Numbers First, Sales Pitch Never
The question everyone Googles before calling anyone — answered with real local ranges, sample project totals, and an honest list of what moves the price. Bring these numbers to any quote, including ours.
Typical installed ranges for the Rochester area in 2026 — labor, standard posts set below the frost line, and cleanup included:
For the classic 150-foot suburban backyard with one walk gate: chain link commonly lands around $2,500–$3,800 · wood privacy around $4,200–$6,800 · aluminum around $4,800–$8,000 · vinyl privacy around $5,500–$9,000. Your yard isn't 150 generic feet, which is why the on-site quote exists — but these brackets tell you instantly whether a number you've been handed is in the real world.
Chain link, and it isn't close — real security and dog containment from about $15 a foot. The popular hybrid: chain link on the unseen sides, privacy panels where you actually live. Same yard, hundreds saved.
Because they're probably not the same fence: different material grades, different post depths, tear-out included versus ignored, gates counted versus "extra." Run the four-question comparison above and mystery gaps usually explain themselves — in somebody's favor.
Somewhat — racked panels and extra cuts add labor. It's a real factor, not a doubling. Mention the grade when you call and the estimate will already include it instead of discovering it.
Late fall through early spring is the quiet season — scheduling is faster and it's the most negotiable window. Everyone wants a fence in May; the savvy money orders in March or November.
Free on-site quotes across Rochester & Monroe County — the four questions answered in writing, every time.