Quick Answer
Professional fence installation labor costs $1.00–$2.50 per linear foot for wire fence, or $6–$12 per linear foot for board fence. A 2-person professional crew installs 600–1,200 feet of wire fence per day or 200–400 feet of board fence. For a 40-acre property, labor alone runs $5,000–$13,000 for wire fence and $30,000–$65,000 for board fence perimeter.
Labor Rate Breakdown
| Fence Type | Labor Rate/LF | Crew Days/1000 LF |
|---|---|---|
| Single-strand electric | $0.50–$1.00 | 0.5–1 day |
| High-tensile electric (5 strand) | $1.00–$2.00 | 1–2 days |
| Woven wire field fence | $1.50–$2.50 | 1.5–2.5 days |
| Barbed wire (4 strand) | $0.80–$1.50 | 1–1.5 days |
| Board fence (4 board) | $6–$12 | 3–6 days |
What Affects Labor Rates
Terrain: Flat, open ground is baseline. Rocky terrain adds 50–100% to labor time. Dense brush requiring clearing adds 30–60%. Steep slopes add 30–80%.
Region: Labor rates are highest in the Northeast and West Coast ($25–$45/hour per worker), lower in the Southeast and Midwest ($18–$30/hour). A 2-person crew at 8 hours and $25/hour each = $400/day in labor — that's $0.40/LF for 1,000 feet of simple wire fence, plus equipment and overhead.
Project size: Small jobs (under 1,000 feet) typically carry a minimum charge of $500–$1,500 to cover mobilization. Large projects (5+ miles) often receive 10–20% volume discounts.
Getting Accurate Quotes
Get at least 3 quotes from local fence contractors. Provide: a map or satellite image with the fence line marked, the fence type and specification you want, soil and terrain description, and any specific requirements (concrete corners, number of gates). A written quote that specifies materials AND labor separately is more useful than a single per-foot number for comparison.
Our Recommendation
For most wire fence projects, DIY installation saves $0.80–$2.00 per linear foot in labor — enough to offset the cost of a quality post driver rental many times over. For board fence, the labor savings from DIY are even larger but the work is more demanding. Hire professionals when: terrain is difficult, time is critical, or you've never built the fence type before and the project is too large to learn on.