Fence estimate template with runs, posts and gates

Survey the job run by run

Label the proposed runs on a sketch and measure each one. Record height, style, grade changes, corners, terminations and gate locations. Do not treat a homeowner's sketch or an existing fence as proof of the legal boundary. State who supplies any needed survey information and obtains HOA or local approvals.

Inspect working access and the existing fence. Restricted access, demolition, spoil removal, vegetation and difficult ground can change crew time and equipment needs. Confirm the applicable utility-location process before excavation; calling 811 starts the process in the United States, but marking coverage and local requirements must still be checked.

• Runs: measured length, height, material, slope and finish.
• Gates: clear opening, style, hardware and operating direction.
• Site: access width, removal, known obstructions and boundary confirmation.

Copyable estimate template

Start with your legal or trade name, business contact details, customer name, job address, estimate number, issue date and validity period. Add the scope below, replacing the bracketed fields with your site measurements and supplier quotes. This is a written example you can copy into your own estimate, not a submitted quote or a promised software import.

For each charge, show quantity, unit, unit price and line total. Group fixed-price work separately from allowances and optional upgrades. Finish with the subtotal, applicable tax, total, payment terms, anticipated schedule, exclusions and how the customer can accept. Verify contract, tax, licensing and deposit requirements in your jurisdiction before using it.

Worked scope example: two runs and a gate

Suppose a hypothetical layout has 60 feet on one side and 40 feet across the rear, with a 4-foot gate occupying part of the rear run. If the 100-foot layout includes the gate opening, identify 96 feet of fence infill plus one gate. If the measured runs exclude the opening, say so. This prevents charging for both fence infill and a gate in the same space.

List the fence material and height, gate hardware, demolition length and restoration separately. Calculate post quantities from the actual approved layout and system specification rather than assuming a universal spacing. The example explains measurement, not structural design or a per-foot market rate.

Calculate the selling price from your own costs

Build the job cost from loaded labor, materials and subcontractor quotes, equipment, disposal and an allocated share of overhead. Loaded labor includes the cost of employing the crew, not only the hourly wage. Allow time for setup, travel, collection of materials and cleanup. Avoid adding the same overhead or contingency twice.

If your cost includes overhead and your target margin on the selling price is 20%, divide cost by 0.80. A hypothetical $2,000 cost would sell for $2,500 before applicable tax, leaving $500 at that margin. A 20% markup would instead sell for $2,400 and produce a lower margin. These figures illustrate arithmetic, not local rates or a recommended profit target.

Check actual time and supplier costs against the estimate after the job. Keep separate benchmarks for easy-access work and labor-intensive conditions; a single unit price can hide very different production times. Use the job-cost and markup-versus-margin calculators linked below to check your assumptions.

Make boundaries, ground conditions and changes explicit

Avoid a blanket promise to build wherever the customer indicates. Record the agreed layout and who verifies ownership boundaries and permissions. State how rock, buried debris, unmarked private utilities or a revised gate location will be assessed and priced if encountered.

Treat a change in height, material or layout as a scope revision. Write down the adjustment and obtain approval before ordering or building. Do not imply that a signed price removes the contractor's duty to follow applicable safety, permit or utility requirements.

From accepted estimate to scheduled job and invoice

Keep the inquiry, property details, estimate version and follow-up notes together. Agree the scope and payment terms before booking the work. When something changes, record the revised scope and price and obtain the customer's agreement before proceeding; do not quietly add work to the original total.

SimpliPilot brings CRM, branded estimates, invoices and scheduling together on every plan. Use those tools to organize the customer and job rather than treating this worksheet as a technical design or contract. Grow and Scale add time clock, time entries and team time tracking; those tools do not process payroll. Check the current pricing page for plan permissions and limits.

Fence estimate questions

Is a per-foot price enough? It can be a useful summary, but it should not conceal gates, demolition or unusual ground work. Show what the measured footage includes and which items carry separate charges.

Should removal be included? Only if it is explicitly scoped. Name the existing material, measured removal quantity, disposal responsibility and any limits around concrete or concealed obstructions. A fence replacement and a new fence on an open site are different jobs.