Quick Verdict
Published national guides put fence removal at $300 to $750, with a short section at the low end and a full perimeter fence with concrete footings and difficult access well above it. Pricing is driven primarily by material, post footing type, fence height, and how many linear feet are involved.
Chain-link is cheapest to remove because it is light and the posts often pull out. Concrete-set wood or vinyl posts require more labor because each post has to be dug out or broken free.
What Drives the Price
Material
- Wood (cedar or pressure-treated): standard. Rotten wood breaks easily; intact wood takes longer.
- Chain-link: light, fast to remove, metal recyclable.
- Vinyl: light, goes to landfill (not curbside recyclable).
- Ornamental metal or wrought iron: heavy, slow, good scrap value.
- Masonry or block walls: specialty demolition, not covered in standard fence removal.
Height
- 3-4 foot fence: standard.
- 5-6 foot privacy fence: most common in Oregon residential.
- 7-8 foot fence: adds labor (taller ladders, heavier panels).
Post Footing
| Footing | Difficulty |
|---|---|
| Metal post driven into soil (chain-link) | Low |
| Wood post buried without concrete | Low-medium |
| Wood post in concrete | Medium-high |
| Vinyl post in concrete | High |
| Metal post in concrete (ornamental) | High |
Concrete footings are the single biggest driver of per-linear-foot cost. Pulling concrete-set posts requires either digging them out (hours of labor) or cutting the post and leaving the concrete in place (faster but leaves ground debris).
Length
Longer fences sometimes drop to lower per-linear-foot rates because mobilization is spread across more distance. Short sections often hit the minimum load charge.
Condition
Rotted or damaged fences come apart fast. Intact well-maintained fences take longer to demolish.
Access
Backyard-only fences with no driveway proximity add labor because panels have to be carried to the truck. Overgrown vegetation along the fence line also slows things down. See removing old fencing materials for context.
Disposal Destination
- Clean cedar: can sometimes be reused or goes to a wood recycler.
- Pressure-treated: regulated disposal, separate tipping. See scrap wood disposal options.
- Chain-link and metal: scrap yard, often offsets some disposal cost.
- Vinyl: landfill only.
Industry Baseline Range
Industry Baseline Range
| What is being priced | Published national range |
|---|---|
| Fence removal | $300 to $750 |
Source: Angi, "Fence Removal Cost" national cost guide.
These are industry baseline ranges for planning only and may not reflect Otesse's price. Otesse pricing is calculated for your specific home and ZIP code, so enter your ZIP in the price box on this page for your instant price.
Current Market Reality
Oregon fence removal pricing has climbed since 2022:
- Labor is up, especially for careful concrete-footing work.
- Pressure-treated wood disposal is more expensive at Metro and county facilities.
- Scrap metal values are low, so metal offsets from chain-link and ornamental fences are modest compared to a decade ago.
- Vinyl fence disposal is entirely landfill now; no real recycling path exists.
Baseline ranges assume clean accessible fences with standard materials. Post footings in hard clay (common in the Willamette Valley) take longer to extract than the same posts in sandier Central Oregon soil.
What moves the price
| Fence type or add-on | How it moves the price |
|---|---|
| Chain-link, no concrete | Lowest of these |
| Wood privacy fence, buried posts | Low to middle |
| Chain-link or wood with concrete posts | Higher |
| Vinyl fence, concrete posts | Higher again |
| Ornamental metal, concrete | Highest of these |
| Length: short section vs full perimeter | The biggest single driver |
| Concrete footing breakup and haul | Adds to the price, per post |
| Overgrown vegetation or backyard-only access | Adds to the price |
Every fence is different, so the real number depends on length, material and footings. Enter your ZIP in the price box on this page for your instant price.
Real-World Scenarios
A Portland homeowner with a 40-foot rotted wood privacy fence, buried posts. One-day demo. Cedar wood, no concrete. Total landed in the middle of the baseline range above.
A Beaverton family with 120 linear feet of chain-link, partial concrete posts. Crew cut the fence, pulled posts where easy, broke concrete where needed. Total came in above the middle of the baseline range above because of the concrete work.
A Salem homeowner with 200 linear feet of vinyl privacy fence. All posts in concrete. Fence was only 4 years old but homeowner wanted it gone. Total landed at the top of the baseline range above because the posts were solidly set and the vinyl had to go to landfill.
An Eugene property with 300 feet of overgrown chain-link through blackberries and ivy. Vegetation clearing added substantial labor before the fence work began. Total ran 30-40 percent above what a clear chain-link run of that length would cost because of the overgrowth surcharge.
How to Get an Accurate Quote
Measure Linear Feet
A tape measure down the line, or pacing it off. This is the single most important number.
Photograph the Fence
Show material, height, condition, and post footings. If you see concrete at the base of any posts, photograph that.
Identify Post Type
Metal post, wood post, vinyl sleeve. In concrete or direct-buried.
Note Vegetation
Ivy, blackberries, or grass overgrowth along the fence. Clearing vegetation is a separate cost.
Describe Access
Can the truck park within 30 feet of the fence line? Is there a gate wide enough for a wheelbarrow?
Decide on Footing Handling
Fully removed (dig out concrete) or cut at grade and left in place. This materially changes the quote.
When to Call a Pro
- More than about 30 linear feet.
- Any concrete-set posts you cannot rock loose by hand.
- Full perimeter fence removal.
- Fences sharing a property line with a neighbor (coordinate first).
- Overgrown or damaged fences with safety concerns.
See how to dispose of a fence for the removal process.
FAQ
Do I need a permit to remove a fence? Usually not in Oregon, but check your city and HOA rules, especially for historic districts.
What about the neighbor's side? If the fence is on a shared property line, coordinate with the neighbor before demolition. Replacing after removal is a separate decision.
Can I recycle chain-link? Yes. Scrap yards accept it. The market price is low currently, so it is usually an offset rather than a payday.
What happens to the dug-out concrete? It goes to construction and demolition landfill. You pay per-ton tipping.
Will the crew haul away old fence wood I already removed myself? Yes, usually at standard junk removal volume pricing if you have pre-stacked the material.
Book a Fence Removal Quote
For fence removal, see junk removal; pricing is quoted for your specific job. Enter your ZIP in the price box to see which services are available at your address. Contact us for a quote or see our junk removal cost guide.
