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01 / 09Wood fence installation cost across the GTA — pressure-treated versus cedar, per-foot and per-panel pricing, plus removal of the old fence.
Wood fence pricing starts with the species and the build. Pressure-treated softwood is the economical option and the most common privacy fence in the GTA. Western red cedar costs more, stays straighter as it dries, and has natural oils that resist decay. A frequent middle path is pressure-treated posts and rails with a cedar board face, since the parts in the ground and out of sight do not need to be the attractive ones.
Construction style is the next variable. A board-on-rail fence built on site costs more in labour than prebuilt panels but follows slope without gaps and handles odd angles. Height steps the price, and so does whether the fence is solid privacy, board-on-board, or spaced picket, since each uses a different amount of lumber per foot.
Replacement costs more than a new fence on clear ground because the old fence has to come out first, footings included, and be hauled away. Before committing to full replacement it is worth knowing which part actually failed:
A wood fence also carries an ownership cost that chain link and vinyl do not, since it needs cleaning and re-sealing periodically to hold its appearance. We assess what is salvageable, say so plainly, and quote a fixed written price for the work that is genuinely needed.
Species and build are the first fork, and there is a sensible middle option people often miss.
| Build | What it is | Where it sits on cost |
|---|---|---|
| Pressure-treated softwood | The economical option and the most common privacy fence in the GTA | Lowest |
| Pressure-treated posts and rails with a cedar board face | The parts in the ground and out of sight do not need to be the attractive ones | Middle |
| Western red cedar throughout | Stays straighter as it dries, and natural oils resist decay | Highest |
Construction style moves the number again. Prebuilt panels are cheaper in labour; a board-on-rail fence built on site follows slope without gaps and handles odd angles.
For a hundred feet of wood fence, three choices set the price before site conditions are even considered. The species: pressure-treated lumber is the accessible option and western red cedar sits above it, with better natural rot resistance and a finish most people prefer. The board pattern: plain vertical privacy uses the least material, shadowbox more, and board-on-board the most — but board-on-board stays gap-free as the wood shrinks.
And the post size, where a six-by-six resists twisting better than a four-by-four over a long run. On top of that comes gate count, removal and disposal of the existing fence, and any section that has to be hand-dug. We measure the real run, confirm your municipality's height limit, and issue a fixed written price.
Six feet is the common backyard privacy height across the GTA and it is what most of our wood fence work is built to. Cost tracks the species, the board pattern and the post size, then adjusts for your site. At six feet the fence catches real wind load, so post size and depth matter more than they do on a low fence — this is not the place to save money on a four-by-four where a six-by-six belongs.
Check the by-law before committing to a height: municipalities in the region set their own maximums for rear and side yards, and front yards are usually restricted further. A lattice or decorative top can sometimes add visual height where the by-law allows it. We confirm the applicable limit for your address as part of the quote.
In most Ontario municipalities a residential fence built within the by-law height does not need a building permit, but it does have to comply with the local fence by-law, and those differ from city to city across the GTA. The by-law governs maximum height in rear, side and front yards, what is allowed on a corner lot where sightlines matter, and materials in some cases. Pool enclosures are the significant exception: they are separately regulated, require a permit in most municipalities, and have specific rules for height, climbability, gate self-closing and self-latching hardware.
Heritage districts and some site-plan-controlled properties add their own approvals. Utility locates are legally required before digging regardless of whether a permit is. We confirm what applies to your address before the job is booked.
Ontario's Line Fences Act sets out a process for sharing the cost of a fence built on the boundary between two properties, and the general principle is that a division fence benefits both owners. In practice, most GTA neighbours simply agree between themselves on the material, the height and the split, and that agreement is worth putting in writing before the build. Where agreement is not possible, the Act provides a fence-viewer process through the municipality. Two things change the answer: if the fence sits entirely on one side of the line it is that owner's fence and cost, and if one owner wants an upgrade beyond a basic division fence, the extra is usually theirs. We can build to a boundary line agreed by both parties and quote each side separately if that helps the conversation.
Generally not without approval, because GTA municipalities cap residential fence height and seven feet is above the usual rear and side yard maximum. The exact limit and the way height is measured — from which grade, and whether a lattice top counts — are set by the local fence by-law, so the answer depends on which city the properties are in. Where a neighbour wants extra height there is normally a variance or minor exemption process through the municipality, and it involves notice.
Corner lots are often restricted further for driver sightlines, and a pool enclosure is governed by its own rules. If a fence has already gone up and you think it exceeds the limit, municipal by-law enforcement is the route. We build to the verified limit for your address and put that height in the written quote.
For a hundred feet of wood fence, three choices set the price before site conditions are even considered. The species: pressure-treated lumber is the accessible option and western red cedar sits above it, with better natural rot resistance and a finish most people prefer. The board pattern: plain vertical privacy uses the least material, shadowbox more, and board-on-board the most — but board-on-board stays gap-free as the wood shrinks. And the post size, where a six-by-six resists twisting better than a four-by-four over a long run. On top of that comes gate count, removal and disposal of the existing fence, and any section that has to be hand-dug. We measure the real run, confirm your municipality's height limit, and issue a fixed written price.
Six feet is the common backyard privacy height across the GTA and it is what most of our wood fence work is built to. Cost tracks the species, the board pattern and the post size, then adjusts for your site. At six feet the fence catches real wind load, so post size and depth matter more than they do on a low fence — this is not the place to save money on a four-by-four where a six-by-six belongs. Check the bylaw before committing to a height: municipalities in the region set their own maximums for rear and side yards, and front yards are usually restricted further. A lattice or decorative top can sometimes add visual height where the bylaw allows it. We confirm the applicable limit for your address as part of the quote.
In most Ontario municipalities a residential fence built within the bylaw height does not need a building permit, but it does have to comply with the local fence bylaw, and those differ from city to city across the GTA. The bylaw governs maximum height in rear, side and front yards, what is allowed on a corner lot where sightlines matter, and materials in some cases. Pool enclosures are the significant exception: they are separately regulated, require a permit in most municipalities, and have specific rules for height, climbability, gate self-closing and self-latching hardware. Heritage districts and some site-plan-controlled properties add their own approvals. Utility locates are legally required before digging regardless of whether a permit is. We confirm what applies to your address before the job is booked.
Ontario's Line Fences Act sets out a process for sharing the cost of a fence built on the boundary between two properties, and the general principle is that a division fence benefits both owners. In practice, most GTA neighbours simply agree between themselves on the material, the height and the split, and that agreement is worth putting in writing before the build. Where agreement is not possible, the Act provides a fence-viewer process through the municipality. Two things change the answer: if the fence sits entirely on one side of the line it is that owner's fence and cost, and if one owner wants an upgrade beyond a basic division fence, the extra is usually theirs. We can build to a boundary line agreed by both parties and quote each side separately if that helps the conversation.
Generally not without approval, because GTA municipalities cap residential fence height and seven feet is above the usual rear and side yard maximum. The exact limit and the way height is measured — from which grade, and whether a lattice top counts — are set by the local fence bylaw, so the answer depends on which city the properties are in. Where a neighbour wants extra height there is normally a variance or minor exemption process through the municipality, and it involves notice. Corner lots are often restricted further for driver sightlines, and a pool enclosure is governed by its own rules. If a fence has already gone up and you think it exceeds the limit, municipal bylaw enforcement is the route. We build to the verified limit for your address and put that height in the written quote.
