Is Fixing an Old Fence Cheaper Than Building a New One?

The short answer is: repair is almost always cheaper in the short term, but it's not always the smarter long-term investment. Here's how to figure out which situation you're in.

What Fence Repair Actually Costs vs. Replacement

Before you start pulling boards, it helps to have a realistic sense of the numbers on both sides of the decision.

Repairing a fence is highly variable, but common repairs fall into predictable ranges. Replacing a single fence post runs $100 to $300 depending on material and whether you hire it out or do it yourself. Replacing individual boards or pickets costs $5 to $15 per board in materials, plus labor if you're not doing it yourself. Fixing a leaning section by resetting a post typically runs $150 to $400 if you hire a fence contractor for the job. For DIYers, the material cost of most fence repairs is modest – usually $50 to $300 for parts and supplies.

Replacing a fence is a different scale entirely. A new wood fence installed professionally typically costs $15 to $35 per linear foot, meaning a standard 150-foot fence runs $2,250 to $5,250 fully installed. Vinyl fencing runs $20 to $40 per linear foot. A DIY wood fence replacement cuts the cost significantly – you're looking at $5 to $12 per linear foot in materials alone – but it's a substantial project that takes a full weekend or more for most homeowners.

The math is obvious when you're talking about a few bad boards. It gets murkier when you're looking at a fence where half the posts are compromised and multiple sections need work. At some point, you're spending repair money on a fence that's going to need full replacement anyway within a few years.

Start By Assessing the Posts

The condition of the posts is the most important factor in this decision, and it's the one most people skip. Boards and pickets are cosmetic – they're easy and cheap to swap out. Posts are structural. If the posts are solid, a fence is almost always worth repairing no matter how rough the boards look. If the posts are rotting or failing, the calculus changes significantly.

To check a wood post, start by pushing against it firmly. A small amount of movement at the top is normal and doesn't indicate a problem. If the post sways at the base or feels spongy when you press it, there's rot at the ground line – the most common failure point for wood posts, since that's where moisture and soil contact are greatest. Poke the base of each post with a screwdriver or sharp tool. If the tip sinks in with minimal resistance, the wood is rotted through and the post needs replacement. If it resists firmly, the post has structural integrity and the fence is worth working with.

Count how many posts are compromised. If one or two out of ten are rotted, you're looking at a targeted repair. If six out of ten posts are failing, you're effectively rebuilding the fence from scratch whether you call it a repair or a replacement – and at that point, replacing the whole thing with new materials is often the cleaner and more economical choice.

Then Assess the Boards and Rails

Once you know the posts are sound, look at the horizontal rails (the crosspieces that the pickets or boards attach to) and the boards themselves. Rails fail before boards in most wood fences and are worth examining carefully. A rail that's rotted, cracked through, or pulling away from the post will cause boards to sag, twist, and fall even if the boards themselves are in decent shape. Rails cost $8 to $15 each in materials and are straightforward to replace as a DIY job.

For the boards themselves, the key question isn't whether some are damaged – it's what percentage are damaged and whether the damage is cosmetic or structural. A board with a small crack or surface weathering is cosmetic. A board that's split through, missing a large section, or visibly rotted at the base is structural and needs replacement. If more than about 40 to 50 percent of your boards need replacing, you're doing most of the work of a full fence rebuild anyway. At that threshold, it's worth pricing a full replacement and comparing.

The Age and Material Factor

What the fence is made of, and how old it is, significantly affects how much useful life a repair will buy you.

Pressure-treated wood posts and boards, installed properly, typically last 15 to 25 years. Cedar and redwood last 15 to 20 years in most climates. Untreated pine is the shortest-lived option – often 5 to 10 years in wet climates. If you're dealing with a fence that's already 15 or more years old and showing widespread deterioration, repairing it is essentially buying another two or three years before the whole thing needs to go. That might still be worth it if you're planning to sell the house in the near term and just need the fence to look reasonable, but it's not a long-term investment.

Vinyl fencing is different. Vinyl doesn't rot and requires virtually no maintenance, but when individual sections crack or break – usually from impact damage – the repairs can be surprisingly expensive because the parts are proprietary and manufacturer-specific. If the structure is sound and you just have a broken panel or post, repair is often the right call. If the fence is significantly old and multiple sections are failing, vinyl replacement sections may cost nearly as much as replacing the whole fence with a different material.

Chain-link fences are generally worth repairing in almost any situation short of major structural damage to the framework, because the materials are inexpensive and the repair work is straightforward.

The Leaning Fence Problem

A fence that's leaning significantly is one of the most common repair scenarios, and it's worth addressing carefully because the fix depends entirely on why it's leaning.

If the fence is leaning because a post has rotted at the base, the post needs to be dug out and replaced. This is more involved than surface repairs but still well within DIY territory for someone with a post-hole digger, a few bags of concrete, and a free Saturday. The total cost for a DIY post replacement runs $50 to $100 per post in materials. If you hire it out, expect $150 to $300 per post.

If the fence is leaning because the concrete footing has heaved or shifted – common in climates with significant freeze-thaw cycles – the post itself may be fine, but the footing needs to be reset. This is a more significant repair but still a repair rather than a replacement scenario if the post is structurally sound.

If the fence is leaning because there's no concrete footing at all and the post has simply shifted in the soil over time, resetting it with a proper concrete footing is the fix. A fence without concrete footings will keep shifting no matter how many times you straighten it.

When Full Replacement Makes More Sense

There are situations where repair is the wrong call even if the math looks close.

If the fence is at the end of its material lifespan (10+ years for untreated wood, 15+ for treated wood) and multiple systems are failing simultaneously, you're putting repair money into a structure that will need full replacement within a few years regardless. In this case, replacement gives you a new warranty period, better curb appeal, and the option to upgrade to a more durable material.

If the fence design itself doesn't meet your current needs – the style is outdated, the height is insufficient, or you want something lower-maintenance – a repair just delays an eventual replacement without addressing the underlying issue.

If the total repair cost exceeds roughly 50 to 60 percent of the cost of a new fence of the same size and quality, replacement starts to make financial sense. You're spending repair money on an aging structure when that same money could contribute toward something new with years of reliable life ahead of it.

A Practical DIY Repair Checklist

If you've assessed the fence and repair makes sense, here's a simple order of operations that keeps the project manageable:

Start with the posts. Any post that's failed needs to come out and be replaced before anything else is done – there's no point attaching new boards to a failing post. Set new posts in concrete and give them 24 to 48 hours to cure fully before attaching anything to them.

Then address the rails. Once the posts are solid, replace any rails that are cracked, rotted, or pulling loose. Use galvanized or coated screws rather than nails – screws hold significantly better over time and resist the wood movement that pulls nails out.

Finally, replace the boards. Work systematically from one end to the other and use a consistent spacer between pickets for a clean, even appearance. Pre-drilling pilot holes before driving screws prevents boards from splitting.

If you're painting or staining after the repair, do it before installation if possible – it's far easier to coat all four sides of a board before it's attached to the fence than to reach behind it afterward.

What to Avoid

Patching a fence with mismatched materials is the most common cosmetic mistake. New pressure-treated lumber is noticeably greener than weathered wood, and new cedar looks brighter than old cedar. If you're replacing only some boards, be prepared for the repair areas to stand out visually for a season or two until the new wood weathers. You can accelerate the color matching process with a weathering stain or gray wash, but you can't fully eliminate it right away.

Don't skip concrete on post replacements. A post set in soil without concrete will shift again, probably sooner than you'd expect. Two 50-pound bags of fast-setting concrete per post is the minimum – mix it dry in the hole, tamp it down, and add water per the bag instructions.

Don't use wood screws designed for interior use on an exterior fence. Exterior-rated screws (coated or stainless) resist rust and won't stain the wood around them with rust bleed over time. They cost slightly more per box and are worth every cent.

FAQ

How do I know if a post needs full replacement or just resetting? Push firmly on the post and probe the base with a screwdriver. If the wood is firm and the post is just shifted in its footing, resetting it with fresh concrete may be sufficient. If the screwdriver penetrates easily or the post feels spongy, the wood is rotted and the post needs to come out and be replaced with a new one.

What's the best wood for fence posts in terms of longevity? Pressure-treated pine rated for ground contact (look for UC4B or UC4C treatment rating) is the most practical and widely available option for fence posts in the US. Cedar and redwood are more naturally rot-resistant and a better choice for above-ground boards and rails, but pressure-treated is typically the right call for anything going into the soil.

Can I repair a vinyl fence myself? Simple vinyl fence repairs – replacing a broken picket, reattaching a loose section – are DIY-accessible. The key is sourcing the right replacement parts. Vinyl fence components are often proprietary, so you'll need the manufacturer's name or the original retailer to find matching pieces. Home centers stock some universal replacement parts, but matching color and profile can be tricky on older vinyl fences.

How long will a repaired wood fence last? A properly repaired wood fence with sound posts and good drainage at the base should last another 7 to 15 years depending on the original installation quality, wood species, and climate. Annual or biannual inspection of the post bases and a fresh coat of stain or sealant every two to three years will significantly extend that lifespan.

Do I need a permit to repair a fence? For like-for-like repairs – replacing boards, resetting posts, fixing sections of an existing fence – most municipalities don't require permits. Full fence replacement or significant height changes may require a permit depending on your local zoning rules. When in doubt, a quick call to your local building department takes five minutes and can save you a headache.

The decision between repair and replacement isn't always obvious, but it becomes much clearer once you've spent an hour actually inspecting the posts and counting what needs work. For most fences under 12 years old with sound posts, repair is the right move. For older fences with widespread post failure or multiple failing systems, replacement gives you a better return on the money you're spending. Either way, knowing what you're working with puts you in control of the decision – and that's always worth the afternoon it takes to assess.