Wood fence cost in Washington
Statewide estimate from BLS wages and BEA prices. Reviewed Nov 4, 2026.
- Statewide range (150 linear ft)
- $3,450 – $8,550
- Per linear ft
- $22.50 – $56
- before permit
- Versus US midpoint
- +12%
- US $5,350
- Metros covered
- 7
Washington prices for wood fence: $3,450 to $8,550 for 150 linear ft, or $22.50 to $56 per linear ft without the permit. The state midpoint is 12% above the national one. Local wages for carpenters are $35.67 an hour.
Inside Washington, the metros we cover range from $5,600 (Yakima) to $6,050 (Seattle) at the midpoint. Pick your closest city in the table for a tighter number.
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Estimated cost for 150 linear ft in Washington (statewide), standard level
$4,950 to $7,000
About $32.50 to $46 per linear ft before permits. Labor is about 46% of the bill.
| Part | Low | High |
|---|---|---|
| Materials | $2,500 | $3,750 |
| Labor | $2,400 | $3,100 |
| Permits and fees | $80 | $130 |
| Total | $4,950 | $7,000 |
Cost breakdown for 150 linear ft in Washington
| Part of the job | Low | Midpoint | High | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Materials | $1,550 | $3,150 | $4,700 | 52% |
| Labor | $1,850 | $2,750 | $3,650 | 46% |
| Permits and fees | $45 | $100 | $160 | 2% |
| Total | $3,450 | $6,000 | $8,550 | 100% |
Wood fence: what moves the price in Washington
Wood species
A 6-ft privacy fence is $25-$50 per linear foot installed; an 8-ft one goes up to $75. Tropical hardwood privacy fences run $35-$55 (HomeGuide).
Style
Split-rail and picket styles are cheaper to build than privacy fence, which uses more boards and takes more labor.
Height and permits
Fences over about 6 ft often need a permit and a setback check. Permits run $40-$150.
Slope and soil
Hills, rock, and tree roots slow post digging.
Composite
A composite wood-look privacy fence is $55-$85 per linear foot installed (HomeGuide).
Quality levels and sizes in Washington
The cited range is cut into three overlapping bands (basic, standard and premium) and scaled to statewide Washington wages and prices. The grid prices the same bands at 4 common sizes.
Basic
$3,450 to $5,500
Pine pickets or split rail, 4 ft
Standard
$4,950 to $7,000
6-ft cedar or treated privacy fence
Premium
$6,500 to $8,550
Premium hardwood or 8-ft privacy fence
| Size | Basic | Standard | Premium |
|---|---|---|---|
| backyard (100 linear ft) | $2,300 – $3,700 | $3,350 – $4,700 | $4,350 – $5,750 |
| 150 ft (150 linear ft) | $3,450 – $5,500 | $4,950 – $7,000 | $6,500 – $8,550 |
| 200 ft (200 linear ft) | $4,600 – $7,300 | $6,600 – $9,300 | $8,600 – $11,300 |
| full lot (300 linear ft) | $6,850 – $10,900 | $9,850 – $13,900 | $12,900 – $16,900 |
How Washington compares with nearby states
Washington ranks 6 of 51 (the 50 states plus DC) for wood fence, where 1 is the most expensive. The costliest is Hawaii at $6,800 and the cheapest Arkansas at $4,650, both for 150 linear ft at the midpoint. Washington sits at $6,000. The five states closest by workforce center are listed below.
| State | Distance | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oregon | 170 miles away | $3,200 – $8,050 | $5,650 | −6% |
| Idaho | 380 miles away | $2,850 – $7,200 | $5,050 | −16% |
| Montana | 500 miles away | $3,000 – $7,500 | $5,250 | −13% |
| Utah | 650 miles away | $2,850 – $7,250 | $5,050 | −16% |
| Nevada | 780 miles away | $3,050 – $7,600 | $5,300 | −11% |
Which Washington city is cheapest for wood fence?
1 of the 7 metros sit above the statewide midpoint of $6,000, and the top-to-bottom gap is 9%. Each row prices the default size with that metro's own BLS wages and BEA price levels, so the gap between rows is real local variation rather than a flat markup.
| Metro | Range (150 linear ft) | Midpoint | vs. state |
|---|---|---|---|
| Seattle, WA | $3,500 – $8,650 | $6,050 | +1% |
| Bellingham, WA | $3,450 – $8,550 | $6,000 | level |
| Bremerton, WA | $3,300 – $8,200 | $5,750 | −4% |
| Kennewick, WA | $3,250 – $8,200 | $5,700 | −4% |
| Olympia, WA | $3,250 – $8,100 | $5,650 | −5% |
| Spokane, WA | $3,200 – $8,000 | $5,600 | −6% |
| Yakima, WA | $3,200 – $8,000 | $5,600 | −7% |
What carpenters and the other trades earn in Washington
Statewide wages come from BLS's state-level estimates, which blend big cities with small towns and rural areas. 2 trades drive the labor line for this job, and the weighted ratio against the national wage level is 1.22 for Washington.
For carpenters (47-2031, weighted 60%) the local median is $35.67 an hour, which is 22% above the national $29.12. The middle half of them earn between $29.15 and $44.55 an hour. BLS counts 26,960 of them working in the state, 75.9 for every 10,000 jobs (US: 43.1), so the local bench is deeper than average.
Construction laborers (47-2061), 40% of the weighting: a median of $27.75 an hour, 22% above the US median of $22.66. The middle half of them earn between $22.56 and $34.69 an hour. About 25,060 work in the state. That is 70.6 per 10,000 jobs, compared with 70.5 nationally, so the supply of crews looks typical.
A crew paid at the 75th percentile for carpenters ($44.55 an hour) would add about $410 to the statewide midpoint; one at the 25th percentile ($29.15) would take off about $300. Use that as a rough guide to how far a bid can sit from our midpoint on wages alone.
BLS counts 3,550,970 jobs across Washington (May 2025), which is 2.3% of US employment.
| Trade | Weight | 25th pct | Median | 75th pct | US median | Ratio | Level used |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Carpenters (47-2031) | 60% | $29.15 | $35.67 | $44.55 | $29.12 | 1.22 | state |
| Construction laborers (47-2061) | 40% | $22.56 | $27.75 | $34.69 | $22.66 | 1.22 | state |
| Blended | 100% | 1.22 | |||||
When Washington weather lets you install
Season matters for wood fence. For each Washington metro below we took NOAA's 1991-2020 monthly normals from the nearest suitable station and counted comfortable months for exterior installation.
Seattle has the longest comfortable season of the metros we cover in Washington at 12 months; Kennewick has the shortest at 8 (February through June and September through November). Rainfall runs from 8 inches a year in Kennewick to 57 inches in Bremerton.
We do not adjust prices by month, because we have no reliable published data on seasonal pricing. Timing is still worth raising when you collect bids.
| Metro | Jan avg low °F | Jul avg high °F | Precip (in/yr) | Comfortable months |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Seattle | 37 | 77 | 38 | 12: all year |
| Spokane | 26 | 87 | 17 | 9: March through November |
| Olympia | 33 | 78 | 51 | 12: all year |
| Kennewick | 28 | 93 | 8 | 8: February through June and September through November |
| Yakima | 24 | 90 | 8 | 9: February through June and August through November |
| Bremerton | 36 | 77 | 57 | 12: all year |
| Bellingham | 34 | 73 | 35 | 12: all year |
Optional extras in Washington
Extras are quoted nationally and then scaled to Washington by the average of the local wage index (1.22) and goods index (1.04), a factor of 1.13. 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) | $170 – $910 |
Related projects, priced for Washington
The table prices neighboring jobs at their usual sizes using statewide Washington wages and prices. Against national midpoints, chain-link fence comes out highest (+15%) and vinyl fence lowest (+8%), because each job leans on different trades.
| Project | Size | Range | vs. US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Vinyl fence | 150 linear ft | $4,850 – $9,950 | +8% |
| Chain-link fence | 150 linear ft | $1,700 – $7,150 | +15% |
| Aluminum fence | 150 linear ft | $4,350 – $12,900 | +13% |
| Wood deck | 300 sq ft | $8,500 – $17,000 | +12% |
Get 3 local quotes
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Wood fence in Washington: your questions
+How much does it cost to install a wood fence in Washington?
$3,450 to $8,550 for 150 linear ft, using statewide wages and prices. Metro areas inside Washington can sit above or below that.
+Which city in Washington is cheapest for wood fence?
Yakima at about $5,600 (midpoint, 150 linear ft). The priciest is Seattle at $6,050.
+Is wood fence cheaper in Washington than the US average?
It is 12% more expensive: $6,000 against $5,350 for 150 linear ft at the midpoint.
+What share of the price is labor in Washington?
About 46% ($2,750). Materials are 52%. Statewide labor for this job is weighted 1.22x the national wage level.
+What do carpenters earn in Washington?
The BLS statewide median is $35.67 an hour, against $29.12 for the US. The 25th to 75th percentile range is $29.15 to $44.55.
+Where does Washington rank for wood fence costs?
6th most expensive of 51 (the 50 states plus DC) at the midpoint, $6,000 for 150 linear ft. Rank 1 is the costliest.
+What do basic and premium wood fence work cost in Washington?
For 150 linear ft, basic work runs $3,450 to $5,500 and premium work $6,500 to $8,550. Basic means: pine pickets or split rail, 4 ft. Premium means: premium hardwood or 8-ft privacy fence.
+Does the season matter for wood fence in Washington?
Yes where winters or summers are hard. Of the Washington metros we cover, Seattle has the most comfortable months (12 of 12) based on NOAA 1991-2020 normals. Our prices do not change by month, so ask contractors whether they charge more or less in busy and slow seasons.
+What does "add one gate" add in Washington?
$170 to $910, from a national range scaled by the statewide wage and goods indexes.
Wood fence by city in Washington
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 Wood Fence Cost? (2026) (accessed November 4, 2026)
- HomeGuide: 2026 Building Permit Costs | Fees & Cost Calculator (accessed November 4, 2026)
- HomeGuide: How Much Does a Vinyl Fence Cost? (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