How much does a paling fence cost per metre in Melbourne?

There is no single per-metre number that is honest for every property, because the same fence style prices differently with height, rail count, capping, access, slope, old fence removal and gates. Published per-metre price lists are starting points that move once someone sees your boundary. The accurate way to price a paling fence is to measure your actual fence line; an online estimator that lets you draw your boundary on a map gives you a real figure for your property in about two minutes.

What is included in a paling fence quote?

A complete quote should include treated pine posts set in concrete, three rails for a 1.8m fence, palings, nails and fixings, labour and cleanup. Common extras that are often excluded and charged separately: demolition and tip fees for the old fence, vegetation removal along the line, plinth boards, capping, gates, and difficult access. Always check which side of the line each item sits on before comparing quotes.

Does my neighbour have to pay half for a paling fence?

For a standard dividing fence between two homes in Victoria, the Fences Act position is that neighbours normally share the cost of a sufficient dividing fence equally. If you want something above a sufficient standard, you usually pay the difference. There is a formal notice process for seeking a contribution.

Is a lapped and capped paling fence worth the extra cost?

Often, yes. Lapping closes the gaps between palings for privacy, and capping protects the vulnerable end grain of the palings from water, which is where weathering starts. The result is a more private fence that typically lasts years longer, for a moderate per-metre premium over a standard butted paling fence.

Paling fence cost per metre in Melbourne

The seven things that actually set the price, what quotes include and leave out, and how to get a real figure for your boundary in 2 minutes.

Expanse Fencing › Guides › Paling fence cost

Quick answer A paling fence is priced by the linear metre, but no single per-metre number is honest for every property: height, rail count, lapping and capping, access, slope, old fence removal and gates all move the figure. Published price lists online are bait numbers that change once someone sees your boundary. The accurate path: measure your actual fence line. Our online estimator lets you draw your boundary on a satellite map and prices it instantly, for your property, not a hypothetical one.

The seven things that set a paling fence price

Driver	How it moves the price
1. Length	The biggest driver. Priced per linear metre; longer runs spread fixed costs so the per-metre rate can improve.
2. Height	1.8m is the Melbourne standard. Taller means longer posts, more paling timber and more labour per metre.
3. Rails	Three rails is the proper standard for 1.8m. Two-rail quotes are cheaper and sag years earlier; compare like for like.
4. Lapped and capped	Lapping closes paling gaps for privacy; capping protects the paling end grain. A moderate premium that buys privacy and years of life.
5. Old fence removal	Demolition and tip fees are real costs. Some quotes include them, many exclude them; ours itemises them separately at the measure.
6. Access and slope	Tight side access, stepped fencing on sloped blocks and hand digging near services all add labour.
7. Gates	Each gate is a fixed add-on: posts, hardware and fitting.

Why online per-metre price lists mislead

Fencing sites that publish a flat per-metre rate are quoting the best case: standard height, easy access, flat ground, no demolition, no vegetation, no gates. Almost no real boundary is that fence. The published number gets you on the phone, then the real quote arrives after the site visit and it is rarely lower. That is why we publish our estimator instead of a rate card: it prices your measured length instantly and the figure is built from your actual boundary, then a formal quote is confirmed at an on-site measure, credited toward the job.

What a complete quote includes

Included in a proper paling fence quote: treated pine posts set in concrete, three rails, palings, all fixings, labour, and cleanup of the build itself.
Commonly excluded and itemised separately: demolition and tip fees for the old fence, vegetation removal along the line, plinth boards, capping, gates, and difficult access. We state these exclusions up front in the estimate and price them at the measure so there are no surprises on the day.

Comparing quotes? Line the inclusions up side by side before comparing totals. A cheaper total with two rails, dirt-set posts and no demolition is not the same product.

Splitting the cost with your neighbour

On a shared boundary, Victorian neighbours normally split the cost of a sufficient dividing fence equally, with a formal notice process when you need a contribution. The full process, including what happens when a neighbour will not engage, is in our who pays for a dividing fence guide. Our quotes can be issued split across both parties from the start.

Getting the real number for your boundary

Open the instant estimator and type your address.
Draw your fence line on the satellite photo of your property. The length is measured for you.
Your estimate appears instantly, with package options. No phone calls, no waiting.

Price your paling fence in 2 minutes

Enter your address, draw the fence line, and get a free online instant estimate for your exact boundary. The formal quote is confirmed at an on-site measure, credited toward the job.

Get my instant estimate →

General information only, current at August 2026. Every boundary is different; the estimator prices your measured length and the figure is formalised at the on-site measure.