Pool fence cost and the barrier rules: what you must build, and what it costs
What a fence around a pool costs in chain link, wood or vinyl and aluminium for three sizes of pool area, from our pricing engine — and the barrier rules most US codes use: height, gates, latches and gaps.
In most of the US a pool needs a barrier before anyone swims in it. Here are the rules most codes use, in plain English, and what a pool fence costs in three materials around three sizes of pool area, from the pricing engine our quote tool uses.
The barrier rules most codes use
Most US codes base their pool barrier rules on the International Swimming Pool and Spa Code and the residential code's pool provisions. The common requirements:
- Height: at least 48 inches, measured on the side away from the pool.
- Gaps: no opening a 4-inch sphere can pass through, and a small gap at the bottom.
- Climbability: no footholds — horizontal rails go on the pool side, and chain link needs a small mesh.
- Gates: open outward, away from the pool; self-closing and self-latching, with the latch high or on the pool side.
What it costs
| Type | 100 ft of fence | 150 ft of fence | 200 ft of fence |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chain link | $2,816 | $4,074 | $5,332 |
| Wood privacy, 6 ft | $4,828 | $7,093 | $9,357 |
| Vinyl or aluminium | $6,841 | $10,112 | $13,382 |
Installed, at our engine's starter rates. A 15×30 ft pool with a deck around it is typically fenced with 150 ft or so; using a wall of the house or an existing boundary fence as part of the barrier shortens it — if the doors to the pool area are alarmed or self-closing as your code requires.
Which material
- Chain link — the cheapest; needs a small mesh to meet climbability rules.
- Wood privacy, 6 ft — private; keep the horizontal rails on the pool side.
- Vinyl or aluminium — no painting; aluminium pool fencing with self-closing gates is the most common choice for new pools.
Draw your fence line on the satellite map to get the length and a price for each material. For fences in general, see fence installation cost.
Common questions
How much does a pool fence cost?
About $4,074 in chain link to $10,112 in vinyl or aluminium for 150 ft.
How high does a pool fence need to be?
At least 48 inches under most codes; check your city.
What are the pool gate rules?
Open outward, self-closing and self-latching, latch out of a child's reach; no gaps a 4-inch sphere passes.
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