A fence is more surface than it looks
Measure a fence by its length and it seems a small job. Measure it by surface and it's large: two faces, the edges of every board, the posts on all four sides, the rails, the caps and the gaps between pickets that a roller can't reach. A painter pricing a fence in Pinehurst, North Carolina is pricing all of that, plus the work of getting to it past shrubs, beds and the neighbor's side.
This guide sets out what moves the price. It quotes no figures, because the condition of the wood decides most of them.
Station figures, and what they mean for a fence
The weather figures here come from NOAA's engineering weather data for the Fort Bragg/Simmons Army Airfield station, not from readings in Pinehurst. NOAA lists for that station a 50-year basic wind speed of 90 mph (3-second gust at 33 feet), a 100-year rainfall rate of 3.8 inches per hour and about 38 freeze-thaw cycles in an average year.
A fence is fully exposed. Rain hits both faces and runs into the tops of posts and the joints where pickets meet rails. Each freeze-thaw cycle works on any water sitting in those joints and in the end grain at the bottom of boards. That's why the coating on a fence tends to fail first at the bottom, at the tops of posts and where rails meet pickets, and why those places need the most prep.
What raises or lowers the price
Length, height and style. A tall privacy fence has more surface per foot than a low picket fence; a shadowbox or board-on-board fence has more edges than a flat one.
One side or both. Some homeowners do only their side. If the other face is accessible and yours to treat, doing both protects the boards better, and the price goes up accordingly.
Cleaning. Grey, weathered wood and mildew need washing or a wood cleaner and time to dry before any stain. Ask how the painter cleans, and how long they let the wood dry before coating.
Repairs. Loose pickets, split boards, leaning posts and rotten rails. Painters may fix small things; larger carpentry may be priced separately or left to someone else. Ask which.
Stain or paint. Penetrating stain soaks into the wood, wears gradually and is easier to recoat later. Paint and solid-color stain form a film that hides the grain but can peel once water gets behind it, and a peeling fence needs scraping before the next coat. The deck and fence staining page covers the choice in more detail.
Spraying or brushing. Spraying is faster on a long fence, but overspray has to be controlled near cars, houses and plants, and the stain usually needs back-brushing to work into the wood. Ask what method they use and how they protect what's nearby.
Landscaping. Shrubs, vines and beds along the fence slow the work. Clearing them back before the crew arrives helps.
When the old coat is paint
A previously painted fence can carry older layers. EPA's Renovation, Repair and Painting rule says that since April 22, 2010 firms doing renovation work that disturbs lead-based paint in homes built before 1978 must hold EPA or state firm certification and follow specific work practices. Whether a given fence falls within it is a question for the painter; if scraping old paint is involved, ask whether their firm holds that certification.
Two fence bids, one checklist
Hold every bid to the same list: total length and height, faces included, cleaning method and drying time, repairs included, the product by name, the number of coats and the application method. The pricing guide covers the general logic.