Fence Designer

Draw your fence on a grid and get posts, materials, a stake-out sheet and a draft permit packet

1. Draw your fence

Draw connected runs at any angle, then drag corners, gates and posts. Everything below updates as you go.

Trace survey

2. Materials and cost

Length

100 ft

Posts

Materials

$1,926

Hire it out

$2,000 to $3,500

Item	Quantity	Cost
4x4 pressure-treated posts, 8 ft	14 posts	$252
Fast-setting concrete, 50 lb	56 bags	$392
Gravel for post holes	7 bags	$35
2x4 rails, 8 ft	36 rails	$252
Gate hardware kit	1 kits	$45
2x4 gate frame boards, 8 ft	3 boards	$21
Fence pickets, 5.5 in x 6 ft	241 pickets	$844
Galvanized ring-shank nails or exterior screws	2 boxes	$70
Rail screws or brackets	1 boxes	$15
Post caps (optional)	14 caps	-

Waste (%)

Post depth (in, 0 = auto)

8 ft post ($)

Picket ($)

Rail ($)

Concrete bag ($)

Concrete bags

Prices are editable estimates. Hire-it-out figures are typical installed ranges, not quotes.

3. Stake-out and cut list

Stake-out list

Post	From run start	Type	Hole
Run 1, 1	0 ft	end	11 x 30 in
Run 1, 2	8 ft	line	11 x 30 in
Run 1, 3	16 ft	line	11 x 30 in
Run 1, 4	24 ft	line	11 x 30 in
Run 1, 5	32 ft	line	11 x 30 in
Run 1, 6	40 ft	line	11 x 30 in
Run 1, 7	48 ft	gate	11 x 30 in
Run 1, 8	52 ft	gate	11 x 30 in
Run 1, 9	60 ft	line	11 x 30 in
Run 1, 10	68 ft	line	11 x 30 in
Run 1, 11	76 ft	line	11 x 30 in
Run 1, 12	84 ft	line	11 x 30 in
Run 1, 13	92 ft	line	11 x 30 in
Run 1, 14	100 ft	end	11 x 30 in

Spacer: Privacy: No spacer: boards butt tight

Cut list

Part	Qty	Length
Picket	210	72"
2x4 rail	36	92-1/2"
4x4 post	14	96"
Gate top and bottom rail	2	47"
Gate stile	2	66"
Gate diagonal brace	1	81"

4. Permit and HOA packet

A draft to bring to your building department or HOA. Rules vary by city, and this has not been reviewed by one.

DRAFT, verify with your building department

Owner name

Property address

Neighbor name

This fence is also a pool barrier

Checked against fence-irc-ispsc-2021

Tallest run is 6 ft.
Tool limit, DIYProject 2026. Not yet reviewed by a licensed professional.
Steepest run is 0%.
Tool limit, DIYProject 2026. Not yet reviewed by a licensed professional.
Checked against the 7 ft exemption in the model code. Many cities set lower limits, especially in front yards.
IRC R105.2, Building item 2, 2021 IRC. Not yet reviewed by a licensed professional.

DRAFT, verify with your building department

Site plan

100 ft of fence, 6 ft maximum height, 14 posts, 1 gates.

Neighbor notice

Dear neighbor,

We plan to build a privacy fence, 6 ft tall at our home, about 100 ft in total.
We will confirm the property line from our survey before digging and call 811 to mark buried utilities.
Please let us know if you have questions or concerns about the plan.

Thank you,
Your neighbor

Save this fence as a project

Keep the drawing, the materials list and the build steps together, and reopen the design any time.

Need a quick number?

For a total without drawing, use the fence calculator. For exact gaps in one section, use the picket spacing calculator.

Fence designer FAQ

How do I lay out fence posts?

Draw each run and the designer divides it into equal sections no wider than your post spacing, with a post on each side of every gate. Drag any line post to move it around a tree or rock.

Do I need a permit for a fence?

It depends on your city. Model codes exempt many fences up to 7 ft, but cities and HOAs often set lower limits, especially in front yards. The draft packet shows what your design was checked against. Confirm the rules with your building department.

Should a fence be stepped or racked on a slope?

Stepped sections stay level and drop at each post, which suits pre-built panels. Racked sections follow the ground and suit pickets and chain link. Pick a method per run and see it in the elevation view.

Can I trace my property survey?

Yes. Add a photo of your survey, tap two points with a known distance to set the scale, and draw over it.

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