How to quote a fencing job (Colorbond, timber and pool fences)
Measure the run, count the posts, price per metre, add gates and removal. A plain guide to fencing quotes, with a Colorbond example that adds up.
Updated
Fencing is one of the most measurable trades there is. Walk the run, count the posts, know your per-metre price, and you can quote most jobs on the spot. The money is in the details: gates, slope, hard ground and the old fence.
Measure and ask on site
- Run length. Measure each side separately. Note corners and changes in direction.
- Height. Standard 1.8 metres or taller.
- Material. Colorbond, timber paling (butted or lap and cap), hardwood, pool glass or aluminium.
- Slope. Stepped or raked panels, plinths or retaining sleepers under the fence.
- Ground. Rock, clay, tree roots, services. Hard ground means core drilling or rock breaking.
- Gates. Pedestrian, double driveway, pool gates.
- The old fence. What it is, how it's fixed, and whether it could contain asbestos.
- Access. Can materials get to the back, or do they need to be carried in by hand?
Working out posts
Divide the run by your post spacing, round up, then add one:
30 metres ÷ 2.4 metre spacing = 12.5, round up to 13 bays, so 14 posts.
Add posts for gates and corners as needed. Each post needs a footing.
How to price the common items
Rough starting prices for common fencing items, ex GST. Use your own costs and rates; these are only a guide:
| Item | Rough starting price (ex GST) |
|---|---|
| Colorbond sheets supplied | $65 a metre |
| Timber paling (butted) supplied | $55 a metre |
| Timber paling, lap and cap, supplied | $78 a metre |
| Hardwood paling supplied | $95 a metre |
| Posts supplied | $32 each |
| Concrete footings | $11 a post |
| Installation labour | $47 a metre |
| 2.1 metre height upgrade | $18 a metre |
| Plinths or retaining sleepers under the fence | $45 a metre |
| Hard ground: core drilling or rock breaking | $55 a post |
| Single pedestrian gate, supplied and hung | $665 each |
| Double driveway gates, supplied and hung | $2,120 a pair |
| Pool gate, self-closing and self-latching | $750 each |
| Remove old fence and cart away | $30 a metre |
| Tip fees | $120 a load |
A worked example
30 metres of 1.8 metre Colorbond along a back boundary, one gate, old paling fence removed:
| Line | Amount |
|---|---|
| Colorbond sheets, 30 m at $65 | $1,950.00 |
| Posts, 14 at $32 | $448.00 |
| Concrete footings, 14 at $11 | $154.00 |
| Installation labour, 30 m at $47 | $1,410.00 |
| Single pedestrian gate | $665.00 |
| Remove old fence, 30 m at $30 | $900.00 |
| Tip fees, 1 load | $120.00 |
| Subtotal (ex GST) | $5,647.00 |
| GST (10%) | $564.70 |
| Total including GST | $6,211.70 |
Make removal and a lockable latch upgrade optional extras the customer can tick. If it's a shared boundary, note that the cost is usually split between neighbours.
Options that customers like
Fencing quotes suit optional extras and pick-one choices, because customers often haven't decided on the details:
- Material: a pick-one choice between Colorbond, lap and cap timber and hardwood palings, so they can compare on one quote.
- Height: a 2.1 metre upgrade as an optional extra for privacy.
- Removal: old fence removal and tip fees as an optional extra, for customers who'd rather do it themselves.
- Hardware: a lockable latch upgrade on the gate.
One quote with options beats three separate quotes the customer has to compare side by side.
Shared boundaries
On a dividing fence, the customer may want to send the quote to their neighbour. Keep the scope and total clear, and add a note such as "This fence is on a shared boundary; the cost is usually split between neighbours." Don't decide who pays for them; point them to their state's dividing fences rules if they ask.
Rules worth knowing
- Dividing fences. Each state has dividing fences laws that set out how neighbours share the cost and what notice is needed. Point customers to their state's rules rather than giving legal advice.
- Pool barriers. Must meet the Australian Standard and state pool safety rules. Some states require a pool safety certificate.
- Licences. In some states, fencing above a dollar threshold is licensed residential building work (NSW Fair Trading and the QBCC both have fencing licence classes). Check your state.
- Asbestos. Old asbestos cement fences need licensed removal. Don't quote them as standard removal.
- Before You Dig Australia. Check for underground services before setting posts.
Mistakes to avoid
- Forgetting the slope. Stepping panels or adding plinths costs time and materials.
- One price for any ground. Rock and clay change the job. Add a hard ground line.
- Skipping the gate details. Gates take longer than a bay of fence and need the right hardware.
- Not separating removal. Customers like to see it, and some want to do it themselves.
Make it quick to send
Karven's Full calculator for fencing works out posts from the run and spacing, and the customer can tick optional extras like removal before accepting online and paying a deposit. See Karven for fencers, or grab a free fencing quote template.
This guide is general information, not legal advice. Check your state's fair trading office or building regulator for licensing and dividing fence rules.
Common questions
- How do fencers price a fence?
- Usually per linear metre for the fence (sheets or palings, posts, footings and labour), then separate lines for gates, height upgrades, plinths, hard ground, and removal of the old fence.
- How many posts does a fence need?
- Divide the run length by your post spacing, round up, and add one for the end. For a 30 metre run at 2.4 metre spacing that's 13 bays and 14 posts. Add extra posts for gates and corners.
- Who pays for a dividing fence?
- Neighbours usually share the cost of a standard dividing fence, under each state's dividing fences laws. Many fencers quote the full price and note that it can be split between neighbours.
- Do pool fences need anything special?
- Yes. Pool barriers must meet the Australian Standard and your state's pool safety rules, including self-closing and self-latching gates. Some states require a pool safety certificate or inspection.
- Should I include old fence removal?
- Quote it as a separate line, often as an optional extra, priced per metre plus tip fees. Asbestos cement fences need licensed removal and should never be quoted as standard removal.
Write and send the quote from your phone
With Karven, your customer gets a clear quote, you keep a private breakdown, and a follow-up is ready when a quote goes quiet.
- A clear quote on their phone
- Your private breakdown, kept for later
- Follow-ups Karven writes for you
Free for 21 days, with no card needed. For a rough number first, try the free price calculator.
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