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General

How much does fencing and decking cost?

A Colorbond fence costs about $95 to $125 per metre installed, and a treated pine deck about $180 to $350 per square metre in the one national guide that prices it. Pool fencing runs from about $100 per metre for aluminium to $300 or more for glass.

Colorbond fence, 1.8 metres, supplied and installed:$95–$125 per metre

Updated 19 October 2026 · 2 min read · GST basis not confirmed by sources. Check GST on every quote.

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On this page
  1. How a fencing and decking contractor works out the price
  2. What it costs, by scenario
  3. What changes the price
  4. What's usually included, and what isn't
  5. Metro and regional differences
  6. Licensing and compliance
  7. Before you accept a quote, check
  8. Frequently asked questions
  9. Sources and method

How a fencing and decking contractor works out the price

Fencing is usually priced per metre supplied and installed, with gates, removal of the old fence and difficult ground added on top. Decking is priced per square metre for the boards and frame, with stairs, balustrades and demolition of an old deck extra. The hourly rate has to cover more than wages. The Fair Work minimum for a Level 3 employee under the Building and Construction General On-site Award is $29.45 an hour from 1 July 2026, and the price also pays for tools, insurance and paperwork.

  1. Measure the fence line or deck area and check the boundary
  2. Remove and dispose of the old fence or deck, if there is one
  3. Supply posts, rails and panels or decking boards and frame
  4. Install: dig post holes, set posts, fix panels or lay decking
  5. Add gates, stairs, balustrades or pool-fence hardware
  6. Allow for sloping ground, rock, tree roots or limited access, then GST on the total

Worked example: A 20 metre Colorbond side fence with a single gate, old fence removed, at mid-point rates (illustrative, not a quote)

Colorbond fence, 20 metres at $110 a metre
$2,200
Single gate, installed
$500
Remove old fence, 20 metres at $30 a metre
$600
Total
$3,300 total (illustrative). Check whether your neighbour will share the fence cost, as set out in the licensing section.

What it costs, by scenario

Low, typical and high prices. Built on 19 October 2026 from three Airtasker cost guides, a Western Australian fencing contractor's cost page, two compiled national guides (fencing and decking) and state government pages on fencing law. Where sources disagree we use the range they share. The contractor states prices without GST and one compiled guide states prices with GST, so the basis is unconfirmed.

  • Colorbond fence, 1.8 metres, supplied and installed (per metre)

    A Western Australian contractor quotes $95 to $125 per metre excluding GST. Airtasker gives $70 to $130 and a national guide $80 to $190. We use the range all three share, and the typical figure is the middle of it. The national guide's own typical is $130.

    Low
    $95
    Typical
    $110
    High
    $125

  • Timber paling fence, supplied and installed (per metre)

    This rests on one compiled national guide. Airtasker's timber range of $130 to $350 and picket range of $58 to $105 each overlap only part of it, so it is a rough guide. Hardwood costs more.

    Low
    $80
    Typical
    $110
    High
    $190

  • Pool fence, aluminium, supplied and installed (per metre)

    Airtasker's pool fence page (December 2023) gives $95 to $155 and the national guide $100 to $350. We use the overlap, and the typical figure is about the middle of it. The national guide's own typical is $200.

    Low
    $100
    Typical
    $130
    High
    $155

  • Pool fence, frameless glass, supplied and installed (per metre)

    The national guide gives $300 to $800 and Airtasker's 2026 fencing page gives $220 to $1,100 for glass fencing generally. We use the overlap. Glass needs more care in fitting, so prices vary widely.

    Low
    $300
    Typical
    $500
    High
    $800

  • Single gate, installed (per gate)

    A Western Australian contractor quotes $450 to $550 excluding GST. The national guide gives $250 to $650 with a typical $500. We use the overlap. Double or driveway gates cost far more.

    Low
    $450
    Typical
    $500
    High
    $550

  • Removal of an old fence, including disposal (per metre)

    This rests on one compiled national guide. Airtasker and the contractor give no price, only noting that removal adds labour and expense.

    Low
    $15
    Typical
    $30
    High
    $50

  • Treated pine deck, supplied and installed (per m²)

    This rests on one compiled national guide. Airtasker lists labour-only rates of $170 to $210 per m² by state, which is hard to square with the guide's low figure, so treat the range as rough. The guide's merbau range is $300 to $550.

    Low
    $180
    Typical
    $260
    High
    $350

  • Composite deck, mid-range, supplied and installed (per m²)

    This rests on one compiled national guide. Its premium composite range is $450 to $900. Airtasker's 2025 guide gives total deck prices of $3,600 to $11,500 depending on size.

    Low
    $280
    Typical
    $550
    High
    $700
Low, typical and high prices by scenario
ScenarioLowTypicalHigh
Colorbond fence, 1.8 metres, supplied and installed (per metre)A Western Australian contractor quotes $95 to $125 per metre excluding GST. Airtasker gives $70 to $130 and a national guide $80 to $190. We use the range all three share, and the typical figure is the middle of it. The national guide's own typical is $130.$95$110$125
Timber paling fence, supplied and installed (per metre)This rests on one compiled national guide. Airtasker's timber range of $130 to $350 and picket range of $58 to $105 each overlap only part of it, so it is a rough guide. Hardwood costs more.$80$110$190
Pool fence, aluminium, supplied and installed (per metre)Airtasker's pool fence page (December 2023) gives $95 to $155 and the national guide $100 to $350. We use the overlap, and the typical figure is about the middle of it. The national guide's own typical is $200.$100$130$155
Pool fence, frameless glass, supplied and installed (per metre)The national guide gives $300 to $800 and Airtasker's 2026 fencing page gives $220 to $1,100 for glass fencing generally. We use the overlap. Glass needs more care in fitting, so prices vary widely.$300$500$800
Single gate, installed (per gate)A Western Australian contractor quotes $450 to $550 excluding GST. The national guide gives $250 to $650 with a typical $500. We use the overlap. Double or driveway gates cost far more.$450$500$550
Removal of an old fence, including disposal (per metre)This rests on one compiled national guide. Airtasker and the contractor give no price, only noting that removal adds labour and expense.$15$30$50
Treated pine deck, supplied and installed (per m²)This rests on one compiled national guide. Airtasker lists labour-only rates of $170 to $210 per m² by state, which is hard to square with the guide's low figure, so treat the range as rough. The guide's merbau range is $300 to $550.$180$260$350
Composite deck, mid-range, supplied and installed (per m²)This rests on one compiled national guide. Its premium composite range is $450 to $900. Airtasker's 2025 guide gives total deck prices of $3,600 to $11,500 depending on size.$280$550$700

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What changes the price

  • Material. Colorbond, treated pine paling, hardwood, aluminium and glass all price differently, and composite decking costs more than treated pine.
  • Height and length. Taller fences use more material and need stronger posts. A long run lowers the cost per metre, a short one raises it.
  • Ground and access. Rock, slopes, tree roots and tight access add digging and carrying time. One contractor notes that clearing the fence line affects the total.
  • Old fence or deck. Removal and disposal are separate work, priced per metre or per square metre.
  • Gates and extras. Plinths, lattice, post caps, stairs and balustrades all add cost. Airtasker puts a driveway gate at $1,600 to $3,500.
  • Pool compliance. A pool barrier has to meet a standard, such as height, gap and a self-closing gate, which can limit what you can build and where.

What's usually included, and what isn't

Usually included

  • Supply of posts, rails and panels, or decking boards and frame
  • Labour to install, including digging and setting posts
  • Fixings and basic hardware
  • Removal of offcuts and rubbish from the work area
  • A gate or stairs only where the quote lists them

Often extra

  • Removal of an old fence or deck unless the quote says so
  • Council or certifier approval and fees for a deck or pool barrier
  • Survey of the boundary, if the line is in doubt
  • Painting, staining or sealing timber
  • Work on sloping or rocky ground beyond the quoted allowance

Metro and regional differences

Metro: In cities, higher wages and parking and travel time raise labour costs, and a larger market gives more contractors to quote. The compiled national guide puts a 1.8 metre Colorbond fence at a typical $130 per metre, above the $95 to $125 a Western Australian contractor quotes.

Regional: Our sources do not give separate regional ranges, so treat the figures as a national guide. Outside the cities, long drives, delivery of materials and fewer contractors can add to the price, and some ground, such as rock, takes more time to dig.

Licensing and compliance

Fencing and decking are not licence classes in the Queensland list of licences, but Queensland still requires a QBCC licence for building work valued over $3,300, so a deck above that value may need one.

The ACT planning site says carpenters and bricklayers do not currently need a licence.

We did not confirm the rules for the other states and territories, so check with your council and state regulator before a deck or pool fence is built.

Dividing fences: neighbours generally share the cost of a sufficient fence equally in every state and territory where we opened a page.

New South Wales: the Dividing Fences Act 1991, with a one-month wait after a fencing notice before applying to the NSW Civil and Administrative Tribunal or the Local Court, and cost sharing does not apply where the fence is a swimming pool barrier.

Victoria: the Fences Act 1968, where your neighbour has 30 days to respond to a fencing notice.

Queensland: the Neighbourhood Disputes (Dividing Fences and Trees) Act 2011, with a written quote required in the notice.

Western Australia: the Dividing Fences Act 1961, with 14 days to object to a repair notice and 21 days to apply to the Magistrates Court over a new fence.

South Australia: the Fences Act 1975, which assumes equal benefit and equal contribution.

Tasmania: the Boundary Fences Act 1908, with 21 days to respond to a notice to fence.

The ACT: the Common Boundaries Act 1981, with disputes going to the ACT Civil and Administrative Tribunal.

The Northern Territory: we could not open an NT page, so we have not stated its rules.

Pool barriers: Queensland, where the QBCC says a pool fence must be at least 1,200 millimetres high, with a gap of no more than 100 millimetres at the bottom and a self-closing, self-latching gate.

Victoria, where Consumer Affairs Victoria says an owner must register the pool with council, have the barrier inspected every four years and lodge a certificate.

Western Australia, where Building and Energy says barriers must meet AS 1926.1-2012 and AS 1926.2-2007, and local governments inspect them at least every four years.

The ACT, where owners must meet current standards by 1 May 2028.

Tasmania, where Devonport Council says a barrier must be installed by a licensed builder and overseen by a licensed building surveyor.

South Australia, where the Law Handbook says the pool owner is responsible for keeping the required safety features.

New South Wales and the Northern Territory: we did not confirm pool barrier rules from a state page, so check with your council.

Before you accept a quote, check

  • Is the price per metre or per square metre, and does it include supply, installation and GST?
  • How high is the fence or deck, and what material and colour are quoted?
  • Is removal of the old fence or deck included?
  • Who gives the notice to your neighbour, and who pays for any boundary survey?
  • Does a pool barrier quote state that it meets your state's pool standard?
  • Are approvals and fees for a deck or pool barrier included?
  • What warranty is offered on the posts, panels and boards?

Frequently asked questions

How much does a Colorbond fence cost per metre?

A contractor quotes $95 to $125 per metre excluding GST, Airtasker gives $70 to $130 and a national guide $80 to $190. We use about $95 to $125 for a standard 1.8 metre fence.

Who pays for a dividing fence?

In the states and territories where we opened a page, neighbours generally share the cost of a sufficient fence equally, using a written notice. A neighbour who wants a better fence usually pays the difference. See the licensing section for each state's Act.

How much does a pool fence cost?

Aluminium pool fencing is about $100 to $155 per metre in the range two sources share, and frameless glass about $300 to $800. The barrier must also meet your state's pool rules.

Does a pool fence need to be certified?

It depends on your state. Victoria requires registration, an inspection every four years and a certificate lodged with council. The ACT requires current standards by 1 May 2028, and Western Australian local governments inspect barriers at least every four years. Check your state.

How much does a timber deck cost per square metre?

One national guide puts a treated pine deck at $180 to $350 per square metre, supplied and installed, and a merbau deck at $300 to $550. Airtasker gives labour-only rates of $170 to $210. Get several quotes.

Do I need approval for a deck?

Often, depending on height, size and your council. Ask your council, and ask the contractor whether approval and fees are in the quote.

Sources and method

Built on 19 October 2026 from three Airtasker cost guides, a Western Australian fencing contractor's cost page, two compiled national guides (fencing and decking) and state government pages on fencing law. Where sources disagree we use the range they share. The contractor states prices without GST and one compiled guide states prices with GST, so the basis is unconfirmed. How we calculate our guides.

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