An aluminum ornamental fence in Toledo runs $40 to $55 a foot installed at 4 feet, materials and labor together. At 5 feet it runs $45 to $62 a foot and at 6 feet $52 to $72. Steel ornamental runs $40 to $70 a foot at 4 feet.
If the fence crosses a front yard, read the height table further down before you price it. In Toledo a front yard fence stops at 3.5 feet, which rules out the standard 4 foot height there.
Price by height
| Height | Aluminum | Steel ornamental |
|---|---|---|
| 4 feet | $40–$55 | $40–$70 |
| 5 feet | $45–$62 | $45–$78 |
| 6 feet | $52–$72 | $52–$91 |
A 5 foot fence runs about 12 percent more than a 4 foot one, and 6 feet about 30 percent more. Elsewhere in Ohio aluminum runs $40 to $85 a foot and steel ornamental $50 to $110, so Toledo sits at the low end.
Worked examples
Aluminum, no gates and no old fence to take out.
| Length | 4 feet | 5 feet | 6 feet |
|---|---|---|---|
| 100 feet | $4,000–$5,500 | $4,500–$6,200 | $5,200–$7,200 |
| 150 feet | $6,000–$8,250 | $6,750–$9,300 | $7,800–$10,800 |
| 200 feet | $8,000–$11,000 | $9,000–$12,400 | $10,400–$14,400 |
Gates cost more on a metal fence. An aluminum or steel walk gate runs $500 to $1,000 and a double drive gate $1,300 to $3,000, against $200 to $600 and $600 to $2,500 in wood. Here is a fuller job, with 150 feet of 4 foot aluminum, one walk gate, one double drive gate and an old fence coming out:
- Fence, 150 feet at $40 to $55: $6,000 to $8,250
- One walk gate at $500 to $1,000: $500 to $1,000
- One double drive gate at $1,300 to $3,000: $1,300 to $3,000
- Tear out and haul away 150 feet at $5 to $10 a foot: $750 to $1,500
- Total: about $8,550 to $13,750
The gate cost page and the removal page have more on both.
Aluminum against vinyl and wood
| Fence | Per foot installed | 150 feet |
|---|---|---|
| Aluminum, 4 ft | $40–$55 | $6,000–$8,250 |
| Vinyl picket, 4 ft | $26–$42 | $3,900–$6,300 |
| Wood picket, 4 ft | $20–$40 | $3,000–$6,000 |
| Vinyl privacy, 6 ft | $45–$75 | $6,750–$11,250 |
| Treated pine privacy, 6 ft | $25–$35 | $3,750–$5,250 |
Against a vinyl or wood picket fence of the same height, aluminum costs more. Against a 6 foot privacy fence, 4 foot aluminum costs more than treated pine and overlaps the low end of vinyl. The vinyl and wood privacy pages have the detail, and the cost hub has every other style.
Why people choose it
An open front yard. A common residential style has 5/8 inch pickets with gaps of about 3 13/16 inches, so the space between the rails is about 85 percent open. That is well past the half-open rule in Findlay and Ann Arbor.
Pools. Aluminum is a common pool fence, because the pickets sit less than 4 inches apart and walk gates can be self-closing and self-latching. Toledo’s zoning code wants a pool surrounded by a barrier fence at least 4 feet high with lockable gates. The pool pages for Ohio and Michigan have the rest.
Upkeep. Aluminum does not rust. One maker’s warranty covers the powder-coat finish for life against cracking, peeling and chipping, for the original buyer only, and it leaves out scratches and labor. Steel can rust where its coating breaks. One steel fence maker’s finish warranty runs from none on plain steel with one coat of powder to 10 years on hot-dip galvanized steel with primer and powder, and scratches need zinc-rich primer and paint.
Front yard limits decide the height
The front yard is where town rules are strictest, and aluminum is made in 36 and 42 inch heights as well as 4, 5 and 6 feet.
| Town | Front yard limit |
|---|---|
| Toledo, Sylvania | 3.5 feet |
| Oregon, Perrysburg, Bowling Green | 4 feet |
| Rossford | 42 inches, counting posts and finials |
| Northwood | 42 inches |
| Port Clinton | 42 inches, open ornamental style |
| Findlay | 48 inches, at least half open |
| Fremont, Napoleon | 3 feet |
| Temperance and Lambertville | 3.5 feet, decorative styles only |
| City of Monroe, Michigan | No set number, decided case by case |
| Ann Arbor | 4 feet, at least half open |
| Adrian | 48 inches, no more than 40 percent solid |
| Milan | No fence in the required front yard |
Bedford Township, which takes in Temperance and Lambertville, counts wrought iron and simulated wrought iron as decorative, so ask the township whether your aluminum style fits.
Finials, the decorative tops on posts and pickets, can count. Rossford’s 42 inches includes posts and finials, and Maumee measures to the top of the post or finial and lets posts stand no more than 4 inches over the limit.
Toledo has three special cases. In the Old West End, powder-coated aluminum can be approved in place of wrought iron if you show samples to the historic district commission first. The Warehouse District calls for dark, ornamental aluminum-style fencing. In UpTown, any fence seen from the street must be ornamental, such as wrought iron or aluminum tube.
What else moves the price
Style. A three-rail panel costs more than a two-rail one. Spear tops, finials and rings change the look, so ask whether the quote includes them.
Slope. Aluminum panels can rack, meaning they tilt to follow the ground, about 12 inches over a 6 foot section in one maker’s line. Steeper ground needs stepped panels. Sloped ground adds about 12 percent to the price and steep ground about 25 percent.
Taking out an old fence. $5 to $10 a foot.
The permit. Every fence in the City of Toledo needs a $50 Certificate of Zoning Compliance.
See your price range
Put your fence runs into the estimator, pick aluminum or steel and your height, add your gates, and see the range for your yard, or work it through with the fence cost calculator. The estimator starts at 4 feet, so for a Toledo front yard use the 4 foot price as your guide and ask the installer for a 3.5 foot or lower style.
Questions people ask
How much does an aluminum fence cost per foot installed?
Around Toledo, $40 to $55 a foot installed at 4 feet, $45 to $62 at 5 feet and $52 to $72 at 6 feet. Steel ornamental runs $40 to $70 a foot at 4 feet.
How much is 150 feet of aluminum fence?
About $6,000 to $8,250 at 4 feet. An aluminum walk gate adds $500 to $1,000 and a double drive gate $1,300 to $3,000.
Is aluminum fence more expensive than vinyl?
More than vinyl picket, which runs $26 to $42 a foot at 4 feet against $40 to $55 for aluminum. A 6 foot vinyl privacy fence runs $45 to $75, so 4 foot aluminum overlaps its low end.
Is aluminum fence cheaper than wood?
No. A 4 foot wood picket fence runs $20 to $40 a foot and 6 foot treated pine privacy $25 to $35, against $40 to $55 for 4 foot aluminum. Aluminum does not rust or rot, and one maker’s warranty covers the finish for life against cracking and peeling.
Can I put a 4 foot aluminum fence in my front yard in Toledo?
No. Toledo limits front yard fences to 3.5 feet, and Sylvania does the same. Aluminum is also made in 36 and 42 inch heights, so ask for one of those.
Is aluminum a good pool fence?
It is a common choice, because the pickets sit less than 4 inches apart and walk gates can be self-closing and self-latching. Toledo’s zoning code wants a pool surrounded by a barrier fence at least 4 feet high with lockable gates, and other towns add their own rules.