By Ben, EZ Haulaway · Published · Updated
Fence Removal Cost in 2026: Per Foot, by Material, and in Denver
Most professional fence removal in the U.S. costs about $3 to $8 per linear foot, including posts and haul-away, which puts a typical 150-foot backyard fence at roughly $450 to $1,200. Small jobs hit a minimum charge instead, and concrete-set posts, tight access and the type of fence can move the total well outside that range. Below you will find the numbers by material, what pushes a quote up or down, what DIY really costs, and how we price fence haul-away in the Denver area.
TL;DR
- Expect about $3 to $8 per linear foot nationally for removal with haul-away, and a minimum charge of roughly $150 to $400 on short runs.
- Wood, chain link and vinyl sit at the lower end per foot. Aluminum and wrought iron cost more because they take more cutting and handling.
- Concrete footings, dump fees and hard access are the usual reasons a quote lands above the average.
- DIY saves labor but not disposal. Once you add tools and a dumpster, the gap with a pro often shrinks fast.
- In the Denver area, we price fence haul-away by the space it fills in our trailer, starting at $120, and you can get a quote from a photo.
Table of Contents
- What fence removal costs per foot and per project
- Fence removal cost by material
- What makes a quote go up
- Fence disposal: where the old material goes
- DIY fence removal: what you actually save
- How we price fence removal in the Denver area
- Our view: price the debris, not just the fence
- Get a fence removal quote from a photo
- How to keep your fence removal cost down
- FAQ
- Sources
What fence removal costs per foot and per project
The national picture is fairly consistent. FenceLevel’s 2026 guide puts tear-out and haul-away at $3 to $8 per linear foot, with minimum charges of $150 to $400 for small jobs. QuotrPro’s 2026 guide lands on the same $3 to $8 range.
Here is what that means in whole-yard terms:
| Fence length | Low estimate ($3/ft) | High estimate ($8/ft) |
|---|---|---|
| 50 ft | $150 | $400 |
| 100 ft | $300 | $800 |
| 150 ft | $450 | $1,200 |
| 200 ft | $600 | $1,600 |
These are simple multiplications of the published per-foot range, so treat them as a planning frame, not a quote. On very short runs the minimum charge applies, which is why 50 feet rarely costs less than $150.
You will see lower numbers online. Some sites quote $1 to $2 per foot, and some contractors price removal low when it is bundled with a new fence installation, because the crew, equipment and dump trips are shared. A standalone visit has to carry all of that on its own, so compare like with like: removal only, posts included, debris hauled away.
Fence removal cost by material
Material changes both the labor and the disposal. FenceLevel lists these per-foot ranges:
| Fence type | Removal cost per linear foot |
|---|---|
| Chain link | $3 to $5 |
| Split rail | $3 to $5 |
| Wood privacy or picket | $3 to $6 |
| Vinyl | $3 to $6 |
| Aluminum or wrought iron | $4 to $8 |
For a 200-foot run, the same guide estimates $600 to $1,000 for chain link or split rail, $600 to $1,200 for wood or vinyl, and $800 to $1,600 for aluminum or wrought iron, for removal and haul-away only.
Why each material behaves differently
Wood is the most common fence in the Denver suburbs. It comes apart quickly, but it produces a lot of bulk, and old pickets and rails take up real space in a truck or trailer.
Vinyl is light but also bulky. It usually goes out with construction debris rather than recycling.
Chain link and metal may need cutting, but metal can have scrap value. Clean metal can go to a scrap recycler, and Denver’s own recycling guide lists scrap metal as a recyclable material.
Masonry or concrete walls are a different category of job entirely. They are heavy, they need equipment, and they are priced far above standard fencing. Ask for a site visit rather than a per-foot figure.
What makes a quote go up
The per-foot range is wide because the same 100 feet can be an easy afternoon or a long day. These are the factors that move the price most.
Concrete footings
Posts set in soil or gravel pull out much faster than posts set in concrete. FenceLevel notes that concrete-set posts take substantially more labor, and QuotrPro puts the extra cost of removing footings at $15 to $30 per post. On a 150-foot fence with posts every 8 feet, that is about 19 posts, so the footings alone could add a few hundred dollars.
Access and vegetation
A gate that opens onto a driveway is simple. A fence behind a narrow side yard, up a slope, or buried in vines and shrubs is slower, and crews price the time. Clearing overgrowth before the crew arrives is one of the easiest ways to keep the number down.
Disposal
The debris has to go somewhere. QuotrPro reports dump fees commonly adding $50 to $200 per load, with benchmarks of $30 to $80 for a municipal dump load, $50 to $100 at a construction-debris facility, and $250 to $450 for a 10-yard roll-off. A quote that includes haul-away should say so in writing.
Bundling with a new fence
If a fence company is installing your replacement, removal is often folded into that bid. It can be convenient, but ask for removal as its own line so you can compare it against a standalone haul-away quote. Removal is usually the smaller half of a fence project. If you are also budgeting for the new fence, this fence installation cost per metre breakdown shows how installation pricing is built up by length.
Fence disposal: where the old material goes
Removal is only half the cost. Standard curbside trash and recycling will not take a fence. Most municipal curbside services do not accept construction materials or require wood to be cut to short lengths, so plan on a dump run, a dumpster or a hauler.
Denver rules and sorting
Denver’s construction and demolition recycling rules, updated June 30, 2026, list concrete, masonry, metal, untreated wood and reusable items as covered materials, and name fencing as an example of a reusable item. In practice that means a fence in good shape is worth keeping out of the landfill. Denver’s recycling guide also says construction debris and treated or coated wood do not belong in ordinary recycling bins.
Treated wood
Many older wood fences use pressure-treated lumber. Guidance from California treats discarded preservative-treated fence wood as treated wood waste, which cannot be burned, recycled or chipped into mulch and may go only to authorized landfills. That is a California rule, not a Colorado one, but the underlying concern is general: an EPA Region 9 pressure-treated wood guide warns that treated wood may contain arsenic compounds, creosote or pentachlorophenol and should not be burned or turned into mulch or compost. Do not burn old fence boards in a fire pit, and do not send them to a mulch pile.
DIY fence removal: what you actually save
Doing it yourself cuts out the labor charge, which is the biggest slice of a pro quote. It does not cut out the debris.
DIY makes the most sense for a short, accessible wood or chain-link fence with posts set in soil. It makes the least sense when you have concrete footings, heavy metal, narrow access or lots of overgrown vegetation.
Here is the cost math to run before you rent anything:
- Tools. A pry bar, reciprocating saw, post puller or jack, gloves and eye protection. Buy or rent, but count it.
- Hauling. If your vehicle cannot carry boards and posts, you need a trailer, a truck rental or a dumpster.
- Dump fees. Per the figures above, $30 to $200 per load depending on where you take it.
- Your time. Pulling and cutting 100 feet of fence is a full weekend for many people.
Add a roll-off dumpster at $250 to $450 and the savings on a 100-foot fence shrink quickly against a pro price of $300 to $800. If you do take it on, rent the dumpster only for the day you need it, and sort out clean metal for scrap first.
How we price fence removal in the Denver area
We are a family-owned crew based in Parker, and we handle deck and fence removal across the Denver metro area. We do not quote by the foot. We charge by how much space the debris takes up in our trailer, and labor, loading, haul-away and cleanup are included. These are our published rates:
| Load size | Price |
|---|---|
| Minimum / small load | $120 |
| 1/8 trailer | $120 |
| 1/4 trailer | $240 |
| 3/8 trailer | $360 |
| 1/2 trailer | $420 |
| 5/8 trailer | $540 |
| 3/4 trailer | $660 |
| 7/8 trailer | $780 |
| Full trailer | $840 |
additional labor is $50 per hour per crew member, which is what applies when a job needs extra hands, such as pulling posts or working in tough access. The full list is on our pricing page, read on October 12, 2026, and it can change, so check it before you book.
A fence that is already down in a pile is the simplest case: we load it and go. If the fence is still standing and you want us to take it apart, send us photos and tell us roughly how long the run is, what it is made of and whether posts are in concrete. We use that to give a straight number before anyone shows up.
We serve the south metro in particular, with local pages for fence work in Highlands Ranch, Castle Rock and Lone Tree.
Our view: price the debris, not just the fence
We see the same mistake often. A homeowner compares per-foot prices and ignores what happens to the pile afterward. A low removal price with disposal left to you is not a low price. It is half a quote.
Our approach is to price the whole job as one number: crew, loading, haul-away and cleanup. That is why we work from trailer space. It is easy to picture, easy to compare against a dumpster rental, and it leaves no surprise dump fee on the final invoice. When a fence comes down, there is usually other yard debris waiting too: old gate frames, cut shrubs, a broken shed panel. Putting it all in one load is where the value is, because the next trailer fraction costs less than a separate trip.
The other thing we push on is sorting. Clean metal goes to recycling. Reusable fencing is worth offering to someone before it is thrown away. Treated wood goes where it is allowed. That is how a family crew keeps its name good in the neighborhood.
— Ben
Get a fence removal quote from a photo
If you have a fence to take down or a pile already sitting in the yard, we can tell you what it costs without a visit. Send a few photos through our instant quote page and we will price it by trailer space, with labor and cleanup included. If you are weighing us against renting a roll-off, our dumpster rental alternative page explains how the two compare.
For bigger projects, such as a fence plus a deck, a shed and yard debris, see our pricing and send photos of everything in one go. One crew, one trip, one price.
How to keep your fence removal cost down
- Get quotes for removal alone. Ask what is included: posts, footings, hauling and dump fees.
- Clear the path. Cut back vegetation and move planters, so the crew works faster.
- Know your posts. Tell the hauler up front if they are set in concrete.
- Sort your metal. Chain link and aluminum may be worth something as scrap.
- Bundle debris. Add other yard junk to the same load rather than booking twice.
- Check HOA and property-line rules. If the fence is shared with a neighbor, talk to them before anything comes down.
FAQ
How much does it cost to remove 200 feet of fence?
Nationally, expect roughly $600 to $1,600 depending on material. FenceLevel’s table estimates $600 to $1,000 for chain link or split rail, $600 to $1,200 for wood or vinyl, and $800 to $1,600 for aluminum or wrought iron. Concrete-set posts push the total toward the top of the range.
Will a fence company remove my old fence?
Often yes, and many include removal in a replacement bid. Ask for it as a separate line item so you can compare it with a standalone haul-away price. A junk removal company can also take down and haul away a fence without installing a new one.
Is fence removal cheaper if I do it myself?
Sometimes, mostly for short wood or chain-link runs with soil-set posts. Disposal is the catch: a roll-off dumpster can run $250 to $450 and dump fees add $50 to $200 per load, according to QuotrPro’s guide. With concrete footings, the savings can disappear.
How much does fence removal cost in Denver?
Per-foot rates in the metro are in line with the national range, but we price by trailer space instead. Our loads start at $120 and run to $840 for a full trailer, with labor and cleanup included. Send photos for a firm number.
Can I throw old fence boards in the trash or recycling?
Not in standard curbside service. Denver’s recycling guide says construction debris and treated or coated wood do not go in ordinary recycling. Treated boards should never be burned or turned into mulch.
Sources
- Fence Removal Cost Per Foot (2026): Tear-Out & Haul-Away, FenceLevel
- Fence Removal & Demolition Pricing: 2026 Cost Guide, QuotrPro
- Governing Recycling and Reuse of Construction and Demolition Materials, City and County of Denver (June 30, 2026)
- Don’t Waste the Good Stuff, City and County of Denver
- Guidance for Generating or Disposing Treated Wood Waste
- Pressure-Treated Wood Management, EPA Region 9
- Fence Installation Cost in Australia: 2026 Prices per Metre