Short answer
Most boundary fences cost about $80 to $190 per metre installed for Colorbond or treated pine paling, so a 20 m fence is about $1,600 to $3,800. Frameless glass pool fencing is dearer at $300 to $800 per metre. A 20 m Colorbond run takes 9 panels (27 sheets, 10 posts, 18 rails) and about 20 x 20 kg bags of concrete in firm ground, roughly $1,403 in parts if you build it yourself. Neighbours usually share the cost of a standard dividing fence equally.
Use this free fence cost calculator to estimate the installed price of a boundary or garden fence by type and length, add the cost of slope, access, gates and removing the old fence, and see how many panels, posts and bags of concrete a Colorbond or timber run takes.
Fence cost calculator
Prices are indicative ranges from published Australian cost guides, which are mostly contractor and lead-generation sites and vary by city. Get at least three quotes. Ranges reviewed October 2026.
How we calculate the cost
- Fence run: length x a price range per metre for the fence type, from published Australian cost guides. A sloping block adds 15 to 30% and difficult access adds 10 to 25%.
- Old fence removal: $15 to $50 per metre, or $80 to $150 per metre for a fibro fence.
- Gates: $250 to $650 for a pedestrian gate and $800 to $2,500 for a double or driveway gate.
- Colorbond quantities: panels = length ÷ 2.36 m, rounded up; posts = panels + 1; three infill sheets and two rails per panel; concrete per post by ground type.
- Timber quantities: palings = length ÷ (paling width + gap), posts at up to 2.4 m, and three rows of rail.
| Example | Installed cost | Quantities (DIY) |
|---|---|---|
| 20 m Colorbond 1.8 m, flat, firm ground | $1,600 to $3,800 | 9 panels, 27 sheets, 10 posts, 18 rails, 20 bags; about $1,403 in parts |
| 20 m treated pine paling 1.8 m | $1,600 to $3,800 | 130 palings (150 mm, 5 mm gap), 10 posts, 60 m of rail; about $710 in parts before concrete |
| 15 m Colorbond on a slope, old fence removed, one gate | $1,855 to $5,105 | 7 panels, 8 posts |
| 12 m frameless glass pool fence | $3,600 to $9,600 | n/a, ask for a quote per panel |
| 14 m aluminium pool fence with one gate | $1,650 to $5,550 | n/a |
Fence cost by type
These are installed prices per metre on a flat site. They come from contractor and lead-generation guides that disagree with each other, so we show a range for each type.
| Fence type | Per metre installed | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Colorbond 1.8 m | $80 – $190 | NSW guide: $85 to $150; typical about $130 |
| Colorbond 2.1 m | $120 – $250 | Taller than the standard BlueScope guide covers |
| Treated pine paling 1.8 m | $80 – $190 | NSW guide: $80 to $140; typical about $110 |
| Hardwood paling 1.8 m | $100 – $190 | Typical about $130 |
| Picket fence 1 m | $60 – $250 | Very wide range by timber and finish |
| Aluminium slat or batten | $170 – $400 | NSW $180 to $350, SA $200 to $450, WA $180 to $380 |
| Aluminium pool fence 1.2 m | $100 – $350 | NSW guide: tubular $150 to $300 |
| Frameless glass pool fence | $300 – $800 | Other guides range from $200 to $840; no per-panel price found |
| Chain wire | $30 – $90 | The same guide also quotes $40 to $65 |
| Rural post and wire | $12 – $30 | $12 to $25 in another guide |
Gates are extra: about $250 to $650 for a pedestrian gate and $800 to $2,500 for a double or driveway gate. We found no reliable price for lap-and-cap, post-and-rail or composite fencing, so they are not in the calculator.
Colorbond fence materials
- Panel size: BlueScope’s Colorbond installation guide spaces posts about 2,365 mm apart with 2,360 mm panels. Suppliers differ (Lysaght lists 2,350 mm panels, and some kits are 2.4 m or 3.0 m), so check yours.
- Holes: all holes are 200 mm in diameter. Use 1 x 20 kg bag of concrete in rock (400 mm deep), 2 bags in clay or firm earth (600 mm) and 3 bags in sand or loose fill (900 mm). These hole sizes apply to wind regions A and B in any terrain except category 1.
- Slopes: rake the fence rather than stepping the panels where you can, and slit the sheets vertically if the slope is over 1 in 8. Keep at least 50 mm clear under the bottom rail.
- Height: the guide does not cover fences over 1.8 m, and 2.1 m heights are excluded from cyclonic regions. Ask your supplier about wind ratings.
- Parts prices: Bunnings trade prices are about $25 per infill sheet, $15 per rail, $15 per 2.4 m post and $2.65 per double cap, which gives about $120 for the parts of one 2.35 m panel, or roughly $50 a metre. A 20 kg bag of fast-set concrete is about $14.
Timber fence materials
- Palings: Bunnings lists 150 x 12 x 1.8 m H3 palings at about $2.42 each, 125 mm at $2.07 and 100 mm at $1.70.
- Posts and rails: 100 x 100 mm H4 posts (about $22 for 2.4 m) set at no more than 2.4 m apart and 600 mm deep, with 75 x 50 mm rails spanning three posts, is one DIY guide’s advice. We assume three rows of rail for a 1.8 m fence and a 5 mm gap between palings, which is your choice, so adjust the gap in the calculator.
- Concrete: we could not find a source for bags per timber post, so use our concrete calculator for your hole size.
Who pays: dividing fence rules by state
- Victoria: the Victorian Government says costs are generally shared equally, anyone wanting a dearer fence pays the difference, and shared costs can include clearing, removing the old fence and surveying. A Fencing Notice gives the neighbour 30 days to respond.
- Queensland: the Neighbourhood Disputes Act makes adjoining owners liable to contribute equally. A sufficient fence between residential lots is 0.5 to 1.8 m high, the notice must include at least one written quote, and if there is no agreement within a month you can apply to QCAT within two months. Pool fencing is outside this Act.
- South Australia: the South Australian Law Handbook says equal contribution is assumed, with a 30-day wait after the notice.
- Western Australia: the WA Government says each owner pays half of a sufficient fence. If you build higher without agreement, you can claim only half the cost of a sufficient fence.
- NSW: a council notice says neighbours split a sufficient fence equally, and if there is no agreement within a month either owner can apply to the Local Court or NCAT. We could not read the Act itself, so check it.
Fence height and approval
- NSW: the NSW Planning Portal says residential side and rear fences up to 1.8 m (1.2 m if masonry) and front or road-boundary fences up to 1.2 m are exempt. Fences on a secondary road must be at least 20% transparent above 400 mm, gates must not open outwards, and heritage and flood-control land are excluded.
- Victoria: council fact sheets say a front fence within 3 m of the street can be 1.5 m high (2 m on declared roads) and side and rear fences 2 m. Near a street intersection the limit drops to 1 m, and a masonry front fence over 1.2 m needs a permit.
- Queensland: councils say a dwelling fence under 2 m does not need building approval. Corner blocks have extra limits.
Pool fences
- Height and gaps: Queensland’s QBCC says a pool barrier must be at least 1,200 mm high with no gap over 100 mm under it or in any opening, and a 900 mm non-climbable zone. NSW councils quote the same figures from AS 1926.1.
- Gates: must self-close and self-latch, and in NSW open outward.
- Certification: NSW council fees are about $150 to $250 (a first inspection about $150, re-inspection $100). A Victorian private inspection is about $180 to $380, plus council registration and lodgement fees of roughly $23 to $59. Registration is mandatory in NSW, Victoria and Queensland.
- Cost context: our pool cost calculator allows $3,000 to $8,000 for compliant pool fencing.
What pushes the price up
- Slope: adds about 15 to 30%.
- Height over 1.8 m: adds about 20 to 40%.
- Difficult access: adds about 10 to 25%.
- Retaining walls: add about $150 to $450 per metre, and our retaining wall calculator covers that.
- Old fibro fences: licensed removal at $80 to $150 per metre.
- Materials: one shed retailer reports a BlueScope price rise of 2 to 3% passed on from June 2026, and timber trend reports are mixed.
Common mistakes
- Not giving notice. A neighbour’s share depends on following the process for your state.
- Using the wrong hole depth. Rock, clay and sand need different depths and concrete.
- Stepping panels on a slope when raking would do. Follow the manufacturer’s slope guidance.
- Cutting or drilling an old fibro fence. Treat it as asbestos.
- Treating a pool fence like a normal fence. It must pass inspection.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a fence cost per metre in Australia?
Cost guides put installed Colorbond and treated pine paling fences at about $80 to $190 per metre, hardwood palings at $100 to $190, picket fences at $60 to $250, aluminium slat fences at $170 to $400, aluminium pool fences at $100 to $350 and frameless glass pool fences at $300 to $800. The same sites give narrower ranges for specific cities, such as $85 to $150 per metre for Colorbond in NSW, so check your city.
How much does a Colorbond fence cost?
About $80 to $190 per metre for a 1.8 m fence and $120 to $250 for 2.1 m, installed. A 20 m, 1.8 m run is roughly $1,600 to $3,800. Building it yourself, parts for the same run are about $1,403 at Bunnings trade prices, plus delivery and tools.
Who pays for a dividing fence?
In the states we checked (NSW, Victoria, Queensland, South Australia and WA), neighbours generally share the cost of a sufficient dividing fence equally. In Queensland the Neighbourhood Disputes (Dividing Fences and Trees) Act makes adjoining owners liable to contribute equally, and a sufficient fence between residential lots is 0.5 to 1.8 m high. The Victorian Government says costs in Victoria are shared equally, and anyone wanting a dearer fence pays the difference. The South Australian Law Handbook and WA Government say the same, and WA lets you claim only half the cost of a sufficient fence if you build higher without agreement.
How do I give a neighbour notice about a fence?
Send a written notice with the work and cost, and in Queensland include at least one written quote. Time limits differ: Victoria gives 30 days to respond (then you can proceed and recover the share in court), South Australia has a 30-day wait, Queensland allows a month before applying to QCAT, and in WA either owner can apply to the Magistrates Court within 21 days for a new fence. In NSW a council notice says neighbours split the cost of a sufficient fence and either owner can apply to the Local Court or NCAT after a month. Check the current Act for your state.
How high can a fence be without approval?
The NSW Planning Portal allows exempt side and rear fences up to 1.8 m (1.2 m if masonry) and front fences up to 1.2 m in residential zones. Victorian council fact sheets say side and rear fences up to 2 m and front fences up to 1.5 m, and a masonry front fence over 1.2 m needs a permit. In Queensland, councils say a dwelling fence under 2 m does not need building approval. Corner blocks have lower limits near intersections, so check with your council.
What are the pool fence rules?
Pool barriers must be at least 1,200 mm high with a 900 mm non-climbable zone, no gap over 100 mm underneath or in any opening, and gates that self-close and self-latch (and in NSW open outward, away from the pool). Pool registration is mandatory in NSW, Victoria and Queensland, and certification inspection fees range from about $150 to $250 in NSW to $180 to $380 for a private inspector in Victoria. The standard is AS 1926.1, so check the current edition with your council or certifier.
How many bags of concrete per fence post?
For Colorbond, BlueScope’s installation guide specifies 200 mm diameter holes: 1 x 20 kg bag in rock (400 mm deep), 2 bags in clay or firm earth (600 mm) and 3 bags in sand or loose fill (900 mm). A 20 m run with 10 posts therefore takes 10 to 30 bags. We could not find a source for timber posts, so ask your supplier.
What does it cost to remove an old fence?
About $15 to $50 per metre for a timber or metal fence, and $80 to $150 per metre for a fibro fence made before about 1990, which should be treated as asbestos and removed by a licensed remover. In Victoria, the cost of removing the old fence can be a shared cost.
Related tools
- Brick calculator - bricks and cost for a brick fence or garden wall
- Concrete calculator - post holes and footings
- Retaining wall cost calculator - walls under a fence line
- Pool cost calculator - the whole pool, including the barrier
- Renovation quote comparator - paste fencing quotes for red-flag analysis
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