Fencing · Service

Fence removal, priced by what is underground

Taking a fence down is easy. Getting the posts out is the job, and what is on the end of them decides the price. We match you with crews who quote the concrete and the disposal instead of discovering them.

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In short

What is fence removal?

Fence removal is the dismantling of panels, rails or mesh and the extraction of the posts and whatever they are set in. The panels are the quick part; the posts and their concrete collars are the work, and neither can be assessed from the street. It is also the only moment when your boundary line is fully clear and visible — which makes it the right time to verify it.

Triggers

Signs you need fence removal

The fence is at the end of its life and you are replacing it, not repairing it
You want the yard opened up and have decided you do not want a fence there at all
A fence is in the way of a build, a pool, a driveway, an addition or a landscaping project
A storm has taken out a run and left broken material and standing posts that are now a hazard
You have inherited a fence you did not choose and cannot match, in a place you would not have put one
You have discovered the fence is not on your line and it needs to come out before it becomes a claim

Seeing something not on this list? Browse fencing problems by symptom →

The job

How fence removal actually works

Establish who owns it and who is allowed to remove it

A fence wholly on your side of the line is yours. A fence on the line, or one your neighbour paid for, is not automatically yours to take down.

Watch for: Removing a boundary fence without telling the neighbour. This is the most common way an ordinary project becomes a dispute, and it is entirely avoidable with a conversation and, ideally, something in writing. If any cost was ever shared, treat it as shared.
Find out what the posts are set in

Posts set in dirt or gravel pull with a lever and some digging. Posts in a concrete collar have to be excavated or pulled with equipment, and the collar on an older fence can be much larger than expected.

Watch for: A quote given without probing at least one post. This single unknown is the widest variable in fence removal pricing, and a quote that has not accounted for it will be revised on site.
Utility locates, again

Pulling posts and digging out collars disturbs the same ground as installing them did — and the original fence may have been built before the utilities were.

Watch for: Locates skipped because "nothing is being installed". Removal digs. Request the locate.
Dismantle and stage

Panels, rails and mesh come off first, then the posts. Material is stacked or loaded as it comes down, because a yard full of loose fence with nails in it is a hazard for as long as it sits there.

Watch for: Material left on the ground overnight in a yard with children, pets or a dog you were relying on the fence to contain. Ask what the site looks like at the end of each day, and remember the dog has no fence now.
Extract the posts and deal with the holes

Collars come out, or in some cases are broken down and left below grade by agreement. Holes are backfilled and tamped, because a soft backfill settles into a trip hazard over the following months.

Watch for: Concrete left in place without you agreeing to it. It is sometimes reasonable — and it is a problem the day someone tries to set a new post, plant a tree or dig a trench in the same line. Get the position stated in the quote.
Haul and dispose

Disposal is a real cost and often a separate line. Metal fencing may have scrap value; vinyl and composite generally do not; and pressure-treated timber is restricted in some jurisdictions.

Watch for: Treated timber going onto a burn pile. Burning treated wood is unsafe and prohibited in many places. Ask where the material is going, and never burn it yourself.

Money

What does fence removal cost?

Removal is usually quoted per linear foot or per post, plus haulage and disposal. What moves it most is whether posts are set in concrete and how far a truck can get to the line. Where removal precedes a new fence, ask for it bundled — it is normally cheaper that way.

See the full fence removal cost guide — by material, size and region →

Fence estimating tools → Measure the run and count the posts before you call — both are what removal is priced on.

Straight answer

When fence removal is the wrong call

Everyone else ranking for this is paid when you say yes. Here's when you shouldn't.

You are not sure the fence is yours. Taking down a fence a neighbour owns, or one built on the line, is a fast route to a claim. Establish ownership and get agreement in writing before anything comes down.
The fence is containing an animal and there is no plan for the gap. Removal leaves the yard open from the first hour. If a dog relies on that fence, arrange temporary fencing or containment before the crew books in, not on the day.
You are removing it to avoid a repair you will need anyway. If the plan is a new fence on the same line, removal and installation should be quoted together by one contractor. Splitting them across two crews usually costs more and leaves the gaps in nobody's scope.
It forms part of a pool barrier. Removing a section of a pool enclosure, even temporarily for a landscaping job, removes a safety function. Plan the temporary barrier first and reinstate promptly.
The fence is an HOA or code requirement. Some communities and some jurisdictions require a fence at all rather than permitting one. Check before you remove, because reinstating on demand is the expensive version.

Straight answer

Can I do this myself?

Reasonable to DIY

Removing panels, boards, rails and mesh — this is genuinely straightforward and takes the bulk of the labour out of a quote
Pulling posts that are set in dirt or gravel
Sorting material for scrap versus disposal before a hauler arrives
Photographing the line while it is clear, and locating your survey pins
Backfilling and tamping the post holes properly

Call a licensed pro

Extracting posts set in large or deep concrete collars
Anything requiring equipment access across a lawn or a soft yard
Removal where the boundary or the ownership is unsettled
Any section forming part of a pool barrier
Disposal of pressure-treated timber where local rules restrict it

Before you sign

What to check when hiring for fence removal

Did you probe the posts, and are they set in concrete?

The biggest single variable in the price. A quote given without checking will be revised on site.
Are the concrete collars coming out, or staying below grade?

Both are legitimate. Only one of them is a surprise for whoever digs there next — including you.
Is haulage and disposal included, and where is the material going?

Disposal is a real cost and often a separate line. It also matters for treated timber, which is restricted in some places.
What does the site look like at the end of each day?

Loose fence panels with nails in them, in an open yard. Worth knowing before rather than after.
Are you backfilling and tamping the holes?

Loose backfill settles over a season into a line of trip hazards across the yard.
If I am replacing the fence, will you quote removal and installation together?

One mobilisation instead of two, and no gap in scope between the crew that took it out and the crew that puts it back.

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Local pros

Fence Removal near you

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Related work

Often done at the same time

Fence Installation

What goes back in its place

Fence Repair

Before you decide it has to go

Fence Gate Installation

Reworking the access, not the whole run

Commercial Fence Installation

Perimeter replacement on a site

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FAQ

Fence Removal — questions people ask

Still have a question? Talk to our team →

What decides the cost of removing a fence?

Three things, none of which are visible from the street. First, what the posts are set in — dirt and gravel pull easily, concrete collars have to be excavated or machine-pulled, and older collars are often larger than anyone expects. Second, access, because if a truck cannot reach the line then every panel and every lump of concrete is carried out by hand. Third, disposal, which is a genuine cost and is sometimes quoted separately. Length matters less than any of these.

Do the concrete post footings have to come out?

Not always. Leaving broken-down collars below grade is a legitimate approach and it saves real money, and it is fine if nothing will ever be dug in that line. It stops being fine the day someone tries to set a new post, plant a tree or run a trench along the same line — including the crew installing your replacement fence, who will charge for the discovery. The point is that this should be a decision you made, written into the quote, rather than something you find out later.

Can I remove my neighbour's fence, or a fence on the boundary?

Not unilaterally, and this is the part of fence removal that generates disputes. A fence wholly inside your line is yours. A fence on the line is commonly treated as shared, and several states have statutes about boundary fences that affect what either party can do. If a neighbour ever contributed, treat it as shared. Get agreement in writing first.

What happens to the old fence material?

It is hauled and disposed of, usually as a separate line on the quote. Metal fencing — chain link, ornamental steel, aluminium — often has scrap value that can offset part of the haulage, so it is worth asking. Vinyl and composite generally do not. Pressure-treated timber is the one to ask about specifically, because its disposal is restricted in some jurisdictions and it should never be burned. A contractor who knows their local rules will tell you where it is going.

What should I do while the fence line is open?

Verify the boundary. This is the only moment in the life of a fence when the line is completely clear, and it costs almost nothing to have your survey pins located and to photograph where they sit relative to where the old posts were. If the old fence was in the wrong place, this is your one cheap opportunity to correct it — rebuilding on the same wrong line in permanent materials is how an inherited problem quietly becomes yours.