Why Is Vinyl Fencing So Expensive? (10 Reasons)

 

Having a fence in your yard can provide many benefits.

It can help keep pets inside your yard as well as ensure children don’t go wandering off, either.

Installing a fence, however, can be quite expensive.

Even seemingly inexpensive fencing options like vinyl comes at a high price.

You may wonder why vinyl fencing is so expensive.

 

Why Is Vinyl Fencing So Expensive? (10 Reasons)

 

The average price of vinyl fencing is around $3,000 although some fences can cost more than $5,000.

Vinyl fencing is expensive because of certain features that make it valuable, such as customization, the price of oil, and the brand name.

Let’s look at these factors in more detail.

 

1. UV-Protected Vinyl

 

One of the features of vinyl fencing that makes it expensive is its UV protection.

Wooden fences and even chain fences can start to degrade from constant exposure to the sun.

Wood, in particular, doesn’t do well under the rays of the sun when it’s painted.

The paint can crack if it doesn’t have UV protection in its formula.

As a result, your fence can look older than it is.

It can make your lawn, as a whole, look quite shabby.

Galvanized steel can also degrade under constant exposure to the sun.

It might weaken or grow brittle.

Eventually, you’ll need to replace it.

Vinyl fencing, on the other hand, can withstand the constant radiation beating down on it from the sun.

Some manufacturers will add a UV-protection additive to the vinyl while making it into fence planks.

Since it costs them a bit more money to do so, they sell their vinyl fencing at higher prices.

UV protection is also an attractive feature.

This increases the demand for vinyl fencing because homeowners don’t want their fences to wither prematurely.

Since the demand is higher, it carries a higher price.

Vinyl fencing is expensive because it has UV-protection capabilities.

 

2. Eco-Friendly

 

Another feature that makes vinyl fencing quite attractive, and thus expensive, is its eco-friendly nature.

Vinyl fencing is usually synthetic.

It avoids using wood which means it doesn’t contribute to quite as much deforestation.

Some manufacturers also make vinyl fencing products to be ecologically friendly.

They’ll use materials or practices that reduce carbon emissions.

These vinyl flooring products tend to be more expensive because they’re more costly to make.

In some cases, to make something environmentally friendly, you have to give up a cheaper material and instead source a more expensive material.

The more expensive material might be more sustainable.

Because the costs of producing eco-friendly vinyl fencing are a bit more expensive, it sells at a higher price.

Eco-friendly vinyl fencing is also marketable.

Some people may be willing to spend more money on vinyl fencing because it doesn’t have as large of an impact on the environment as other fencing materials.

Knowing this, the manufacturer puts a higher price tag on vinyl fencing.

Vinyl fencing is expensive because some of its models are eco-friendly which can be more expensive to make.

 

3. Fire Resistance

 

Some vinyl fencing manufacturers make their vinyl fences fire-resistant.

Vinyl fencing uses PVC which doesn’t easily catch fire, to begin with.

Some manufacturers might even add a flame retardant to the PVC to further ensure it’s safe from fire.

Because it’s not easy for vinyl fencing to catch fire, it’s seen as valuable to certain people.

For example, homeowners who often have to deal with wildfires might find vinyl fencing attractive.

Those who have a bonfire or fire pit in their backyards might appreciate its fire resistance.

It just makes the backyard a safer place to be.

Even if the vinyl fencing did catch fire, PVC doesn’t contain a lot of oxygen.

Fire needs oxygen to ignite and spread.

While it might burn the fence, it shouldn’t spread beyond it.

This makes vinyl fencing expensive for a few reasons.

The first is that some manufacturers might add more ingredients to the mixture.

More costs mean higher prices.

Others may choose to focus the marketing on the fire-resistant ability of the vinyl fencing.

Some homeowners will find that valuable and be willing to pay extra for that type of fencing.

The manufacturer is then able to continue selling at high prices.

Vinyl fencing is expensive because its flame-resistant properties keep it in high demand.

 

4. Long Lifespan

 

One of the best features of vinyl fencing is its longevity.

When you have a wooden fence, you can maybe get a decade or so out of it before it needs to be replaced.

Wooden fences don’t do well in the weather.

The constant beams of the sun and water can quickly make it rot.

Since it’s organic, it’s also vulnerable to pests and mold.

There are a lot of things out there that can destroy your wooden fencing.

Vinyl fencing, on the other hand, can last for a long time.

On average, vinyl fencing has a lifespan between 20 and 30 years.

It ultimately comes down to how well you take care of the fencing.

This makes vinyl fencing expensive for a few reasons.

First, you’re essentially paying for a quality product.

Few people want to replace their fence after putting it in.

It’s too much hassle.

As such, they see a lot of value in buying a fencing type that will last likely as long as they’re in the house.

That makes vinyl fencing expensive because it allows manufacturers to set expensive prices.

The demand is there regardless.

It also makes vinyl fencing expensive because it means that fewer people need to buy vinyl fences in the future.

Since it lasts so long, vinyl fencing manufacturers can’t rely on repeat sales for a few decades.

As such, they have to make as much money as possible on the initial sale.

Vinyl fencing is expensive because it lasts a long time.

 

5. Durable

 

Although vinyl fencing lasts a long time, that doesn’t always mean it will.

Its durability also determines how long vinyl fencing will last.

The good news is that vinyl fencing is very durable.

The bad news is that its durability is what makes it expensive.

Because vinyl fencing uses PVC, it’s a very hard and dense material.

While you can break it, it requires a considerable amount of force.

This is far different from wooden fences.

Wooden fences are delicate.

You can easily break a wooden fence by chopping it, hitting it, or even just cutting it.

Even galvanized steel or chain-link fences aren’t quite as tough as vinyl fences.

You can still bend the links and make them crunch together.

You can also cut the links with the right tools.

Vinyl fencing is a lot harder to damage.

Because of that, vinyl fences have a lot of value.

For one, manufacturers won’t be selling as many because fewer people will be breaking their vinyl fences.

It also means that manufacturers are using high-quality PVC to make the fence.

That adds expense to the product cost.

Vinyl fencing is expensive because of its durability and the costs associated with making it so durable.

 

6. Customizable

 

You can make vinyl fencing even more expensive by customizing it.

One of the best aspects of vinyl fencing is the fact that it comes in different styles and even colors.

You can make some unique fencing designs with vinyl.

That makes it expensive because it’s in a bit more demand.

When demand is high, the price tends to be high.

You can even go a step further and design your vinyl fence from scratch.

This is one of the most expensive ways to buy fencing.

It’s expensive because the manufacturer has to incur all those material and labor costs on your order alone.

You’re the one paying all those costs and more so they can earn a profit.

The benefit of having a customized vinyl fence is that it’s unique to your yard.

You can make your yard look incredibly impressive with a unique fence.

Vinyl fencing is expensive when you customize it to your needs.

 

7. Installation Costs

 

While the actual fence can cost a lot of money, a large part of the expense also goes toward labor costs.

If you’re hiring a company to install your vinyl fencing, you can expect your total price to be quite expensive.

Contractors will price a job based on linear foot.

The bigger your fence is, the more expensive the job is going to be.

The good news is that you can always try to install a fence on your own.

You can usually rent an auger and other tools that can make drilling holes for fence posts and assembling the fence easier.

That said, if you want a professional look to your fence, it might be worth spending the extra money to have experienced professionals install it for you.

The more experienced the team is, the more expensive they likely are.

Vinyl fencing is expensive when you hire professionals to install it for you.

 

8. Warranty

 

Warranties can also make vinyl fencing expensive.

A warranty offers the buyer some protection on an expensive purchase.

If the product becomes defective or broken while the warranty is active, then the manufacturer will usually cover the costs of replacing the product or repairing it.

Because a business might lose money if someone uses their warranty, they need to create a cushion that they can draw money from.

They build that cushion by placing higher prices on their products.

The warranty can keep help you if your vinyl fencing breaks, but it will also impact how much you spend on a vinyl fence.

Vinyl fencing is expensive because warranties can add to the cost.

 

9. High Oil Prices

 

PVC is a byproduct of oil.

Since vinyl comes from PVC, the price of oil also impacts PVC-related products.

You may find that vinyl fences are expensive because oil prices are expensive.

When oil is expensive, PVC is also expensive.

That means vinyl is going to be expensive as well since the manufacturers had to pay higher costs to source their PVC.

To offset those costs, the manufacturer has to sell at higher prices.

The problem with oil is that its price is always rising and falling.

To ensure they’re able to continue sourcing in the future, some manufacturers might just keep their vinyl fencing prices high.

That way, they always have money to keep buying PVC no matter its price.

Vinyl fencing is expensive when the price of oil is expensive.

 

10. Brand Name

 

The brand name of the vinyl fence can also make it expensive.

Certain brands that have made a reputation for themselves in producing high-quality fences might have higher prices than generic brands.

They know that some people are going to buy from them—even if they are more expensive—because they trust their products.

They’re a safer investment even if not a cheaper one.

If you buy from a well-known brand, your vinyl fence is probably going to be expensive.

Vinyl fencing is expensive when it comes from a big brand name.