Most fencing in Australia is priced two ways: a rate per linear metre for the run of fence, then add-ons charged per job or per item (gates, old fence removal, tricky digging). When a fencer quotes a single per-metre figure, they have baked assumptions about your site into it. The moment those are wrong, the price moves.
Fencing cost per metre by type (2026 AUD)
Typical supplied-and-installed ranges for a standard suburban job on reasonably flat ground, GST included.
- Colorbond (steel): around $95 to $180 per metre for a standard 1.8m fence. Premium colours and 2.1m+ heights push to the upper end.
- Timber paling: around $90 to $200 per metre. Treated pine at the lower end; hardwood, capped tops and lapped-and-capped finishes cost more.
- Aluminium (tubular/slat): around $180 to $400 per metre. Powder-coated and low-maintenance; slat privacy panels at the top.
- Pool fencing (glass): around $300 to $650 per metre frameless; aluminium pool fencing roughly $180 to $350. Must meet AS 1926 and council compliance.
- Brick or rendered masonry: around $650 to $1,200+ per metre because of footings, bricklaying and finish.
As a rule of thumb, a 30m back boundary in Colorbond commonly lands between $3,500 and $6,000 installed.
What actually drives the price up
Height
Going from 1.8m to 2.1m or 2.4m needs stronger posts, deeper footings and sometimes wind-load engineering. Expect a meaningful jump per metre.
Slope and uneven ground
A sloping block has to be raked or stepped, adding labour and offcuts; a steep site can add 15 to 30 per cent.
Removing the old fence
Budget roughly $20 to $50 per metre to pull down and cart away an old fence, more if posts are set in large concrete footings.
Gates
Priced per item. A Colorbond pedestrian gate might be $300 to $600; an automated driveway gate runs from $1,500 into the thousands.
Hard digging and access
Rock, clay, tree roots or buried services mean hand-digging or coring; tight side access adds cost too.
Who pays for a shared boundary fence?
A fence on the boundary is usually a dividing fence, and in most states the law (for example the Dividing Fences Act in NSW and Queensland, the Fences Act in Victoria) says adjoining owners share the cost, usually 50/50 for a fence sufficient for the purpose. You normally must give written notice before building; premium upgrades beyond standard are usually on you. This is general information, not legal advice; check your state's rules.
How to get an accurate quote
Slope, soil, access and old-fence removal are exactly what a per-metre rate cannot capture from the kerb. Compare fencing quotes in Sydney or Melbourne, or skip the back-and-forth and get an instant itemised fencing quote with a quick camera walkthrough of your boundary — it captures the length, slope, old fence and access, then breaks the price down line by line.