We don't set prices. The installer quotes after measuring. But published cost guides give you a budget range and a way to check whether a quote is missing something. Here are the national figures from three guides, and the Muskegon-area factors that move a number up or down.
The headline numbers
HomeGuide puts a typical fence installation at $4,000 to $12,000, or $20 to $60 per linear foot installed. Angi's 2026 national average is $3,277, with most projects between $1,860 and $4,844, and about $23 per linear foot on average. Fixr puts a 200-foot, 4-foot-tall cedar picket fence with a gate at about $4,500, in a typical range of $3,000 to $7,000.
The guides measure different typical projects, so they don't line up exactly. Use the per-foot figures, multiplied by your length, as your starting point.
By material (installed, per linear foot)
| Material | HomeGuide range |
|---|---|
| Chain link | $10 to $40 |
| Wood | $20 to $50 |
| Composite | $20 to $85 |
| Aluminum | $25 to $75 |
| Vinyl | $30 to $60 |
| Wrought iron | $50 to $85 |
By length
HomeGuide's estimates by length are $2,000 to $6,000 for 100 feet, $3,000 to $9,000 for 150 feet, and $4,000 to $12,000 for 200 feet. Angi gives about $3,500 for a 150-foot fence around an eighth of an acre and about $4,850 for 220 feet around a quarter acre.
Replacing vs. new
HomeGuide says replacing an existing fence typically runs $30 to $80 per linear foot, more than a new install, because the old fence has to come out and be hauled away. If only a section is damaged, see our fence repair page first.
Muskegon factors
Height and style rules. Local rules set the ceiling on what you can build. In the City of Muskegon, front-yard fences are limited to 3 feet solid or 4 feet open, with 6 feet allowed behind the front building line. Norton Shores, North Muskegon, Muskegon Heights, and Whitehall each set their own limits. See our community pages. A taller fence than you're allowed to build isn't a saving.
Permit fees. These go on top of the installer's price. North Muskegon's fee schedule lists $95 for a fence building permit, plus a zoning compliance permit. Whitehall charges $50 for a fence site plan review.
Sand and wet ground. Much of the lakeshore is deep Rubicon sand, which USDA describes as forming on dunes and beach ridges. Loose sand holds posts less firmly, so installers often set posts in concrete or go deeper. Inland, wet sandy soils like the Granby series have a high water table. Post setting is a real line item. Ask how deep and in what.
Snow. NOAA's 1991-2020 normals for Muskegon County Airport average 87.2 inches of snow a season. Solid fences catch drifts, and fences near the driveway take plow piles.
Digging. Michigan's MISS DIG law requires notice at least 72 hours before augering post holes, not counting non-business days. It's free, and the installer normally files it.
Comparing quotes
- Total linear feet, height, and material grade or gauge.
- Number and width of gates, and gate hardware.
- Post spacing, post depth, and whether posts are set in concrete.
- Removal and haul-away of an old fence.
- Who pulls the permit and who files MISS DIG.
- Warranty on materials and on labor, in writing.
Related guides: privacy fences, vinyl vs. wood, wood, vinyl, chain link, aluminum.
Sources, checked October 23, 2026: HomeGuide fence installation cost guide (Feb. 3, 2026); Angi fence installation cost guide (updated Oct. 13, 2026); Fixr fence installation cost guide; City of Muskegon fence guidance; City of North Muskegon building permit application fee schedule (effective Jan. 1, 2024); City of Whitehall fence regulations sheet and residential site plan application; USDA soil series descriptions; NOAA 1991-2020 climate normals; Michigan Public Act 174 of 2013. National published averages, not quotes.