A new fence is one of the more straightforward outdoor projects to price, because almost everything about it can be measured: how many feet, how tall, what material, and how many gates. That also means two quotes for the same yard should be easy to compare — as long as both are written out line by line. This page walks through the decisions that shape a fence installation in Baton Rouge and what a good written quote looks like.
Start with what the fence has to do
Before material or height, settle the job the fence is doing. The answer narrows the choices quickly:
- Privacy. Blocking the view from a street or a neighbor’s yard points toward a solid fence — usually wood privacy or vinyl.
- Keeping a dog or kids in. Height, the gap at the bottom, and a gate latch that closes reliably matter more than looks.
- Marking a boundary or dressing up the front. An open style — aluminum or iron, or a short picket — does the job without walling off the yard.
- Security or a working area. Chain link is the usual answer when the fence is about containment rather than looks.
- Around a pool. Tell the installer it is a pool fence on the first call and ask what applies to it.
What fence installation costs in Baton Rouge
These are published ranges per linear foot, installed, compiled from Baton Rouge fence cost figures published online. They are not quotes and not prices from this site — nobody can price a fence without walking the line. Use them to check whether a quote is in the expected range.
| Material | Published range, per linear foot | What moves it |
|---|---|---|
| Wood privacy | $15–$30 | Height, board style, and post type move it most. |
| Chain link | $10–$20 | Height, gauge, and whether it is coated. |
| Vinyl | $20–$43 | Height, privacy vs. picket style, and color. |
| Aluminum or steel | $30–$50 | Ornamental style, height, and pool-code features. |
Published ranges per linear foot, installed — not quotes and not our prices; we do not price or perform work. Compiled from Baton Rouge fence cost figures published online (thebuildermarket.com, homeblue.com). A real number comes only from an installer measuring your yard.
Multiplied out for a typical 150-foot backyard run, that is roughly $1,500 to $3,000 for chain link, $2,250 to $4,500 for wood privacy, $3,000 to $6,450 for vinyl, and $4,500 to $7,500 for aluminum or steel — before gates and removal of anything already there. The fence cost guide covers what pushes a job toward the top or bottom of each range.
Measuring the fence line
Footage is the biggest single number on a fence quote, so it is worth knowing roughly what yours is before anyone comes out. Walk the line you have in mind and count the runs: along each side of the yard, across the back, and any return from the house to the side fence. Add them up. You do not need to be exact — the installer will measure — but a rough number lets you sanity-check the quote.
While you walk it, note anything along the line that could complicate the work: trees and roots, slopes and dips, drainage ditches, an existing fence that has to come down, sheds or slabs close to the line, and places where equipment can or cannot get through. Each of those can change the labor, and it is better to point them out than to have them show up as a change order.
Know where you want the fence to run before the quote is written. If you are not sure where the line should go, raise it with the installer early — it is much easier to settle before posts go in than after.
Choosing the material
Material sets the price per foot, the look, and how much upkeep the fence will need. A short comparison:
- Wood privacy ($15 to $30 per linear foot). The classic backyard privacy fence. Board style, height, and post type move the price. Ask how often the installer recommends stain or sealer.
- Chain link ($10 to $20 per linear foot). The lowest published range here. Open, practical, and quick to put up; coated versions cost more.
- Vinyl ($20 to $43 per linear foot). Privacy or picket styles in a material that does not need painting or staining. The range is wide because height and style vary so much.
- Aluminum or steel ($30 to $50 per linear foot). Ornamental, open fencing for front yards and pools. The highest published range of the four.
If you are deciding between two, ask the installer to quote both on the same footage and the same gates. That turns the decision into a straight comparison.
Gates
Gates are priced separately from the fence for good reason: a gate is the one moving part of a fence, and it is the piece that gets used every day. Settle these before the quote:
- How many, and where. A walk gate on each side of the house is common; think about where you actually carry trash cans, push a mower, or let a dog out.
- How wide. Measure what has to fit through — a mower, a wheelbarrow, a trailer, or a vehicle. A drive gate is a bigger line item than a walk gate.
- Hardware. Hinges, latch type, whether the latch can be locked, and whether the gate should close on its own. Ask what hardware is included and what an upgrade costs.
- Keeping it square. Ask how a wide gate will be supported and braced so it does not sag, and what the installer does if it starts to drag.
What happens on installation day
A typical install goes in this order: the line is marked, post holes are dug and posts are set, then rails and panels or fabric go up and the gates are hung. Ask the installer a few practical questions before the day:
- How long the job should take, and whether posts need time to set before panels go on.
- Whether underground utility lines will be marked before anyone digs.
- What happens to the old fence and the dirt from the post holes.
- Whether pets need to be kept inside, and when the yard will be secure again.
- How the final walkthrough works and who to call if something needs adjusting.
Permits. Ask your installer who pulls the permit. Whether one is needed, and who handles it, is a question for the installer before the quote is signed.
What the written quote should list
Whoever measures your yard, the quote should break the job into these separate lines. A single number makes it impossible to see whether removal is included or how the gates were priced, and impossible to compare two bids:
- 1Footage & layoutTotal linear feet, fence height, and where the line runs — drawn or described so you can check it.
- 2Old-fence removal & haul-offTaking down and hauling away the existing fence, priced on its own line — or stated as not included.
- 3Materials & postsFence material and style, post type and spacing, and how posts are set.
- 4Gates & hardwareEach gate's width and type, plus hinges, latches, and any hardware upgrades.
If one quote leaves a line out, ask about it. A cheaper total that does not include hauling off the old fence, or that prices a single walk gate when you asked for two, is not really cheaper.
How a request moves from here
When you call (225) 351-2857 or send the form, tell us roughly how many feet, what material you are leaning toward, how many gates, and whether there is an old fence to remove. Your request goes to one local installer, who arranges a visit to measure and puts a quote in writing. The quote, the contract, and the work are all between you and that installer. Already have a fence that needs work instead? See fence repair in Baton Rouge.