How Much Does It Cost to Build a Fence in Tennessee?
Installed fence prices in Tennessee generally run $10 to $70 per linear foot depending on material. That is a wide spread, and the width is the honest part — labor is roughly half the cost, and labor depends on your specific lot.
Cost by Material
Installed, including materials and labor, in the Knoxville and East Tennessee market in 2026:
- Chain link — roughly $10 to $40 per linear foot
- Wood privacy (pressure-treated pine) — roughly $14 to $50
- Vinyl privacy — roughly $19 to $60
- Ornamental aluminum — roughly $24 to $70
- Farm and field fence — roughly $12 to $30
Those exclude gates, permits and removal of an existing fence.
Cost by Length
The question we get most often is what a specific run costs. Multiply the per-foot range by your footage — here is what that works out to for common lengths.
100 feet
- Chain link: $1,000 – $4,000
- Wood privacy: $1,400 – $5,000
- Vinyl privacy: $1,900 – $6,000
- Ornamental aluminum: $2,400 – $7,000
150 feet
- Chain link: $1,500 – $6,000
- Wood privacy: $2,100 – $7,500
- Vinyl privacy: $2,850 – $9,000
- Ornamental aluminum: $3,600 – $10,500
200 feet
- Chain link: $2,000 – $8,000
- Wood privacy: $2,800 – $10,000
- Vinyl privacy: $3,800 – $12,000
- Ornamental aluminum: $4,800 – $14,000
300 feet
- Chain link: $3,000 – $12,000
- Wood privacy: $4,200 – $15,000
- Vinyl privacy: $5,700 – $18,000
- Ornamental aluminum: $7,200 – $21,000
Where in the range you land depends on height, terrain, access and gates. A flat 200-foot run on an open lot with one gate sits near the bottom. The same 200 feet across a slope, through rock, with two gates and limited access sits near the top.
How to measure your run
Walk the line and measure in straight segments, then add them. Do not use the lot's total perimeter unless you are fencing all of it — most back yards are fenced on three sides, with the house forming the fourth.
A quarter-acre lot fenced on three sides is commonly 200 to 250 feet. An acre fully enclosed is roughly 835 feet if square — irregular parcels need more.
Why Metal Went Up in 2026 and Wood Did Not
This is the part most cost guides miss, and in 2026 it is the biggest single factor in why quotes look different than they did eighteen months ago.
Section 232 tariffs on imported steel, aluminum and copper reached 50 percent in 2026, with derivative products at 25 percent. Aluminum mill shapes rose roughly 33 percent year over year; steel mill products roughly 20 percent.
Softwood lumber carries a much lower 10 percent tariff. Pressure-treated pine is not immune — material costs run meaningfully above early-2025 levels — but lumber has been far more stable than metal.
Practically: ornamental aluminum and chain link absorbed the largest increases. Wood privacy is currently the most price-stable way to get real privacy.
What Actually Moves Your Number
Labor, more than material. On a residential fence, labor is typically half to sixty percent of installed cost. That is why two identical fences on two different lots price very differently.
Terrain. Sloped or rocky ground commonly adds 10 to 25 percent. East Tennessee red clay, rock shelves and grade changes vary lot to lot, and posts must be set for the soil they are actually going into.
Height. A 4-foot fence typically runs 20 to 30 percent less than a 6-foot. Most Tennessee backyards go 6-foot for privacy.
Gates. Each gate adds a few hundred dollars depending on width and hardware. Automated gates are a separate category.
Access. A back yard a crew can drive equipment into costs less to fence than one where everything is carried through a side gate.
Permits. Many jurisdictions require a permit above a certain height, and the threshold differs by several feet between neighboring towns. Ask whether the permit is included or on you.
Why No One Will Quote You a Firm Price Over the Phone
Because the number depends on the ground. Slope, rock, access, tree roots, where the line actually runs, how many gates and where — none of that is knowable from an address.
Anyone quoting firm sight-unseen is either padding heavily or setting up a change order later. Ask for a firm written price after a site visit, and ask what circumstances would change it.
Where a Cheap Quote Usually Hides
If one bid is noticeably lower, it is usually one of these:
- Post spacing. Wider spacing means fewer posts and less labor — and a fence that sags sooner.
- Post depth. Shallower posts are faster and cheaper. In expansive clay they are also the ones that lean first.
- Material grade. "Vinyl" covers everything from consumer panels to commercial extrusions. Wall thickness matters.
- Gate hardware. The cheapest hinge on a heavy gate is a warranty claim waiting to happen.
- What is excluded. Old fence removal, haul-off, permits and gates are common exclusions.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does 200 feet of fencing cost?
In the Knoxville area, roughly $2,000 to $8,000 for chain link, $2,800 to $10,000 for wood privacy, $3,800 to $12,000 for vinyl and $4,800 to $14,000 for ornamental aluminum, installed. Height, terrain, access and gate count decide where in that range you land.
How much does 100 feet of fencing cost?
Roughly $1,000 to $4,000 for chain link, $1,400 to $5,000 for wood privacy, $1,900 to $6,000 for vinyl and $2,400 to $7,000 for ornamental aluminum, installed.
How much does it cost to build a fence in Tennessee?
Installed prices generally run about $10 to $40 per linear foot for chain link, $14 to $50 for wood privacy, $19 to $60 for vinyl, $24 to $70 for ornamental aluminum and $12 to $30 for farm fence.
What is the cheapest fence in Tennessee?
Chain link has the lowest installed cost per foot. For actual privacy, pressure-treated pine is the most affordable option and in 2026 the most price-stable, since metal tariffs affected steel and aluminum far more than lumber.
How much does it cost to fence an acre in Tennessee?
An acre enclosed on all four sides is roughly 835 linear feet if square. At farm fence rates of $12 to $30 per foot that is broadly $10,000 to $25,000 depending on type, terrain and gates. Irregular shapes require more fence than a square acre.
Why did fence prices go up in 2026?
Section 232 tariffs on imported steel, aluminum and copper reached 50 percent, with derivatives at 25 percent. Aluminum mill shapes rose about 33 percent year over year and steel about 20 percent. Softwood lumber carries a lower 10 percent tariff, so wood rose considerably less.
Does slope add to fence cost?
Yes. Sloped or rocky ground commonly adds 10 to 25 percent because posts require more excavation and the fence must be stepped or racked to follow grade.
Get a Real Number for Your Property
We will walk the property, locate the line, and give you a written price based on your actual lot rather than a per-foot average. No charge, no obligation.
Call (865) 988-9935 or request a quote online.
Ranges reflect published 2026 Knoxville-area and national contractor pricing and are provided for planning. Tariff figures reflect Section 232 rates and mill pricing reported in early 2026. Material costs are moving — confirm current pricing when you request a quote.
