Obra for Fencing contractors

Fencing job costing, from the utility locate to the last gate latch

Track each fence job as its own project: pickets, chain link, posts, concrete, gates, locates and labor by the day. Know your real cost per linear foot.

A fence is priced by the foot and built by the hole. The material is a lumber yard or fence supply invoice, the labor is a crew for a few days, and the margin is decided by what's in the ground: rock, roots, an old fence, and a gate the client upgrades once the posts are set.

Obra keeps each fence as its own job, with the material against the budget and the labor by the day, so you know your real cost per foot before you bid the next one.

Material by the line

Set up the budget the way you bid it: wood, chain link, gates, concrete, locates, rentals, labor. When the invoices come in, they go against the right line and the job's page shows the gap. The cost code guide has a short list you can copy.

Receipts from the yard

Your crew lead picks up pickets, concrete and a box of screws on the way to the job. They photograph each receipt and send it by WhatsApp. Obra reads it, drafts the expense, and you confirm which fence it belongs to. The receipt tracking guide shows the habit.

The holes, the operator, the old fence

The three change orders below show up on most fence jobs. Price each one the day it comes up, get the client's okay, then record it so the contract moves with the work. The change order guide keeps the wording short.

Cost per foot, for real

When the last invoice is paid, the job's page shows the contract, total cost and margin. Divide by the footage. Compare your cedar jobs against your chain link and your ornamental iron. The markup and margin guide helps you set the price per foot that survives the rock.

What Obra isn't for a fence contractor

Not a drawing tool, not estimating software, not scheduling. Obra is the money on each fence, in English and Spanish, from receipts your crew already sends, exported clean to the accountant.

Sample budget

320 ft cedar privacy fence with two gates and 180 ft chain link, Riverside

Line item Budget
Cedar pickets, posts, rails $5,600
Chain link fabric, posts, fittings $2,100
Gates and hardware $900
Concrete $700
Utility locate and permit $150
Auger and equipment rental $350
Crew labor, three days $4,400
Direct cost budget $14,200
Contract value $19,800
Gross margin budgeted $5,600

Illustrative figures in US dollars for a fictional project; use them to see the shape of the budget, not to price a job.

The cost codes this trade actually uses

  • 01 Wood pickets, posts and rails
  • 02 Chain link, vinyl and ornamental
  • 03 Gates, hardware and operators
  • 04 Concrete and post setting
  • 05 Permits and utility locates
  • 06 Equipment rentals
  • 07 Crew labor, layout and posts
  • 08 Crew labor, rails, pickets and gates
  • 09 Old fence removal and haul-away
  • 10 Vehicle and fuel

The change orders that eat the margin

Rock or roots in the post holes
The auger stalls on every third hole. A bigger machine, a jackhammer, or hand digging is a day the bid never had. Get the okay before the second day, then record it, not after the last post.
The gate operator added after the quote
The quote had a swing gate with a latch. The client wants an automatic operator with a keypad. The operator, the electrical and the extra day are a change order, confirmed before the order goes in.
The old fence nobody mentioned
The quote assumed a clear line. There's an old chain link fence with concrete footings along the whole run. Pulling it and hauling it is a change order, priced and approved before the first post goes in.

Questions people ask

I bid by the linear foot. Does Obra care?
No. Enter the total contract and a short budget. Obra tracks what the job cost against that number. Divide by the footage and you have your real cost per foot for the next bid.
Can I keep post-setting labor apart from picket labor?
Yes. Two labor codes, two lines. After a few jobs you'll know whether the days go into the holes or into the pickets, and which soil types cost you.
Does Obra do fence design or HOA paperwork?
No. Keep your drawing tool and your forms. When the contract is signed, enter it as the job's budget. Obra takes over from there: receipts, change orders and the margin per job.
Can my crew send receipts from the lumber yard?
Yes. A photo by WhatsApp, email or the app, in English or Spanish. They never see the job's finances. You confirm it to the right job in a few seconds.
Free download

Not ready for an app? Start with our free Excel template.

A ready-made spreadsheet to track costs and income per project — with categories and the totals already set up.

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