Fence cost per metre: what actually drives the price

Why the price is always a range, not a number

A fence is priced by the metre because it is the easiest way to compare quotes, but the metre price hides everything that actually costs money: how many posts go in, how deep they need to sit, how much of the run is straight and how much has to work around a slope, a tree, or a gate. Two 20-metre fences of the same material can differ by hundreds of euros once ground and access are accounted for.

Quoted ranges you will see for Tallinn in 2026 typically span 40–90 € per metre for a simple timber or mesh fence and 90–180 € per metre for a solid timber, metal panel, or masonry-post fence with gates. Treat any number outside a range with suspicion until you know what it excludes.

What each material costs per metre

Chain-link or welded mesh on steel posts is the cheapest option, usually landing around 25–45 € per metre in materials and labour combined, mainly because posts are quick to set and the mesh itself is inexpensive. A timber picket or board fence sits higher, around 45–90 € per metre, depending on board spacing, timber quality, and whether it is painted or oiled on site.

Solid timber privacy fencing, composite panels, or a metal fence with welded frames tend to run 90–150 € per metre, and masonry or stone-clad posts with infill panels can go beyond that. Gates are priced separately from the running fence, since a single gate involves more steel, more welding, and more precise fitting than a metre of straight run.

How height and ground conditions change the price

Height affects both material volume and post depth: a 1.8-metre fence needs posts set deeper and braced better than a 1-metre one, particularly on Estonia's clay-heavy or waterlogged soils where frost heave is a real concern. Going from a 1-metre to a 1.8-metre fence typically adds 20–40 % to the metre price, not because the fence looks bigger but because the foundations underneath do more work.

Sloped or rocky ground adds cost on top of that. A sloped run either needs stepped panels or a fence that follows the grade, both of which mean more measuring and cutting per metre. Rocky or filled ground can turn a twenty-minute post hole into an hour with a breaker bar, and that time gets billed. A plot with several large boulders or old foundation rubble under the topsoil is worth mentioning when you first describe the job, since it changes the quote before work even starts.

What is usually included and what counts as extra

A fixed quote for a full fence normally includes materials, post setting, panel or board fitting, and basic site cleanup. It does not normally include removing an old fence, disposing of large amounts of soil or rubble, or repainting an existing section you want to keep. These are worth asking about explicitly, because they are the items most often assumed by one side and not the other.

Materials bought on your behalf carry a 10 % handling fee, or you can supply them yourself and pay only for labour, which suits anyone who already has timber or panels sourced. Any welding needed for metal gates, frames, or posts is priced separately, from 55 € per hour, since it is a different skill and different equipment from fitting a timber panel.

• Usually included: materials as quoted, post setting, panel or board fitting, basic cleanup
• Usually extra: removing an old fence, hauling away soil or rubble, repainting kept sections
• Separate rate: welding for metal gates and frames, from 55 € per hour
• Your choice: supply materials yourself, or we buy them with a 10 % handling fee
• Worth flagging early: known rocky or filled ground, slope, or tree roots along the line

When hourly work makes sense and when to ask for a fixed price

Small jobs, such as straightening a leaning section, replacing a few rotten boards, or resetting a post that has heaved with the frost, are billed hourly from 45 € per hour, with a one-hour minimum and 30-minute steps after that. This suits repair work precisely because nobody can predict in advance how stuck an old post will be or how much of the rail needs replacing until the work is underway.

A full new fence around a plot should be priced as a fixed quote, valid for 30 days, because the total run length, gate count, and ground conditions are known before work starts and both sides benefit from a firm figure. A fixed quote also means the invoice at the end matches what was agreed, rather than depending on how the ground behaved on the day.

Getting an accurate figure for your own plot

The fastest way to a real number is to describe the run in metres, the material you have in mind, and roughly how many gates or corners it needs, ideally with a few photos of the ground and access. A callout to look at the site in person costs 25 € within Tallinn, deducted from the bill if the work goes ahead, and is worth it whenever the ground is uneven or you are unsure what is underneath it.

Access matters more than people expect: a plot a van can reach directly is faster and cheaper to fence than one where materials have to be carried thirty metres by hand, and that difference shows up in the quote. Mentioning access, slope, and any buried obstacles upfront is what turns a rough per-metre guess into a number you can actually budget against.