Real Fencing Blog
How Much Does a Fence Cost in NZ? 2026 Prices From 2,258 Real Quotes
Published 7 November 2026
Most people asking what a fence costs want one number. The honest answer is a range, so instead of guessing, we went through 2,258 fence quotes we've given, from Whangārei to Dunedin, and worked out what real jobs cost.
The short answer: most timber boundary fences of 11 to 20 metres cost between $3,300 and $6,400 including GST. That works out to roughly $210 to $370 a metre, so an 11 metre fence is more likely to be $2,300 to $4,100. Aluminium and steel cost roughly 20% more than timber for the same length.
Every price on this page includes GST.
What a timber fence costs, by length
Timber is what most Kiwis build, so it's where we have the most data: more than 1,200 timber fence quotes. The price range is where the middle half of our quotes fell: a quarter of jobs came in under it and a quarter came in over it. To narrow it down for your fence, multiply its length by the per-metre range.
| Fence length | Price range | Per metre |
|---|---|---|
| Up to 10 m | $1,400–3,900 | $230–510 |
| 11 – 20 m | $3,300–6,400 | $210–370 |
| 21 – 50 m | $5,300–10,100 | $170–310 |
| Over 50 m | $8,400–17,100 | $110–200 |
For example, a 15 metre fence at $210 to $370 a metre comes to roughly $3,200 to $5,600. Where you land in that range depends on height, style and the site, which we cover below.
The most common job is a side or back boundary of 11 to 20 metres. That was 39% of the timber fences that went ahead. The jobs that went ahead came in slightly below these figures, so they aren't being pushed up by quotes people turned down.
What other fence types cost
| Fence type | 11 – 20 m | 21 – 50 m |
|---|---|---|
| Timber | $3,300–6,400 | $5,300–10,100 |
| Aluminium | $3,800–8,600 | $6,200–15,100 |
| Steel panel | $4,300–8,600 | $6,300–11,800 |
| Chain link | $2,900–11,800 | $4,300–13,900 |
For shorter jobs under 10 metres, most aluminium and steel fences come in between $1,300 and $4,600, and most chain link between $1,000 and $2,600. Fence repairs mostly cost $700 to $3,000 for a short section, and $2,400 to $5,300 for 11 to 20 metres.
Chain link and aluminium prices spread the widest. Chain link covers everything from a short backyard dog run to a long security fence, and a plain 1.2 metre aluminium pool fence is a very different job from a 1.8 metre slatted aluminium privacy screen. For those two, the style of fence matters as much as the length.
If you know roughly how long your fence is and what you want, ask us for a free quote. We'll give you a real number for your section, not a range.
What does a fence cost per metre?
Most timber fences work out between $170 and $370 a metre including GST. The longer the fence, the lower the price per metre (see the table above). Aluminium and steel panel fences of 11 to 50 metres mostly come to $170 to $470 a metre.
Treat per-metre prices as a rough guide. They come from quotes where the customer told us the length, not from a tape measure. They're useful for a quick budget, but a total price for your actual fence is a better number to plan around.
Why short fences cost more per metre
A 6 metre fence doesn't cost a third of an 18 metre one. On our numbers, a timber fence under 10 metres mostly costs $230 to $510 a metre, while one of 21 to 50 metres mostly costs $170 to $310. Getting the crew, tools and materials to your place, setting out, and cleaning up cost about the same whatever the length. On a short job those fixed costs are spread over fewer metres.
If you're thinking about the front fence this year and the back fence next year, it's usually cheaper to do both at once.
Does a fence cost more in some cities?
Yes, by a fair margin. Here's what most timber fences cost in some of the cities we work in.
| City | Timber, 11 – 20 m | Timber, 21 – 50 m |
|---|---|---|
| Auckland | $3,300–6,700 | $5,200–11,000 |
| Wellington | $3,700–6,900 | $5,700–10,800 |
| Palmerston North | $3,500–8,600 | $5,500–11,000 |
| Hamilton | $3,100–5,900 | $5,700–10,100 |
| Christchurch | $3,000–5,200 | $4,800–9,100 |
| Tauranga | $2,800–5,400 | $4,500–8,200 |
Wellington, Palmerston North and Auckland came out dearest. Christchurch and Tauranga were the cheapest. In Wellington, steep sections, tricky access and fences built for the wind are part of everyday jobs, and we think that's most of the difference. There are local guides for Wellington, Christchurch, Tauranga and the other cities we work in.
What pushes the price up
Once you know the length and material, these are the things that move a quote.
Height
Taller fences need longer posts set deeper, more timber, and often an extra rail to stop the palings bowing. A 1.2 metre front fence is a much cheaper job per metre than a 1.8 metre privacy fence.
The style of fence
A standard paling fence is the cheapest way to build in timber. Horizontal slats, double-sided "good both sides" fences, capped tops and lattice toppers all add timber and time. Our guide to the 10 most common timber fence styles shows the options.
Ground, slope and retaining
Flat, clear, soft ground is the cheapest place to build a fence. Rock, old concrete or tree roots in the post holes slow the job down. Sloping sections need stepped or raked panels (see fencing on a slope). If the ground on one side is higher than the other and needs holding back, that's a retaining wall, not a fence. It's priced as a separate job, so ask about it up front rather than finding out on the day.
Access
If materials can be dropped next to the fence line, the job is quicker. If every post, rail and bag of concrete has to be carried down a narrow path or through the house, it costs more labour.
Gates
About one in eight timber enquiries includes a gate. A pedestrian gate is a small extra. A wide driveway gate, especially an automated one, can cost as much as several metres of fence. Our gates page covers the types.
Taking out the old fence
44% of the timber enquiries we get mention an old fence that has to go. People often expect this to add a lot, but in our numbers, quotes that included removal came in close to quotes of the same length that didn't. Length, height and material matter far more. Do check the quote says the old fence will be removed and taken away. That should be written down, not assumed.
Does your neighbour have to pay half?
Often, yes. One in five enquiries we get is about a fence on a shared boundary. Under the Fencing Act 1978, neighbours generally share the cost of an adequate boundary fence equally. That doesn't cover upgrades one side wants, like extra height or a fancier design.
The tidy way to do it is to agree the design and the split before any work starts, and get it in writing. If you can't agree, the Act sets out a formal fencing notice process. The government's guide to fences and boundaries explains how it works, and the Citizens Advice Bureau can help with your situation.
Do you need consent to build a fence?
Usually not. Under the Building Act, most fences up to 2.5 metres high don't need a building consent. Your council's district plan can still limit how high a fence can be, especially on the street frontage, so check with your council before going tall. Pool fences are different: they have to meet the pool barrier rules in the Building Code, whatever they cost. Our guide to fence heights and restrictions goes into more detail.
Is the price you've been given including GST?
This is the most common budgeting mistake we see. Many trade quotes in New Zealand are written excluding GST, so a $4,000 quote can be a $4,600 bill. Every price in this guide includes GST. When you compare quotes, put them on the same footing first.
Also check what each quote actually includes. Removal of the old fence, gate hardware, concrete and clean-up all count. Our fence quote checklist walks through what a good quote should spell out.
How to get an accurate price for your fence
A range can only tell you so much. The quickest way to a real number is to tell us four things: roughly how long the fence is, how high you want it, what material you're leaning towards, and anything awkward about the site, like a slope, a tree, or tight access. A photo or two of the fence line helps a lot.
Get a free fence quote and we'll come back to you with a price for your property.
How we worked out these prices
These figures come from 2,258 fence quotes we've given across the North and South Islands. We took the quoted price of each job and grouped the jobs by fence type and length. Length is the customer's own estimate when they asked for a quote. Each price range is the middle half of the quotes in that group, so unusually cheap or unusually big jobs don't skew it. Per-metre prices come from the quotes where the customer gave us the length in metres (about 400 timber quotes). We added 15% GST and rounded the totals to the nearest $100 and the per-metre prices to the nearest $10. We only show a figure where we had enough quotes for it to be reliable.
Timber and labour costs change, so treat these as a guide and get a quote for your own fence before you budget.
