Replacing a fence in Kansas City costs $38 to $78 per linear foot installed in 2026, including tearing out the old fence and hauling it away. A typical 150-foot backyard replacement runs $5,700 to $11,700 depending on material. That is roughly $4 to $9 per foot more than the same fence on bare ground, because someone has to pull the old posts out of concrete.
Here is exactly where that money goes, from a crew that replaces fences across Johnson, Jackson, Wyandotte, Clay, and Platte counties every week.
Replacement cost by material (installed, removal included)
| New fence | Cost per linear foot | 150 ft backyard | | --- | --- | --- | | 4 ft chain link | $22-$34 | $3,300-$5,100 | | 6 ft chain link, black vinyl-coated | $32-$48 | $4,800-$7,200 | | 6 ft cedar privacy, steel posts | $46-$70 | $6,900-$10,500 | | 6 ft heavy-wall vinyl privacy | $60-$92 | $9,000-$13,800 | | Black ornamental aluminum | $53-$86 | $7,950-$12,900 |
Those numbers already include demo. If a contractor quotes you bare-ground pricing and then adds removal as a change order after the crew shows up, that is a red flag.
What removal actually costs
- Tear-out and haul-off, wood or chain link — $4 to $8 per linear foot. Dumpster or trailer fees are the bulk of it; Kansas City metro transfer stations charge by the ton.
- Pulling old posts set in concrete — $8 to $25 per post. Old 4x4s snapped off at grade are the worst case; the footing has to come out or be augered around.
- Vinyl or aluminum removal — usually cheaper, $3 to $6 per linear foot, because the panels come apart instead of getting cut up.
- Concrete disposal — old footings are heavy. A 150-foot fence has 15-20 footings and that is real tonnage.
When replacement beats repair
Replace the whole run when:
- More than 30% of the posts are rotted or leaning. Once a third of the structure is failing, patching just moves the next failure down the line. See our [fence repair vs. replacement breakdown](/fence-repair-vs-replacement-cost-kansas-city).
- The posts are wood set directly in dirt. Common on 1990s-era KC fences. They will all fail within a few seasons of each other.
- You are changing material or height. No point salvaging cedar pickets if you are going to vinyl.
- Repair quotes exceed 50% of replacement. At that point you are paying most of the price for a fraction of the lifespan.
Repair instead when the posts are steel or still solid and only pickets, rails, or a gate have failed. A [leaning post fix](/blog/how-to-fix-a-leaning-fence-post-kansas-city) is a few hundred dollars, not a few thousand.
Three ways to cut replacement cost in Kansas City
1. Reuse sound posts. If the previous install used 2 3/8" galvanized steel posts at proper depth, we can often re-skin with new cedar and save $6 to $12 per foot. Wood posts almost never qualify. 2. Book November through February. Off-season KC pricing runs 5-15% below spring, and lead times drop from 4-8 weeks to under two. Details in our [seasonal timing guide](/blog/best-time-to-install-a-fence-kansas-city). 3. Split the run with your neighbor. On a shared property line, a joint replacement removes a duplicate mobilization charge and often lands both sides 10-20% cheaper.
Do you need a permit to replace a fence?
In most of the metro, yes — replacement is treated as new construction once you are over 4 feet. Kansas City MO, [Overland Park](/fence-permit-overland-park-ks), [Olathe](/fence-permit-olathe-ks), and [Lee's Summit](/fence-permit-lees-summit-mo) all require one. Permit fees run $50 to $200. Same-footprint replacements are usually approved faster, but do not skip it: replacing without a permit can force a teardown if a neighbor complains.
One catch: if your old fence sat on the property line or over a setback, the replacement generally has to meet current code, not the code that existed when the original went in. That occasionally means moving the line a foot or two. We check setbacks before we quote, so there are no surprises at inspection.
What a real Kodiak replacement quote includes
Tear-out, post extraction, haul-off and disposal fees, 811 utility locates, permit, new material, concrete, hardware, gates, final grade cleanup, and a 10-year workmanship warranty. Itemized, on-site, fixed price. [Get a free replacement quote](/quote) and we will tell you honestly if repair is the better spend.
Have questions about your project? Request a free quote or call us anytime.