Most standard residential fences in Australia cost roughly $80 to $190 per metre installed in 2026, so a 30-metre boundary lands between about $2,400 and $5,700. According to one October 2026 cost guide, Melbourne sits slightly higher at $84 to $200 per metre. Security fencing, automated gates, sloping blocks and tight access all push the figure up. This guide shows where the numbers come from, what moves them and how to read a quote before you sign it.
TL;DR
- Colorbond and treated timber paling fences typically run $80 to $190 per metre installed. Melbourne's typical range is $84 to $200 per metre.
- A 20-metre fence at $130 per metre is $2,600. A 30-metre fence at the same rate is $3,900.
- Gates are priced separately. Pedestrian gates, driveway gates and motors can add thousands to a project.
- Check council rules before you build. In Victoria, some front fences and all pool barriers need a building permit.
- Ask for footing size, removal of the old fence and gate hardware as separate lines in writing.
Table of Contents
- What fencing costs per metre across Australia
- Worked examples: 20 and 30 metres
- What pushes the price up or down
- Gates: the part people forget to budget
- Security fencing is a different product
- Permits, height limits and neighbours in Victoria
- How to read a fencing quote
- Our view: spend where the fence gets used
- Working with Victorian Gate Automation
- Ways to keep the cost down without cutting corners
- FAQ
- Sources
What fencing costs per metre across Australia
Per-metre pricing is the standard way fencers quote, so it is the best place to start. Prices below are installed rates, meaning materials and labour. They are indicative planning figures, not quotes.
| Fence type | Typical installed cost | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Colorbond or timber paling | $80 to $190 per metre | What's The Damage, Oct 2026 |
| Chain-link or wire | $30 to $90 per metre (typical $55) | What's The Damage, security and privacy guide |
| Picket fence | $100 to $250 per metre (typical $160) | same guide |
| Aluminium pool fencing | $100 to $350 per metre | What's The Damage, Oct 2026 |
| Frameless glass pool fencing | $300 to $800 per metre | What's The Damage, Oct 2026 |
The spread between guides is wide. realestate.com.au's fencing guide quotes $75 to $1,250 per metre across all styles, heights and installation complexity. The top of that range is premium, custom or high-security work, not a standard backyard fence.
Costs by city
Labour rates, site access and demand differ by city. The same October 2026 guide lists these typical ranges for a standard installed fence:
| City | Typical range per metre |
|---|---|
| Sydney | $80 to $190 |
| Melbourne | $84 to $200 |
| Brisbane | $80 to $190 |
| Perth | $72 to $170 |
| Adelaide | $74 to $175 |
| Geelong | $74 to $175 |
The same guide reports year-on-year increases of roughly 4% to 5% in these cities, so a quote that is a year old is probably out of date. Source: What's The Damage.
Worked examples: 20 and 30 metres
Two lengths come up most often when people search for fence costs. Using the guide's $130 per metre midpoint:
- 20 metres: 20 × $130 = $2,600
- 30 metres: 30 × $130 = $3,900
The range matters more than the midpoint. Using Melbourne's $84 to $200 per metre:
- 20 metres: $1,680 to $4,000
- 30 metres: $2,520 to $6,000
That is a gap of more than $3,000 on a single 30-metre run. Material, height, ground conditions and what is included in the line price explain nearly all of it.
A typical 30-metre boundary in the national range of $80 to $190 per metre comes to $2,400 to $5,700, per the same cost guide. Add a pedestrian gate and the removal of an old fence and you can move up a bracket quickly.
What pushes the price up or down
Material and finish
Chain-link is the cheapest option, and frameless glass sits at the other end. For solid boundary fences, the choice is usually between treated pine, hardwood and Colorbond steel. Slat and feature fences cost more again because they use more material and more labour per metre. One Victorian homeowner on a Reddit renovation thread described a 1.8 m Colorbond fence at about $100 per metre and a slat fence at about $400 per metre. That is one person's quote, not a benchmark, but it shows how far a decorative finish can move the price. If you are weighing the two styles, our piece on Colorbond versus slat fences covers when mixing them makes sense.
Height and length
A taller fence needs longer posts, deeper footings and more material. A 2 m fence will not cost the same as a 1.8 m one. Short runs also tend to cost more per metre, because setup time is spread over fewer metres.
Slope, rock and access
These are the usual sources of surprise line items. A sloping block needs stepped or raked panels, and tradies commonly price that at a premium. Rock under the surface makes digging footings slower. If a fencer cannot get a machine or materials through to the back boundary, labour goes up. Ask the fencer to see the site before quoting. A price over the phone cannot account for any of this.
Removing the old fence
Removal and disposal are often a separate line. If you are replacing a shared boundary fence, confirm in writing whether the quote includes taking down and tipping the old one.
Footings
In clay soils, which are common around Melbourne, the width and depth of the concrete footings affect how well a fence stands over time. Undersized footings are a classic way to cut a quote. Ask for the footing diameter and depth in writing and compare them across quotes, not just the total.
Gates: the part people forget to budget
A fence quote that ends at the last panel is incomplete if you need access through it. Gates are priced on top, and the range is large:
- A pedestrian gate is a modest add-on.
- A manual double driveway gate is a bigger job, with heavier posts and hinges.
- An automated sliding or swing gate adds a motor, remote controls, safety sensors and electrical work, and typically costs several thousand dollars on top of the fence.
Gates are the most used part of any fence, so hardware matters. Cheap hinges and latches are the usual cause of sagging and dragging. Pay for heavy-duty hinges and a solid lock, and ask what brand and rating are included.
If you are planning an automatic driveway gate, the electrical connection and limit switch setup should be done by a licensed professional, not as a weekend project. Our guide to comparing automatic gate quotes lists five questions worth asking every installer, and the one on double versus single swing gates helps you choose the layout before you ask for prices.
Security fencing is a different product
A privacy fence is built to screen. A security fence is built to deter and resist force. An independent guide to security and privacy fencing makes the same point: match the system to the purpose of each boundary. See-through metal suits a welcoming front boundary, and solid panels suit secure side and rear lines. Mixing the two without a clear goal often gives you a fence that is neither private nor secure.
Security fencing is priced differently from a backyard fence. Steel palisade, mesh and custom wrought iron are fabricated, so cost depends on bar profile, height, finish and how many gates and access points are involved. That is why a single price per metre for security fencing is hard to trust. For the trade-offs between common profiles, read palisade versus mesh fencing and our overview of security fencing types and where they fail.
Permits, height limits and neighbours in Victoria
Rules vary by state and council, so check yours. In Victoria, as Moorabool Shire Council explains, a building permit is generally not required for side or boundary fences up to 2 m, or timber front fences up to 1.5 m, where they are not within 3 m of a street alignment or part of a pool safety barrier. Brick or masonry front fences higher than 1.2 m, and any fence that forms part of a pool or spa barrier, do need a permit. Overlays and heritage controls can also apply, so confirm with your council.
Front fence height is its own question. Before you set a design at 2 m, read how to check VicPlan for front fence height. Gates add their own rules around setbacks and road reserves, covered in our posts on gate setback requirements and electric gate permits in Victoria.
Sharing the cost with a neighbour
In Victoria, a shared boundary fence is a dividing fence under the Fences Act 1968, and a standard fence is generally split 50/50 between the two owners, as this Victorian summary of the law explains. If you want something above what is considered sufficient for the area, you would normally cover the difference. Talk to your neighbour before work starts and get any agreement in writing. Check the current Act and Victorian government guidance for the formal notice process, because it can change.
How to read a fencing quote
Two quotes can look $1,500 apart and describe different fences. Put them side by side and check:
- Length and height: are they the same in both, and is the length measured to the same points?
- Material spec: post size, rail type, panel or paling grade, steel thickness for Colorbond.
- Footings: diameter, depth and whether they are concreted.
- Removal: is the old fence taken down and disposed of, and at what cost?
- Gates: hinges, latches, locks and any automation listed separately.
- Site work: slope, rock, access and any retaining.
- Permits and fees: who applies, and who pays.
- Insurance and licensing: ask to see proof for the work being done, especially if electrical work or a building permit is involved.
- Timing and payment: deposit size, stages and expected start and finish dates.
If an installer will not itemise footings and gate hardware, that is information in itself.
Our view: spend where the fence gets used
We build custom gates and fences in Victoria, so here is where we think the money is best spent.
Most fence failures we hear about start at the gate or at the footings. A boundary fence is a long, simple run, and a straightforward fence in good materials will last. A gate is a moving part carrying weight, swinging or sliding thousands of times a year. If you have a fixed budget, we would rather see you choose a plainer fence panel and put the difference into hinges, posts, tracks and motors that will keep working.
The second thing is to decide what each boundary is for. The street frontage, the driveway and the back lane do not need the same fence. A front boundary in see-through steel or wrought iron gives you security without turning the house into a bunker. Solid sides and rear give privacy. Setting that out before you request quotes keeps you from paying for security you do not need in one spot and missing it in another.
Third, design the fence and the gate together. Automation, wiring, drainage and driveway levels are far cheaper to plan before the concrete is poured than to fix afterwards. That is why we handle design, fabrication and installation as one job, using locally sourced materials and handcrafted work made in-house.
If your project is a standard backyard paling run, a general fencing contractor will serve you well. If you want a custom gate, security fencing or automation, that is the work we do.
— Rhys
Working with Victorian Gate Automation
We design, fabricate and install gates, fencing and access control for homes, businesses and industrial sites across Victoria. Our work is custom, so we do not publish fixed prices. We quote once we understand your site, your boundary and how you use the entry. Start with our residential gates and fencing page, look at wrought iron gates and fencing to request a design consult, or see automation and access controls if the gate needs a motor. Businesses can go straight to our commercial and industrial page.
Ways to keep the cost down without cutting corners
- Get three itemised quotes on the same specification, so you compare like with like.
- Share a boundary with your neighbour where the law and your agreement allow it.
- Keep the design simple along long runs and put detail at the entry.
- Clear the line of plants and debris yourself if the installer agrees, which can cut labour.
- Schedule driveway and fence work together so the gate position does not need rework.
- Budget a contingency, commonly 10% to 15%, for rock, slope or unexpected removal. This is a rule of thumb, not a figure from a source.
FAQ
What is the average cost per metre of fencing in Australia?
For Colorbond or timber paling, most 2026 guides put installed prices between roughly $80 and $190 per metre, according to What's The Damage. Cheaper chain-link falls below that, and glass pool fencing and custom security fencing sit well above it.
How much does a 20 metre or 30 metre fence cost?
At a midpoint of $130 per metre, 20 metres costs about $2,600 and 30 metres about $3,900. Across the full $80 to $190 range, 30 metres runs from $2,400 to $5,700. Gates, old fence removal and difficult sites are extra.
Do I need a permit to build a fence in Victoria?
Often not for a standard side or rear boundary fence up to 2 m, but pool barriers and masonry front fences above 1.2 m do need a building permit, per Moorabool Shire Council. Overlays can change the answer, so confirm with your own council before ordering materials.
Who pays for a boundary fence?
In Victoria, neighbours normally split the cost of a sufficient dividing fence equally, as outlined here. If one owner wants a more expensive style, they typically pay the difference. Agree the details in writing first.
Why is security fencing so much more than a standard fence?
It is built to resist force, not just to screen, so it uses heavier steel, fabricated profiles and stronger gates and locks. As the security and privacy fencing guide shows, the purpose of each boundary should decide the system you buy.
Sources
- Fencing Cost Per Metre Australia 2026, What's The Damage
- Security & Privacy Fence Cost 2026, What's The Damage
- How Much Does Fencing Cost in Australia?, realestate.com.au
- Fencing requirements, Moorabool Shire Council
- Victoria Boundary Fence Laws Explained (2026 Guide)
- Fencing costs blowing my mind, r/AusRenovation