Timber Fence Cost Per Metre in Australia 2026

Timber is still the default backyard fence in most Australian suburbs, and still the one homeowners get the widest spread of quotes on. Ring three fencers about the same 30-metre run in Penrith, Frankston or Ipswich and a $2,000 gap between the cheapest and dearest number is normal.

That gap isn't fencers pulling prices out of thin air. It's the difference between H3 and H4 treated pine, between a flat run and a stepped one, and between a quote that includes removing the old fence and one that quietly doesn't.

This guide sets out real 2026 timber fence cost per metre rates by material and height, what's actually inside a fencing quote, how paling stacks up against hardwood, and who legally pays for a dividing fence. Want a number for your own boundary first? Run your measurements through the free fencing quote calculator.

Last updated: August 2026.

Key takeaways

• A timber paling fence in Australia costs an estimated $80–$120 per linear metre installed in 2026 at the standard 1.8 m boundary height on flat ground, or roughly $88–$132 per lm inc. GST.
• Hardwood fencing costs an estimated $130–$190 per linear metre installed — about 55% more than treated pine paling for the same run and height.
• Height is the second-biggest lever after material. Dropping from 1.8 m to 1.2 m cuts the per-metre rate by around 30%; going up to 2.1 m adds around 20%.
• Removing and disposing of an old fence adds an estimated $30–$45 per linear metre — the single most common line item missing from a cheap quote.
• Gates are priced separately, at an estimated $550–$850 installed for a standard pedestrian gate, and most fencers apply a minimum job fee of around $1,000.
• Under state dividing fence laws, your neighbour is generally liable for half the cost of a "sufficient" dividing fence — but only if you follow the notice process before the work starts.

Table of contents

1. How much does a timber fence cost per metre in Australia?
2. Timber fence cost per metre by type and height — price table
3. What's actually included in a timber fencing quote?
4. Paling fence cost per metre vs hardwood fence price
5. What drives the cost to build a timber fence up or down?
6. Who pays for a dividing fence in Australia?
7. How to keep your timber fencing quote under control
8. FAQs — timber fence costs in Australia 2026

How much does a timber fence cost per metre in Australia? {#cost-per-metre}

A standard 1.8 m treated pine paling fence costs an estimated $80–$120 per linear metre installed in Australia in 2026, with most suburban jobs landing near $90 per lm ex. GST — about $99 per lm inc. GST. Hardwood pushes that to an estimated $130–$190 per linear metre, and a low 1.2 m timber picket front fence drops back to roughly $60–$95 per linear metre.

Put in job terms: a typical 30-metre backyard boundary in treated pine paling with one pedestrian gate works out to roughly $3,350 ex. GST, or about $3,690 inc. GST on a flat, clear site. Swap to hardwood and the same run lands closer to $4,860 ex. GST (about $5,340 inc. GST). Removing the old fence adds another $900–$1,350 to either figure.

Wooden fence cost in Australia is quoted per linear metre rather than per square metre, because the fencer's real cost driver is post holes and bays, not surface area. That's also why height changes the rate by a percentage rather than doubling it — a 2.1 m fence has the same number of posts as a 1.8 m one, just longer ones and an extra rail.

If you're weighing timber against steel, our Colorbond fence cost per metre guide runs the same comparison from the other side. This is a price indication only. Your tradie will confirm the final price after assessing the job.

Timber fence cost per metre by type and height — price table {#price-table}

The cheapest timber option is a 1.2 m treated pine picket at an estimated $60–$95 per linear metre; the dearest common option is a hardwood slat feature fence at $180–$300 per linear metre. The table below sets out the 2026 ranges by material at the standard 1.8 m boundary height, on flat ground, installed.

Height multipliers applied to the same material, based on how fencers actually price a run:

Methodology. These ranges are anchored to the default installed rates inside Leadkit's own fencing quote calculator — a $75 base rate per linear metre at 1.8 m, with material multipliers of ×1.2 for timber paling and ×1.87 for hardwood, plus the height and terrain factors above. Those are Leadkit's starting rates for Australian fencers, who then adjust them to their own pricing, so treat the mid-points as a market benchmark, not a fixed price list. Leadkit builds and owns that calculator — this isn't neutral third-party survey data.

This is a price indication only. Your tradie will confirm the final price after assessing the job.

What's actually included in a timber fencing quote? {#whats-included}

A complete timber fencing quote covers posts, concrete, rails, palings, fixings, labour and site clean-up — but not necessarily old fence removal, gates, or council fees. Those three exclusions are where most quote-to-quote gaps come from.

Here's what a properly scoped job includes:

• Posts and post holes. Usually 100×100 H4 treated pine or galvanised steel, set in concrete at 2.4 m centres. "H4" is the AS 1604 hazard rating for in-ground timber — anything below H4 under the soil line will rot early, so check it on the written quote.
• Rails (stringers). Two on a 1.8 m fence, three on a 2.1 m. Skipping the third rail on a tall fence is what causes the wave you see in cheap fences after two summers.
• Palings. Typically 150 mm wide, either lapped (overlapping) or butted with a capping rail.
• Plinth or kickboard. A horizontal board at ground level that keeps palings out of wet soil and stops pets digging under.
• Labour, concrete, fixings and rubbish removal.

Across the fencing estimates generated through Leadkit's calculators, the two inputs homeowners most often get wrong on their first pass are the total run in linear metres and whether the old fence is being taken away — both move the final number by hundreds of dollars.

Ask every fencer to itemise removal, gates and the fence run separately. A quote that's $600 cheaper because it leaves your old fence stacked on the nature strip isn't actually cheaper.

Paling fence cost per metre vs hardwood fence price {#paling-vs-hardwood}

Treated pine paling costs an estimated $80–$120 per linear metre installed; hardwood costs an estimated $130–$190 — roughly 55% more up front, for around 5–10 extra years of service life. Whether that maths works depends on how long you're staying.

Treated pine paling is the volume product. It's what Bunnings and most timber yards stock, it's fast to install, and at 1.8 m it does the job on a standard suburban boundary. Expect 10–15 years before palings start cupping and splitting, longer if you oil it.

Hardwood — merbau, spotted gum, ironbark and other durability class 1 and 2 species under AS 5604 — is denser, holds its shape, and takes a stain properly. It's the right call for a front fence, a coastal block, or anywhere the fence is a design feature rather than a boundary marker. If you've already priced merbau for a deck through the decking quote calculator, the per-metre premium will look familiar — same timber market.

The middle ground a lot of Australian homeowners land on: treated pine on the side and rear boundaries, hardwood on the street-facing fence. You get the look where it's seen and the price where it isn't.

One thing that catches people out: hardwood needs oiling every 12–24 months with an exterior decking oil (Cabot's and Intergrain are the common ones) to hold its colour. Left bare, merbau silvers off within a season and bleeds tannin stains onto the pavers below it.

Want a fast ballpark for your own run? The free fencing quote calculator prices material, height, gates and ground conditions in about 60 seconds — results are an indication only, and your fencer confirms the final price.

What drives the cost to build a timber fence up or down? {#cost-drivers}

Ground conditions, access, removal and gate count explain almost all of the variation between two quotes for the same length of fence. Material and height set the base rate; these four set the multiplier.

• Slope. A raked or stepped fence needs custom-cut panels and more posts. Expect an estimated 15% loading on a sloped site and around 30% on a very steep one. If the fall needs a retaining wall first, that's a separate job — the retaining wall cost calculator covers that half of the budget.
• Rock and reactive clay. Post holes in Sydney sandstone or Melbourne's reactive clay take far longer than in loam. Some fencers price this as a per-hole extra once they've seen the site.
• Access. No side gate, a steep driveway, or a rear boundary only reachable through the house all add labour hours. Gold Coast and outer-Perth estates often quote lower simply because access is easier.
• Removal and disposal. An estimated $30–$45 per linear metre, and more if the old fence contains asbestos sheeting — common on pre-1990 boundaries, and work that must follow Safe Work Australia asbestos requirements.
• Gate count and type. A pedestrian gate runs an estimated $550–$850 installed; a double or driveway gate is a different conversation again.
• Minimum job fee. Most fencers won't mobilise for under about $1,000, so short runs carry a much higher effective per-metre rate.

Material costs matter too. The Australian Bureau of Statistics tracks sawn timber and construction input prices in its Producer Price Indexes, and those movements reach paling and post pricing within a season or two — which is why a quote from 18 months ago is no longer a useful benchmark. The Housing Industry Association reports the same trend from the builder's side.

Who pays for a dividing fence in Australia? {#dividing-fence-rules}

In every Australian state, adjoining owners generally share the cost of a "sufficient" dividing fence equally — but only if the correct notice is served before the work begins. Build first and ask later, and you may well wear the whole bill.

The rules sit in state legislation: the Dividing Fences Act 1991 in NSW, the Fences Act 1968 in Victoria, and the Neighbourhood Disputes (Dividing Fences and Trees) Act 2011 in Queensland. The mechanics are broadly the same everywhere:

1. Serve a fencing notice on your neighbour setting out the proposed fence, the type, and the estimated cost.
2. Agree in writing, or wait out the statutory response period.
3. If you can't agree, the matter goes to the relevant tribunal — NCAT in NSW, VCAT in Victoria, QCAT in Queensland.

Two practical points. First, "sufficient" usually means a standard boundary fence for the area — if you want hardwood and your neighbour wants pine, you generally cover the upgrade difference yourself. Second, the contribution doesn't apply to a fence between your property and a public road or reserve — that one's all yours. NSW Fair Trading publishes the current notice forms and process, with equivalent guidance in each state.

Also worth knowing: in NSW, residential building work valued above $5,000 inc. GST must be carried out by a licensed tradesperson. A boundary fence of any real length clears that threshold easily, so ask for the licence number before you pay a deposit.

Council approval is rarely needed for a standard 1.8 m boundary fence, but front fences are often capped at 1.2 m, and heritage overlays and corner blocks have their own rules. Pool fences are an entirely separate legal regime under AS 1926.1 — see the pool fencing cost guide if that's part of your project.

How to keep your timber fencing quote under control {#keep-on-budget}

The cheapest way to cut a fencing bill isn't a cheaper fencer — it's fewer metres, a lower height where it's allowed, and doing the demolition yourself. Those three levers move the number more than any amount of haggling.

• Measure properly before you call anyone. Walk the boundary with a tape or measuring wheel and write down each run separately. Ballpark lengths are where quotes go wrong.
• Combine runs into one job. Doing all three boundaries at once spreads the minimum job fee across more metres.
• Do your own demolition. Pulling down and stacking the old palings is a weekend of work that can save an estimated $30–$45 per linear metre. Leave the concreted posts to the fencer — they're the hard part. If there's any chance of asbestos, stop and get it assessed.
• Split materials by visibility. Hardwood on the street frontage, treated pine everywhere else.
• Get three quotes, itemised the same way, so you're comparing like with like.
• Talk to the neighbour early. A shared job agreed in writing halves your side of it.

Getting a number shouldn't take a week of phone tag. Leadkit's library runs to 202 calculators across 112 trade categories and 26 verticals, 90 of them full quote calculators built on real Australian rates — browse the calculator library if your project runs past the fence line.

FAQs — timber fence costs in Australia 2026 {#faqs}

Q: How much does a timber fence cost per metre in Australia?

A: A standard 1.8 m treated pine paling fence costs an estimated $80–$120 per linear metre installed in 2026, or roughly $88–$132 per lm inc. GST. Hardwood runs an estimated $130–$190 per linear metre, and a 1.2 m picket front fence drops to about $60–$95. The rate moves with height, ground conditions and whether an old fence needs removing. For a figure based on your actual run, the free fencing quote calculator prices material, height, gates and terrain in about a minute. This is a price indication only — your tradie confirms the final price after assessing the job.

Q: Is a paling fence cheaper than Colorbond?

A: Yes, usually — treated pine paling runs an estimated $80–$120 per linear metre installed against roughly $110–$150 for Colorbond steel at the same 1.8 m height. The gap narrows over time, because Colorbond doesn't need oiling and lasts longer before replacement, while timber palings start cupping at 10–15 years. Timber wins on up-front price, repairability (you replace one paling, not a panel) and the ability to stain it any colour. Steel wins on maintenance and termite resistance.

Q: How much does it cost to build a 20 metre timber fence?

A: A 20-metre treated pine paling fence at 1.8 m on flat ground costs an estimated $1,800–$2,400 ex. GST for the run alone, or roughly $2,450–$3,050 ex. GST with a pedestrian gate — about $2,700–$3,360 inc. GST. Removing an old fence over the same 20 metres adds an estimated $600–$900. Short runs also bump into most fencers' minimum job fee of around $1,000, so the effective per-metre rate is higher than on a 40-metre job.

Q: How long does a timber fence last in Australia?

A: A well-built treated pine paling fence lasts 10–15 years in most Australian conditions; hardwood typically lasts 15–25. The posts almost always fail before the palings, which is why the H4 in-ground treatment rating and proper concreting matter more than the paling grade. Coastal blocks, heavy shade and constant sprinkler spray all shorten that life. Oiling hardwood every 12–24 months and keeping soil and garden beds off the plinth line are the two highest-return maintenance jobs.

Q: Do I need council approval to build a timber fence?

A: Usually not for a standard boundary fence up to 1.8 m, but front fences are commonly capped at 1.2 m, and heritage, corner and bushfire-prone blocks have extra rules. Check your council's development control plan before you order materials — ten minutes now beats rebuilding later. Pool fences are separate and non-negotiable: they're governed by AS 1926.1 and need compliance certification. Fencing work over $5,000 inc. GST in NSW must also be done by a licensed tradesperson under the Home Building Act.

Q: Does my neighbour have to pay half the fence?

A: Generally yes, for a "sufficient" dividing fence — but you have to serve a fencing notice and reach agreement before the work starts. Each state has its own legislation and tribunal for disputes. If you want a higher spec than the standard for your area, you usually pay the difference. Fences facing a road, laneway or public reserve aren't shared. Get the agreement in writing, including the split, before the fencer starts — verbal deals over the back fence tend to evaporate when the invoice arrives.

Q: Is it cheaper to build a timber fence yourself?

A: Materials alone run an estimated $35–$55 per linear metre for treated pine at 1.8 m, so DIY can roughly halve the cost — if you can hire a post-hole auger and get posts plumb and on line. The catch is time and finish: a 30-metre run is a solid two weekends for two people, and a fence that isn't dead straight is visible from every window for the next decade. Most people DIY the demolition and pay a fencer for the build.

Q: What's the best timber for fencing in Australia?

A: H4-treated pine for value, merbau or spotted gum for longevity and looks. H4 is the AS 1604 rating for timber in ground contact — use nothing lower for posts. For palings, H3 treated pine is standard and fine above ground. Durability class 1 and 2 hardwoods like ironbark and spotted gum hold their shape and take stain beautifully, but cost around 55% more installed. In termite-prone areas, galvanised steel posts with timber rails and palings are a sensible hybrid.

Ready for an instant timber fencing estimate? {#final-cta}

Timber fence cost per metre in Australia lands at an estimated $80–$120 per linear metre for treated pine paling and $130–$190 for hardwood in 2026 — but the honest answer for your place depends on your run length, your ground, your gates, and whether an old fence is coming out first. Rather than guessing, put your real numbers in.

Want an instant price estimate? Use the free fencing quote calculator — takes about 60 seconds, no signup. This is a price indication only. Your tradie will confirm the final price after assessing the job.

Are you the fencer, not the homeowner? Every one of those enquiries is a lead someone else is capturing right now. Embed a free Leadkit calculator on your own site in 60 seconds — it prices the job on your rates, emails the customer a branded estimate, and drops their name, number and job details straight into your inbox. No credit card needed.