adds about $15–$50/m.
- Height & site factors — 1.5 m ×0.90, 1.8 m ×1.00, 2.1 m ×1.15, 2.4 m ×1.35; sloped +20%, difficult access +30%.
- Materials — posts at 2.4 m centres; palings about 6.5 per metre for timber.
- Rules — boundary fences are usually shared 50/50 under state fencing law; pool fences must comply with AS 1926.1 and be certified.
Last checked: July 2026. All prices are indicative market ranges and vary by city, type, height, site and design. This is a planning estimate — always get quotes for your own boundary before you commit.
Select the question that matches where you are right now.
The headline number is the estimated cost of your fence: the fence itself (length × rate, adjusted for height and site) plus any gates and old-fence removal. The range underneath shows how far that can move as installed rates swing from budget to premium across cities.
Use it to set a budget and sanity-check the quotes you get. If a quote lands well outside the range, ask what's different — the type, the height, the site or whether removal is included.
It's not a fixed quote or a site plan. It doesn't set out footings, retaining or council rules for front and pool fences — those come from your fencing contractor or council.
Fence pricing genuinely varies. The same fence can differ by a third or more on city, access, height and finish alone, which is why the tool shows a low-to-high band rather than one number.
Four things move a fence's cost the most: the length, the type, the height and site, and the gates.
The type is the biggest lever on the rate — timber pine at ~$100/m versus aluminium slat at ~$250/m is more than double. Pick for how private you want it, the look and how much upkeep you'll do.
A 2.4 m fence adds about 35% over 1.8 m; a sloped site adds ~20% and difficult access ~30%. A standard-height fence on a flat, open block is the cheapest build.
Gates are priced per unit — $250–$650 for a single, $500–$1,500 for a driveway gate — and each needs its own posts. Pulling out an old fence adds about $15–$50/m on top.
A few habits keep the estimate honest and the quotes comparable.
Use the actual boundary length and set the height, site and gates at the Detailed level. Corners, a slope and a single gate all lift the total once you add them in.
Get a few quotes for the same fence — same type, height and gates — and check each includes posts, footings, removal of the old fence and waste disposal before you compare the totals.
For a shared boundary, serve written notice and agree on the fence and cost split before starting. Going ahead without agreement can leave you wearing the whole bill.
A fence is usually one line in a bigger outdoor or renovation budget. Model the rest of the job and the money side too.
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