Chain-link fence cost in Virginia Beach, VA
Local estimate from BLS wage data and BEA price levels. Reviewed Nov 4, 2026.
- Typical range (150 linear ft)
- $1,400 – $5,400
- Per linear ft
- $9.15 – $35
- before permit
- Versus US midpoint
- −12%
- US $3,850
- Rank of 300 metros
- #247
- 1 = most expensive
Virginia Beach homeowners pay roughly $1,400 to $5,400 to install a chain-link fence at 150 linear ft, or $9.15 to $35 per linear ft (permit not included). Against the US midpoint, Virginia Beach is 12% lower. Construction laborers earn a median of $18.51 an hour in the Virginia Beach area, 18% below the US median of $22.66.
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Estimated cost for 150 linear ft in Virginia Beach, VA, standard level
$2,600 to $4,200
About $17 to $27 per linear ft before permits. Labor is about 57% of the bill.
| Part | Low | High |
|---|---|---|
| Materials | $1,200 | $1,600 |
| Labor | $1,350 | $2,500 |
| Permits and fees | $70 | $110 |
| Total | $2,600 | $4,200 |
Cost breakdown for 150 linear ft in Virginia Beach, VA
| Part of the job | Low | Midpoint | High | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Materials | $870 | $1,400 | $1,900 | 41% |
| Labor | $500 | $1,950 | $3,350 | 57% |
| Permits and fees | $40 | $95 | $150 | 3% |
| Total | $1,400 | $3,400 | $5,400 | 100% |
Why Virginia Beach prices look the way they do
Labor is 57% of the midpoint bill here, against 60% nationally. The mix of trades behind this job is construction laborers (60%), carpenters (40%). We weight each trade's local median wage by that share and compare it with the national median. In Virginia Beach the blended ratio comes out at 0.83.
On the materials line, the BEA goods price index for the Virginia Beach metro is 96.8 (US = 100). The midpoint materials bill for 150 linear ft comes to $1,400, compared with $1,450 at national prices. Permit and inspection fees are scaled by the broader index (97.9) and land at $40 to $150.
Local wages behind the labor line
Wages are the part of this estimate that changes most from town to town. 2 trades carry the job here, and each is compared with its US median. The weighted result for Virginia Beach is 0.83 times the national level.
Construction laborers (47-2061), 60% of the weighting: a median of $18.51 an hour, 18% below the US median of $22.66. The middle half of them earn between $17.29 and $21.90 an hour. About 5,660 work in the metro. That is 74.2 per 10,000 jobs, compared with 70.5 nationally, so the supply of crews looks typical.
For carpenters (47-2031, weighted 40%) the local median is $24.76 an hour, which is 15% below the national $29.12. The middle half of them earn between $22.13 and $29.02 an hour. BLS counts 4,020 of them working in the area, 52.7 for every 10,000 jobs (US: 43.1), so the local bench is deeper than average.
Quotes come from real crews, not medians. If the construction laborers on your job are paid at the 75th percentile ($21.90 an hour) instead of the median, the labor line grows by about $210. At the 25th percentile ($17.29) it shrinks by about $75. The total moves by 6.1% or 2.2%, so wages alone rarely explain a quote that is far outside our range.
For context on the local economy, BLS counts 763,060 jobs in the Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk area. That makes it the 40th largest of the 300 metros we cover, with 0.49% of US employment.
| Trade | Weight | 25th pct | Median | 75th pct | US median | Ratio | Level used |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Construction laborers (47-2061) | 60% | $17.29 | $18.51 | $21.90 | $22.66 | 0.82 | metro |
| Carpenters (47-2031) | 40% | $22.13 | $24.76 | $29.02 | $29.12 | 0.85 | metro |
| Blended | 100% | 0.83 | |||||
What nearby projects cost in Virginia Beach
Because every project leans on different trades, Virginia Beach's wage level does not move all prices equally. Against the US midpoint, vinyl fence runs −6% and gravel driveway −9%.
| Project | Size | Range | vs. US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wood fence | 150 linear ft | $2,750 – $7,000 | −9% |
| Vinyl fence | 150 linear ft | $4,300 – $8,550 | −6% |
| Aluminum fence | 150 linear ft | $3,500 – $10,700 | −7% |
| Gravel driveway | 1,000 sq ft | $2,250 – $9,250 | −9% |
Chain-link fence: what moves the price in Virginia Beach
Survey
A land survey ($300-$900) is worth it before you put a fence near a boundary.
Height
A 4-ft fence runs $10-$20 per linear foot; 6- to 8-ft backyard fences run $15-$40+ (HomeGuide).
Coating
Black or green vinyl-coated mesh costs more than galvanized.
Pick a size, pick a tier: chain-link fence pricing in Virginia Beach
Three bands are cut from the same cited range and localized for Virginia Beach wages and prices. They overlap on purpose: a good standard job and a modest premium job can cost the same. The grid below prices the same bands at 4 common sizes.
Basic
$1,400 to $3,000
4-ft galvanized, front yard
Standard
$2,600 to $4,200
6-ft galvanized backyard fence
Premium
$3,800 to $5,400
Vinyl-coated, 8 ft, extra gates
| Size | Basic | Standard | Premium |
|---|---|---|---|
| backyard (100 linear ft) | $950 – $2,050 | $1,750 – $2,850 | $2,550 – $3,650 |
| 150 ft (150 linear ft) | $1,400 – $3,000 | $2,600 – $4,200 | $3,800 – $5,400 |
| 200 ft (200 linear ft) | $1,850 – $4,000 | $3,450 – $5,550 | $5,050 – $7,150 |
| full lot (300 linear ft) | $2,800 – $5,900 | $5,150 – $8,300 | $7,500 – $10,600 |
Is Virginia Beach cheap or dear? The local comparison
Contractors rarely work more than an hour or two from home, so the neighboring metros set a rough ceiling and floor for your quotes. Midpoints for 150 linear ft range from $3,400 to $3,850 across Virginia Beach and its five closest metros.
| Area | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|
| Virginia Beach, VAthis page | $1,400 – $5,400 | $3,400 | |
| Richmond, VA70 miles | $1,450 – $5,600 | $3,500 | +4% |
| Greenville, NC100 miles | $1,400 – $5,450 | $3,450 | +1% |
| Lexington Park, MD100 miles | $1,550 – $6,100 | $3,850 | +13% |
| Raleigh, NC135 miles | $1,450 – $5,750 | $3,600 | +6% |
| Charlottesville, VA145 miles | $1,500 – $5,850 | $3,650 | +8% |
| Virginia (statewide) | $1,500 – $5,850 | $3,650 | +8% |
| United States | $1,550 – $6,150 | $3,850 | +13% |
Across 300 US metros, Virginia Beach comes in at #247 from the top. The priciest is Honolulu, HI at $5,450; the cheapest is Brownsville, TX at $3,000 (midpoints, 150 linear ft). Statewide, Virginia Beach is 7% below the Virginia figure.
Other Virginia metros
| Metro | Size | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Richmond, VA | 660,350 jobs | $1,450 – $5,600 | $3,500 | +4% |
| Roanoke, VA | 153,980 jobs | $1,400 – $5,250 | $3,300 | −2% |
| Charlottesville, VA | 114,780 jobs | $1,500 – $5,850 | $3,650 | +8% |
| Lynchburg, VA | 97,190 jobs | $1,400 – $5,300 | $3,350 | −2% |
| Blacksburg, VA | 74,070 jobs | $1,400 – $5,450 | $3,450 | +1% |
| Winchester, VA | 67,740 jobs | $1,450 – $5,550 | $3,500 | +3% |
Cities with a workforce like Virginia Beach's
Big cities and small ones price differently, so here is Virginia Beach against the 4 metros with the closest total employment.
| Metro | Size | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jacksonville, FL | 765,930 jobs | $1,450 – $5,600 | $3,550 | +4% |
| Raleigh, NC | 743,120 jobs | $1,450 – $5,750 | $3,600 | +6% |
| Milwaukee, WI | 820,780 jobs | $1,550 – $6,650 | $4,100 | +21% |
| Providence, RI | 714,120 jobs | $1,600 – $6,750 | $4,200 | +23% |
When to schedule chain-link fence in Virginia Beach
We use NOAA's 1991-2020 climate normals for Oceana Nas (5 miles from the city center). These are 30-year monthly averages, not forecasts.
Weather is not a serious constraint for exterior installation in Virginia Beach: no month in the averages is cold enough (an average daytime high under 45°F) or hot enough (an average daytime high of 90°F or more) to rule it out, so the workable window is all year.
Virginia Beach gets about 47 inches of precipitation in a normal year, including roughly 3 inches of snow. The wettest months are July, August and September (5.8 inches in July). The station averages about 32 days a year at 90°F or above.
Does the season change the price? Probably, but we do not have a sourced seasonal price curve, so the estimator shows a year-round figure and does not adjust by month. When you collect quotes, ask whether scheduling in a slower month gets a better rate.
| Month | Avg high °F | Avg low °F | Precip (in) | For this job |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 50 | 32 | 3.2 | Workable |
| Feb | 53 | 33 | 2.8 | Workable |
| Mar | 59 | 39 | 3.6 | Workable |
| Apr | 69 | 48 | 3.4 | Workable |
| May | 76 | 56 | 3.6 | Workable |
| Jun | 83 | 66 | 4.2 | Workable |
| Jul | 87 | 70 | 5.8 | Workable |
| Aug | 85 | 69 | 5.1 | Workable |
| Sep | 80 | 64 | 4.5 | Workable |
| Oct | 71 | 53 | 4.2 | Workable |
| Nov | 61 | 42 | 3.1 | Workable |
| Dec | 54 | 35 | 3.3 | Workable |
Extras that change the Virginia Beach total
Extras are quoted nationally and then scaled to Virginia Beach by the average of the local wage index (0.83) and goods index (0.97), a factor of 0.90. Tick any of them in the estimator above to add them to your total. Treat these as planning figures: an add-on touches different trades than the main job, so the scaling is an approximation.
| Add-on | Local range |
|---|---|
| Add one gate (flat) | $70 – $900 |
Get 3 local quotes
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Chain-link fence in Virginia Beach: your questions
+How much does it cost to install a chain-link fence in Virginia Beach?
For 150 linear ft, expect $1,400 to $5,400 in the Virginia Beach area. A standard-spec job lands at $2,600 to $4,200. Small jobs usually cost more per linear ft and large ones less.
+What is the price per linear ft for chain-link fence in Virginia Beach?
About $9.15 to $35 per linear ft for materials and labor, plus $40 to $150 for the permit if one is needed. The US range is $10 to $40.
+Is chain-link fence cheaper in Virginia Beach or Richmond?
Richmond is 70 miles away. The midpoint for 150 linear ft there is $3,500, which is 4% more than Virginia Beach ($3,400). Wage and materials indexes both feed that gap.
+How much of the bill is labor in Virginia Beach?
About 57% at the midpoint, or $1,950 out of $3,400. Materials are 41% and permits 3%. Nationally, labor is 60%.
+What would 200 ft (200 linear ft) cost in Virginia Beach?
$1,850 to $7,150. Pick a different size in the estimator above to get your own number.
+Does chain-link fence need a permit in Virginia Beach?
Often, but rules are set by your city or county building office, so call before you hire. Budget $40 to $150 for fees in the Virginia Beach area (our national range of $40 to $150 scaled by the local price level).
+Is Virginia Beach expensive for chain-link fence compared with the rest of Virginia?
Virginia Beach is 7% below the Virginia statewide estimate ($3,650 at the midpoint). We cover 8 metros in Virginia; see the state page to compare them.
+What do construction laborers earn in Virginia Beach?
The BLS median is $18.51 an hour in the Virginia Beach area, compared with $22.66 nationally. The 25th to 75th percentile range is $17.29 to $21.90.
+What do basic and premium chain-link fence work cost in Virginia Beach?
For 150 linear ft, basic work runs $1,400 to $3,000 and premium work $3,800 to $5,400. Basic means: 4-ft galvanized, front yard. Premium means: vinyl-coated, 8 ft, extra gates.
+Is there a bad season to install a chain-link fence in Virginia Beach?
Not from a temperature point of view. NOAA's 1991-2020 normals show no month with a freezing-level overnight low or a 90°F-plus average high, so timing is mostly about contractor availability and rain.
+What does "add one gate" add in Virginia Beach?
$70 to $900, from a national range scaled by the local wage and goods indexes.
Chain-link fence near Virginia Beach
Where these numbers come from
Base prices are national ranges from the sources below. We scale labor by local BLS wages, materials by BEA goods prices and permits by the BEA all-items price level. Full method on the methodology page.
- HomeGuide: How Much Does a Chain-Link Fence Cost? (2026) (accessed November 4, 2026)
- Visual Fence Pro: Chain Link Fence Cost & Pricing Guide for Contractors (2026) (accessed November 4, 2026)
- BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025
- BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals, 1991-2020
Note on derived figures: Materials = Visual Fence Pro's $6-$13 per foot for residential galvanized 4-6 ft fence (taller or vinyl-coated fence costs more).