Cost guide · Des Moines & Polk County, IA
Fence Installation Cost in Des Moines, IA (2026)
As of October 2026, national cost guides put an installed wood fence at $20–$50 per linear foot, vinyl at $30–$60 per linear foot and chain link at $9–$30 per linear foot — about $3,000–$9,000 for a 150-foot Des Moines backyard in wood or vinyl. No Des Moines fence company publishes installed prices, so these are the national yardsticks, labelled as such, with what moves a quote up or down here.
Published October 26, 2026 · Figures and rules checked against the sources listed at the end of this page.
Installed price per linear foot, by material
Fence quotes are priced per linear foot of fence line, installed — materials, posts, concrete or gravel, labor and cleanup. Gates, tear-out of an old fence and anything unusual about the yard are usually extra lines on the same quote.
| Material | Installed, per linear foot | Material only, per foot |
|---|---|---|
| Chain link | $9–$30 | — |
| Wood | $20–$50 | $10–$30 |
| Aluminum | $25–$75 | $15–$50 |
| Vinyl (PVC) | $30–$60 | $25–$45 |
| Composite | $20–$85 | — |
| Wrought iron | $50–$85 | — |
The gap between the installed and material-only columns is roughly what labor, posts, setting material and overhead add. It is the part of a quote that varies most between contractors.
What a whole fence costs, by length
HomeGuide's totals for a wood or vinyl fence. Measure your own run before you compare: the rows above run from 100 to 200 feet, and a corner lot or a large suburban lot can run longer.
| Fence length | Installed total |
|---|---|
| 50 linear feet | $1,000–$3,000 |
| 100 linear feet | $2,000–$6,000 |
| 150 linear feet | $3,000–$9,000 |
| 200 linear feet | $4,000–$12,000 |
| 300 linear feet | $6,000–$18,000 |
HomeAdvisor reports a different cut of the same market — what homeowners say they paid for a whole project — with a normal range of $1,860–$4,844 and an average of $3,277 (reported projects ran from $425 to $13,700). Their range sits lower than HomeGuide's per-foot math because many reported projects are short runs and partial fences.
Privacy, picket, rail and height
| Style or height | Installed, per linear foot | Des Moines rule that applies |
|---|---|---|
| Privacy fence | $25–$60 | Up to 6 ft; not allowed in the front yard |
| 6-foot fence | $25–$60 | The side- and rear-yard maximum |
| 8-foot fence | $50–$85 | Over the 6-ft limit — needs the City planning office (variance) |
| Picket fence | $20–$50 | Up to 3 ft in a front yard; 6 ft elsewhere |
| Rail fence | $15–$35 | Not a front-yard option — front yards allow picket or metal only, 3 ft max |
The rule column is from the City of Des Moines Residential Fence FAQ, read 2026-10-26. Suburbs (West Des Moines, Ankeny, Urbandale and others) and the unincorporated county areas have their own codes — see the service-area page for the ones we have read.
What adds to a Des Moines fence quote
- Tearing out the old fence. Removal and disposal runs $10–$20 per linear foot on HomeGuide's numbers; replacement jobs are quoted at $30–$80 per linear foot for that reason.
- Gates. Each gate is its own line — a single walk gate, a double drive gate, or an automatic opener are very different prices. Ask for gates itemized.
- Knowing where the line is. The City lets you build up to the property line, but you have to know where it is. A land survey runs $200–$1,200 nationally; on an older Des Moines lot with no visible pins it can be cheaper than a fence on the wrong side of the line.
- The permit and the plan. Almost every privacy fence in Des Moines needs a permit. Some contractors pull it and include the fee; others leave it to you. Ask which.
- Posts and ground. Central Iowa ground freezes and heaves. How deep posts are set and what they are set in is one of the biggest differences between a cheap quote and a durable one — ask each contractor what depth and setting method they use, and compare.
- Slope, trees and access. Stepping panels down a grade, working around mature trees, or carrying material through a narrow side yard all add labor.
- Historic districts. In a local historic district the City requires a Certificate of Appropriateness and does not allow chain link — the material choice and the approval step both move the price.
Repairs, for comparison
If the fence is mostly sound, a repair is usually far cheaper than a new run. HomeGuide puts minor repairs at $100–$300, standard repairs (a panel or one or two posts) at $300–$900 and major repairs at $900–$2,500; a single damaged post runs $250–$600. The fence repair page covers when a repair stops making sense.
How to use these numbers with a real quote
- Get at least two written quotes, priced per linear foot, with gates and tear-out as separate lines.
- Divide each quote's fence line total by the footage. If it falls inside the range for that material, the price is ordinary; if it is far outside, ask why.
- Ask what depth posts are set to and in what, who pulls the permit, and whether the quote includes the inspection.
- Check the contractor's Iowa registration before you sign — it takes about five minutes.
Method and recheck date
Every figure on this page — and every dollar figure anywhere on this site — comes from one list of sources, each read on 2026-10-26. We checked the Des Moines fence companies that rank for fence searches here; none publishes installed prices, so the figures are national cost-guide ranges rather than Des Moines quotes. They will be rechecked by 2027-04-26. If a local company publishes prices before then, they go in next to the national ranges.
Sources and dates
Every figure and rule above names where it came from and the date it was read. If a source disagrees with a quote you receive, the quote wins — it reflects your yard, your fence line, and this season's demand. Prices are rechecked at least every six months.
- HomeGuide, "How Much Does Fence Installation Cost? (2026)" — read October 26, 2026. Per-foot ranges by material, design and height; totals by length; removal and survey add-ons.
- HomeAdvisor, "How Much Does It Cost to Install a Fence?" (updated Jun 20, 2026) — read October 26, 2026. Project-total range and average.
- HomeGuide, "How Much Does Fence Repair Cost? (2026)" — read October 26, 2026. Repair ranges, cross-linked to the repair page.
- City of Des Moines, Residential Fence FAQ (Permit & Development Center) — read October 26, 2026. Height limits, permit triggers, 7–10 day processing. No fee is listed.
- Polk County Public Works, "Fence & Retaining Wall Permit Application and Checklist" (2022 form) — read October 26, 2026. Unincorporated Polk County: 5–7 business-day review.