Fencing & decking
Chain Link Fence Cost Calculator
Prices chain link, where the corner and gate posts do the work and the stretching is the skill.
Result
A planning estimate, not a quote. Access, the age of the equipment, what is found once it is opened up and local labour rates all move the real figure, sometimes a long way.
Get a Free Business AuditHow the calculation works
Hours times crew times rate, plus materials and the call-out. Chain link has a structure worth understanding for estimating: terminal posts at ends, corners and gates are larger diameter and set deeper because they take the tension of the fabric, while line posts between them are smaller and only support it. The fabric is stretched between terminals and tied to line posts and the top rail. That means the material list is not uniform along the run, and a takeoff that treats every post the same will be both wrong and short of the parts that matter.
What moves the number
- Number of terminal posts, since ends, corners and gates each need the larger size and more concrete.
- Fabric gauge and coating, as a heavier gauge and a vinyl coating cost more and last longer.
- Whether a top rail is used, which stiffens the fence and adds material.
- Height, which changes both the fabric cost and the post size and depth.
Where this one goes wrong
Tension is what makes chain link look right, and it comes from properly set terminal posts. Stretching fabric against a terminal that has not cured or is undersized pulls it out of plumb, and the fence then sags permanently. Let the terminal concrete set before stretching. On the material side, do not undersize the terminals to save money: they are carrying the load of the whole run and a line post substituted at a corner will lean. Gauge is worth explaining to customers too, because a lighter gauge fabric is noticeably cheaper up front and dents and deforms much more readily, which is exactly what people dislike about chain link.
Before you quote
- Let terminal post concrete cure before stretching fabric against it.
- Use the correct larger diameter at ends, corners and gates.
- Confirm fabric gauge with the customer rather than defaulting to the cheapest.
Questions
About this calculator
Why are some chain link posts bigger than others?
Terminal posts at ends, corners and gates carry the tension of the stretched fabric, so they are a larger diameter and set deeper. Line posts between them only support the fabric and can be smaller. Substituting a line post at a corner is why some fences lean at the ends.
Does chain link gauge matter?
Yes. A lighter gauge fabric is cheaper and dents, bends and deforms much more easily, which is what makes a cheap chain link fence look poor within a few years. A heavier gauge and a coating cost more up front and hold their shape.
Why does my chain link fence sag?
Usually because it was not tensioned properly, or because a terminal post moved when the fabric was stretched against concrete that had not cured. Once fabric has stretched and set loose it does not fully recover, so getting the tension right the first time matters.
The formula
total = hours x people x rate + parts + call-out, then sales tax
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How to use this calculator
- Hours on site (h). Enter your own figure; the page starts at 20 h.
- People needed. Enter your own figure; the page starts at 1.
- Labour rate charged ($). Enter your own figure; the page starts at $78.
- Parts and materials ($). Enter your own figure; the page starts at $2,000.
- Call-out or diagnostic fee ($). Enter your own figure; the page starts at $95.
- Sales tax (%). Leave at zero if you are quoting before tax.
The result updates as you type, so you can try a figure, see what it does to estimated total, and change it back. Nothing you enter is sent anywhere or saved.
A worked example
These are the figures the calculator opens with. Every number in the results column below is produced by the same calculation the page runs, so you can follow it through before putting your own figures in.
What goes in
| Input | Value |
|---|---|
| Hours on site | 20 h |
| People needed | 1 |
| Labour rate charged | $78 |
| Parts and materials | $2,000 |
| Call-out or diagnostic fee | $95 |
| Sales tax | 0% |
What comes out
| Result | Value |
|---|---|
| Estimated total main result | $3,655 |
| Labour | $1,560 |
| Before tax | $3,655 |
| Sales tax | $0 |
About $3,655: $1,560 of labour, $2,000 of parts and a $95 call-out.
How sensitive the answer is
Holding everything else steady and changing only labour rate charged, this is what happens to estimated total. It is worth knowing which of your inputs the answer actually hinges on, and which barely move it.
| Labour rate charged ($) | Estimated total |
|---|---|
| $39 | $2,875 |
| $59 | $3,275 |
| $78 example above | $3,655 |
| $117 | $4,435 |
| $156 | $5,215 |
Every other input is held at the example value while this one changes, which is not how a real job behaves. Treat it as a guide to which number matters most, not as five separate quotes.
What each figure means
- Hours on site (h)
- Measured in h, between 0 and 400, starting at 20 h.
- People needed
- A number, between 0 and 40, starting at 1.
- Labour rate charged ($)
- A money amount, starting at $78.
- Parts and materials ($)
- A money amount, starting at $2,000.
- Call-out or diagnostic fee ($)
- A money amount, starting at $95.
- Sales tax (%)
- Leave at zero if you are quoting before tax.
What the results tell you
| Result | What it is |
|---|---|
| Estimated total | The headline result. A money figure. |
| Labour | A money figure. |
| Before tax | A money figure. |
| Sales tax | A money figure. |
Estimating is the easy part
The jobs you never hear about cost more than the ones you mis-measure. BDEVY builds the marketing, systems and automation that bring them in.