A cedar fence typically runs $18.50 to $46.50 per linear foot installed, which puts a 200-foot project at roughly $3,700 to $9,300, with most homeowners landing near $6,500 for that length. The three biggest swing factors are fence style and height, how much site prep your yard needs, and local labor rates. Start by measuring your linear footage, then request three written estimates to see where your project falls in that range.
TL;DR:
- Labor costs can range from 40% to 60% of the total project, with regional rates significantly affecting the final price.
- Fence styles vary in material use and installation time, with privacy fences costing up to $35 per foot and split-rail fences as low as $12 per foot.
- Site conditions like terrain, existing fences, and access issues can add substantial costs, especially for land clearing or utility marking.
- Posts, especially heartwood-grade cedar, are key budget factors due to their impact on durability and installation complexity.
- A 200-foot cedar fence generally costs between $3,700 and $9,300, with most homeowners paying around $6,500, depending on choices and site specifics.
Table of Contents
- Per-linear-foot breakdown: materials, labor, and installed ranges
- Cost by fence style: totals for 100 feet and 200 feet
- What raises or lowers cost: site factors, terrain, permits, and extras
- Installation specifics contractors price: posts, spacing, and labor
- Maintenance and lifespan: what to budget for over 5 to 20 years
- How to budget, measure, and get comparable bids
- Field perspective from Easton Fencing: contractor-side realities
- Easton Fencing: request a free cedar fence estimate
- FAQ
- Sources
- Primary sources, data, and cost calculators referenced
Per-linear-foot breakdown: materials, labor, and installed ranges
Cedar boards, posts, rails, and hardware together run $8.50 to $16.50 per linear foot, with the spread driven by board thickness, post grade, and whether you choose dog-ear pickets or tongue-and-groove panels. Labor adds another $10 to $30 per linear foot, which explains why the finished price can nearly double from one estimate to another even when the materials look similar on paper.
A commonly cited industry rule holds that labor accounts for 40% to 60% of the total invoice on a wood fence job, with difficult terrain pushing that share higher. On a 200-foot fence, that means:
- Materials: roughly $1,700 to $3,300 total
- Labor: roughly $2,000 to $6,000 total
- Installed total: about $3,700 to $9,300, average near $6,500
Regional labor rates move these numbers more than almost anything else. A crew in a high-cost metro will quote toward the top of the range even on a simple flat lot, while rural labor markets often land near the low end. Local, zip-code-based tools like the Homewyse cedar fencing calculator can help you sanity-check a quote against prices in your own area before you start comparing contractor bids.
Cost by fence style: totals for 100 feet and 200 feet
Your choice of style changes both the amount of lumber used and the hours a crew needs to install it. Taller, tighter-board privacy fences use more wood and take longer to hang than open styles like split-rail.
- Privacy fence: Roughly $20 to $35 per linear foot installed on a 6-foot board-on-board or shadowbox design. A 100-foot run lands near $2,000 to $3,500; 200 feet runs about $4,000 to $7,000.
- Picket fence: Lower material use than privacy styles, typically $15 to $25 per foot installed. Expect $1,500 to $2,500 for 100 feet and $3,000 to $5,000 for 200 feet.
- Split-rail fence: The least labor-intensive style, often $12 to $20 per foot installed. A 100-foot stretch runs $1,200 to $2,000, with 200 feet near $2,400 to $4,000.
- Premade panel fence: Convenience costs a bit more per foot, generally $20 to $30 installed, since panels still require properly set posts. Figure $2,000 to $3,000 for 100 feet and $4,000 to $6,000 for 200 feet.
Fixr’s data puts a 150-foot cedar privacy fence at roughly $3,000 to $5,250, which lines up closely with the per-foot math above. Taller fences and narrower board spacing both add material and labor time, since more boards and fasteners are needed per linear foot.
What raises or lowers cost: site factors, terrain, permits, and extras
Most surprise charges trace back to the condition of your yard rather than the fence itself. Land clearing, tree or stump removal, and rock or boulder excavation are usually quoted separately once a crew sees the site in person.
- Old fence removal: typically $3 to $7 per linear foot, or about $600 to $1,400 for 200 feet, and it’s often billed apart from new installation.
- Permits and HOA review: many municipalities charge a modest permit fee, and HOA approval can add time even when it adds no cost.
- Slope and rocky soil: both slow post-hole digging and may require an auger, jackhammer, or hand-digging, which adds labor hours.
- Access issues: a backyard a crew can’t reach with equipment means more manual labor, which shows up as a line-item increase.
Pro Tip: Ask every contractor whether their quote includes old fence removal and haul-away; it’s one of the most common gaps between a low bid and the final invoice.
Installation specifics contractors price: posts, spacing, and labor
Posts are where cedar fence budgets quietly grow or shrink. Cedar heartwood posts cost more upfront but resist rot better than sapwood-heavy boards, while pressure-treated pine posts are cheaper but can warp over time; steel posts cost more still but outlast both in wet soil.
- Post spacing: most wood fences space posts every 6 to 8 feet, so a 200-foot fence needs roughly 26 to 34 posts.
- Footings: each post typically gets a concrete footing, which is a major share of per-post labor cost.
- Hardware grade: galvanized or stainless fasteners cost more than standard but resist rust-streaking on cedar.
- Quote structure: contractors price jobs per linear foot, per post, or hourly; ask for a written, itemized estimate so you can compare bids on the same basis.
Heartwood-grade posts matter more than most homeowners realize. Longevity depends heavily on the percentage of heartwood versus sapwood in each post, so it’s worth asking your supplier directly whether boards are graded for heartwood content before you sign off on materials.
Maintenance and lifespan: what to budget for over 5 to 20 years
Western red cedar heartwood is one of the wood species that routinely delivers 20 or more years of above-ground service life in moderate climates, according to USDA Forest Products Laboratory durability testing. That figure depends on heartwood content and climate, so a fence built with sapwood-heavy boards in a wet region won’t hit the same mark.
Plan on staining or sealing every two to three years to protect against moisture and UV damage, which typically runs a few hundred dollars per application depending on fence length. Over 10 to 20 years, that maintenance adds up to a meaningful share of your original installed cost, but it’s far cheaper than early replacement. If repair costs on an aging fence start approaching half of what a new section would cost, replacement is usually the more sensible call.
How to budget, measure, and get comparable bids
- Measure your linear footage along the planned fence line, and count gates separately since they price differently.
- Note site conditions: slope, existing fence to remove, tree roots, and equipment access.
- Write down your specs: style, height, board grade, and desired stain or finish.
- Ask each contractor the same questions: crew composition (in-house or subcontracted), warranty terms, timeline, who handles permits, and cleanup responsibility.
- Compare three bids line by line, watching for one quote that’s dramatically lower with no removal or site-prep costs included.
Pro Tip: A bid that’s missing old fence removal, permit handling, or cleanup isn’t necessarily cheaper, it’s just incomplete; ask for those line items before comparing totals. If you want to understand the installation sequence yourself before meeting with contractors, BidWolf’s step-by-step fencing guide walks through the process in plain terms.
Field perspective from Easton Fencing: contractor-side realities
Rot at the post line, unmarked utilities, and uneven grade are the three surprises we run into most often once digging starts, and each one can shift a quote after the fact. Working with an insured, in-house crew instead of subcontractors tends to reduce both schedule risk and change orders, since the same people who quote the job also build it. Before your estimate, clear the fence line of debris and mark any sprinkler lines or buried cable you know about; it speeds up the site visit and sharpens the final number.
— Justin
Easton Fencing: request a free cedar fence estimate
Pricing a cedar fence from a national average is a starting point, not a quote for your yard. We build every project with an in-house, insured crew, so the people who walk your property are the same people setting posts and hanging boards, with no subcontractors handed the job partway through.
- A free, no-pressure site inspection to assess soil, slope, and access
- A written, itemized quote covering materials, labor, removal, and timeline
- Fully insured work from a crew experienced with local weather and HOA requirements
If you’re ready to turn these ranges into a real number for your property, request a free wood fence estimate and we’ll walk your site and send a detailed quote.
FAQ
How much does a 100-foot cedar fence cost?
A 100-foot cedar fence typically costs between $1,850 and $4,650 installed, based on the $18.50 to $46.50 per linear foot national range. Privacy styles land toward the higher end, while split-rail designs come in near the low end of that range.
How much does it cost to install a cedar fence?
Installation costs, separate from materials, typically run $10 to $30 per linear foot, reflecting the common guideline that labor makes up 40% to 60% of a wood fence invoice. Site conditions like slope, rocky soil, and access difficulty push labor costs toward the higher end.
How much does 200 feet of fencing cost?
A 200-foot cedar fence typically costs between $3,700 and $9,300 installed, with a national average near $6,500. The final number depends heavily on fence style, post spacing, and whether an old fence needs removal first.
What is the average cost of a 6-foot cedar fence?
A 6-foot cedar privacy fence generally runs $20 to $35 per linear foot installed, which is within the broader cedar fencing range reported nationally. Taller height and tighter board spacing both add material and labor compared to a shorter or more open design.
Sources
- How Much Does a Cedar Fence Cost to Install? 2026 Data | Angi
- Cedar vs Pine Fence – Pros, Cons, Comparisons and Costs | Fixr
- Comparative Durability of Untreated Wood in Use Above Ground | USDA Forest Products Laboratory
- Fair Cost Estimate – Cedar Fencing | Homewyse
Primary sources, data, and cost calculators referenced
These figures draw on national cost guides, wood durability research, and local pricing calculators you can use to refine estimates for your own property.
