Why homeowners remove a fence
- Replacing it. The old fence comes out so a new one can go in on the same line or a better one.
- A pool or addition. The yard needs access for equipment, and a new pool fence will go in later on a different layout.
- Storm damage. Spring storms and straight-line wind can flatten whole sections, leaving a fence that is not worth repairing.
- Selling the house. A leaning, rotted fence reads worse to buyers than no fence at all.
- Regrading or drainage work. The posts are in the way of a new swale, retaining wall or patio.
If only a few posts or panels are bad, fence repair may be the better call.
What removal involves
A removal crew takes off the panels or pickets, cuts or unbolts the rails, pulls the posts, fills the holes and hauls everything away. One published source puts a typical job at 4 to 8 hours for a two-person crew. The posts are the slow part. Pickets come off in minutes; posts set in concrete come out one at a time.
- Wood. Pickets and rails are pried or cut off; rotten posts often snap at the ground line, leaving a stub in the concrete.
- Vinyl. Panels slide out of the posts, but posts are often set in concrete.
- Chain link. Fabric is unrolled, the top rail comes out, and the steel line posts are pulled or cut.
- Aluminum and wrought iron. Panels unbolt; heavy iron and steel posts take the most effort.
Concrete-set posts in red clay
Most fences in the Tennessee Valley have posts set in concrete, in red clay that grips the footing. Pulling a post means digging around the concrete plug or jacking it out, and every plug becomes another chunk of debris to haul. Published sources add about $25 to $50 per concrete-set post, with another source citing $50 to $150 or more per post on harder jobs. On a 150-foot fence with posts every 8 feet, that is around 20 footings.
If a new fence is going in, ask whether the new posts will be set in new holes beside the old ones or whether the old footings must come out entirely. Chert and limestone ledge can make new holes slow either way.
Fence removal cost
Published national figures, from contractor cost guides:
| Fence | Removal per linear ft |
|---|---|
| Chain link | $2–$5 |
| Vinyl | $3–$6 |
| Wood | $3–$7 |
| Aluminum or wrought iron | $5–$12 |
| Concrete or masonry wall | $14–$20 |
- Standalone removal: about $3–$8 per linear foot, or roughly $450–$1,200 for 150 feet.
- Bundled with a new fence: about $1 more per linear foot.
- Concrete-set posts: about $25–$50 extra per post.
- Disposal: about 20–30 percent of the removal cost, or a flat $100–$300 at some haulers.
These are national ranges, not local quotes. For new-fence pricing, see the fence cost guide.
Utilities and 811 before pulling posts
Pulling a post is excavation, and so is filling and re-digging holes. Alabama's Underground Damage Prevention Law requires notice to Alabama 811 at least two full working days before digging, not counting the day you call, and it applies to homeowners too. Fencing and landscaping are among the leading causes of utility strikes. Old fences were sometimes set right over a service line, so get the marks down before anyone starts jacking out footings.
Getting removal quotes
Send the footage, the fence material, roughly how many posts are in concrete, whether a trailer can reach the fence line, and whether you want a new fence quoted at the same time. Ask each contractor whether disposal, hole filling and stub removal are included. We pass the request to independent contractors; you hire and pay them directly.
Main guide: fence companies in Huntsville, AL.