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Fence or deck costs in Seattle

Here’s the ballpark for common fence or deck jobs around Seattle, WA. Want one for your own project? A photo is all it takes.

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Seattle

What it usually costs

  • Build a wood fence$29 – $51 per linear foot
  • Build a vinyl or metal fence$17 – $67 per linear foot
  • Build a chain-link fence$11 – $44 per linear foot
  • Build a wood deck$17 – $56 per sq ft
  • Build a composite deck$28 – $89 per sq ft

A ballpark, not a quote. Some of these are national averages adjusted for Seattle prices, so your job could land outside them.

Fence or deck in Seattle

If your Seattle lot slopes, the first question for a new deck is whether the ground counts as an environmentally critical area. The Seattle Department of Construction and Inspections says you need a permit for a deck more than 18 inches above the ground, for any roof deck, and for any deck in a critical area, such as land prone to landslides or flooding. On a critical-area lot, a pre-application site visit comes before you can even apply.

Most decks get the lighter subject-to-field-inspection permit. A deck more than eight feet up, with beams 14 feet or longer, or over 750 square feet moves to a full addition or alteration permit. The ledger has to be connected so an earthquake can't pull it away from the house.

Fences in Seattle are mostly a zoning question. In a front or street-side setback, SDCI caps a fence at four feet. In neighborhood residential zones the limit is six feet, plus two feet of arbors or trellises. On a sloping site, a fence can reach eight feet if the average height between posts is six. If the fence sits on a wall that raises the grade, the wall and fence together stop at nine and a half feet.

On a hillside yard, the drop under the deck's outer edge is the first number to measure.

Sources

Questions homeowners ask

How accurate is a photo estimate?
It’s a ballpark, not a quote. A photo tells us a lot about the material and size, but a local pro who walks the yard will always be more precise. Use our number as the range to expect before you start calling around.
How is a fence priced versus a deck?
Fences are usually priced by the foot and decks by the square foot. We’ll ask one quick question to tell which you’re after, then size it from your photo and your answers.
Which materials can you estimate?
Wood, vinyl, chain-link and metal for fences; pressure-treated wood and composite for decks. Material is the single biggest price swing, so it’s worth picking the one you want.
Is this really free?
Yes. No signup, no credit card, no spam. We only make money if you choose to connect with a local pro — and that’s up to you.
What photo works best?
A wide shot of where the fence or deck will go — or of the old one you’re replacing — works best.

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