🪵 Fence Cost Calculator — Materials & Labour per Kilometre
Calculate fencing materials and labour costs for your farm. Compare different fence types and plan your fencing budget accurately.
Quick answer: Plain wire: $3,000-6,000/km. Barbed wire: $5,000-9,000/km. Electric: $2,500-5,000/km. Post and rail: $15,000-30,000/km. Add 50-100% for professional installation.
🪵 Calculate Fence Cost
Total fence length
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Total Cost
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Cost per Kilometre
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Materials Cost
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Labour Cost
📐 How Fence Cost Is Calculated
Total cost = Materials cost per km × Length (km) × (1 + Labour factor) Labour factor: DIY = 0, Contractor = 0.75
Select fence type — based on stock type and boundary requirements
Measure length — use GPS or farm map
Calculate materials cost — includes posts, wire, strainers, droppers
Add labour — DIY saves money, contractor faster
Add gates — each gate adds $200-500
📊 Worked Example
2km of barbed wire fence (5-wire). Contractor installed.
Materials @ $7,000/km × 2 = $14,000 Labour @ 75% of materials = $10,500 Total cost = $24,500 ($12,250/km)
DIY would save $10,500 but take approximately 40 person-days. Compare to buying 2km of second-hand fence: $8,000-12,000.
❓ Frequently Asked Questions
Plain wire: $3,000-6,000/km. Barbed wire: $5,000-9,000/km. Electric: $2,500-5,000/km. Post and rail: $15,000-30,000/km. Netting: $8,000-15,000/km.
Timber posts $15-25 each, last 15-25 years. Steel posts $10-20 each, last 30+ years. Concrete posts $25-40 each, last 50+ years. Spacing: 10-15m between intermediate posts.
Number of posts = (Length ÷ Spacing) + 1. Wire length = Length × Number of wires × 1.05. Strainers = 2 per corner + 2 per gate.
DIY saves 50-100% on labour but takes time. Contractor costs $50-100/hour. For large fences (2km+), contractor often cheaper when time is valued. Small fences (under 500m) DIY likely cheaper.