Fence estimating software is bought by a fence contractor who prices runs by the linear foot and has learned that the money is in the corners, the gates and the post holes in rock. Fence estimator software and fence quoting software are the same purchase: take the run's linear feet, the height and the style, count the posts from the spacing plus the corners, ends and gate posts, the panels or the rails and pickets, the concrete per hole, the hardware and the gates by the piece, and price the material at the yard's sheet with waste, the crew's hours at a loaded rate, the auger by the day, then overhead and markup. The estimate template on this site works that arithmetic for one fence at a time.
Posts, panels and gates are the count
Divide the run by the post spacing and round up, then add the corner, end and gate posts the layout demands; panels are the run over the panel width with a cut allowance, or rails and pickets by the count for a built fence; concrete is bags per hole; hardware is per gate and per panel where the style needs it; gates are pieces with their own posts and hours. Software that only takes a price per foot cannot see the corner that doubles the posts on a small yard.
Hours per foot, per hole and per gate
The crew's hours come from the company's own record: feet per day for that style and height in that ground, hours per hole where the auger hits rock or roots, hours per gate hung. Price them at a loaded rate that carries taxes, insurance and the truck, and charge the auger and the trailer by the day. The quote that wins in a competitive yard is the one whose hours are a record rather than a hope.
The quote the customer sees and the estimate the company keeps
The customer's quote shows the run, the style and height, the gates, the material by brand, the exclusions such as utility locates, permits and removal of the old fence, the total and the terms. The company keeps the post count, the hours and the markup with the estimate. Pro on this site files every estimate against the customer and the property, so the posts bought can be compared with the posts set when the job closes.
Questions people ask about fence estimating software
How is a fence estimated?
From the run's linear feet: posts from the spacing plus corners, ends and gates, panels or rails and pickets, concrete per hole, hardware, gates by the piece, hours per foot and per hole at a loaded rate, then overhead and markup.
Should a fence quote be priced per linear foot?
Build it from the count internally; a per-foot price to the customer hides the corners and the gates that change the cost and invites shopping by the foot.
Does fence quoting software handle gates and corners?
It should count them explicitly from the layout; software that only multiplies a price by the run's length will under-price every small, cornered yard.