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Karen Londres
Karen Londres

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How to Build a Cross-Platform Fence Installation Quote Calculator

If you're in the fence installation business, having an easy-to-use online cost calculator can help convert curious visitors into solid leads. Whether your company specializes in wood fencing, chain link, or aluminum, a cross-platform quote calculator can reduce manual work, improve customer experience, and automate part of your sales funnel.

In this guide, we’ll walk through how to build a simple quote calculator using React Native for mobile and Next.js for web, backed by a shared Node.js API. We'll cover architecture, cost variables, and a basic example of how to calculate labor costs based on fence type and total length.

Bonus: This is also useful if you're running a business like a Commercial fence company chicago and want to digitize part of your quoting process.

🔧 Project Architecture Overview

To make our calculator work on both web and mobile, we’ll use:

  • React Native: For iOS and Android apps
  • Next.js: For the web frontend (SSR enabled)
  • Node.js + Express: For the backend quote logic
  • MongoDB Atlas: For storing quote requests
  • Tailwind CSS / NativeBase: For styling
  • Vercel + Expo: For deployment

Here’s the structure:

/fence-quote-app
│
├── /web (Next.js)
├── /mobile (React Native)
├── /api (Node.js + Express)
└── /shared (constants and formulas)
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📐 Cost Formula Basics

To estimate the total cost, we'll factor in:

totalCost = (baseCostPerFoot + laborCostPerFoot) * totalFeet;
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Each fence type will have its own base and labor costs:

Fence Type Base Cost/ft Labor Cost/ft
Wood $15 $10
Aluminum $22 $12
Chain Link $12 $8

Let’s centralize those values:

// shared/constants.js
export const COST_TABLE = {
  wood: { base: 15, labor: 10 },
  aluminum: { base: 22, labor: 12 },
  chainLink: { base: 12, labor: 8 },
};
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🧠 Backend Logic 

// api/server.js
const express = require("express");
const cors = require("cors");
const { COST_TABLE } = require("../shared/constants");

const app = express();
app.use(cors());
app.use(express.json());

app.post("/quote", (req, res) => {
  const { type, feet } = req.body;
  const fence = COST_TABLE[type];

  if (!fence) return res.status(400).json({ error: "Invalid fence type" });

  const total = (fence.base + fence.labor) * feet;
  res.json({ total });
});

app.listen(3001, () => console.log("API running on port 3001"));
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💻 Web Frontend (Next.js) 

// web/pages/index.js
import { useState } from "react";
import axios from "axios";

export default function Home() {
  const [type, setType] = useState("wood");
  const [feet, setFeet] = useState(100);
  const [quote, setQuote] = useState(null);

  const getQuote = async () => {
    const res = await axios.post("http://localhost:3001/quote", { type, feet });
    setQuote(res.data.total);
  };

  return (
    <div className="p-6 max-w-lg mx-auto">
      <h1 className="text-2xl font-bold">Fence Installation Quote</h1>

      <label>Fence Type:</label>
      <select onChange={(e) => setType(e.target.value)} value={type}>
        <option value="wood">Wood</option>
        <option value="aluminum">Aluminum</option>
        <option value="chainLink">Chain Link</option>
      </select>

      <label>Feet:</label>
      <input
        type="number"
        value={feet}
        onChange={(e) => setFeet(+e.target.value)}
      />

      <button onClick={getQuote} className="bg-blue-600 text-white p-2 mt-4">
        Get Estimate
      </button>

      {quote && <p className="mt-4">Estimated Total: ${quote}</p>}
    </div>
  );
}
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📱 Mobile Frontend (React Native - Expo) 

// mobile/App.js
import React, { useState } from "react";
import { View, Text, TextInput, Button, Picker } from "react-native";
import axios from "axios";

export default function App() {
  const [type, setType] = useState("wood");
  const [feet, setFeet] = useState("100");
  const [quote, setQuote] = useState(null);

  const getQuote = async () => {
    const res = await axios.post("http://localhost:3001/quote", {
      type,
      feet: Number(feet),
    });
    setQuote(res.data.total);
  };

  return (
    <View style={{ padding: 20 }}>
      <Text>Fence Type</Text>
      <Picker selectedValue={type} onValueChange={(v) => setType(v)}>
        <Picker.Item label="Wood" value="wood" />
        <Picker.Item label="Aluminum" value="aluminum" />
        <Picker.Item label="Chain Link" value="chainLink" />
      </Picker>

      <Text>Feet</Text>
      <TextInput
        keyboardType="numeric"
        value={feet}
        onChangeText={setFeet}
      />

      <Button title="Get Quote" onPress={getQuote} />

      {quote && <Text>Total: ${quote}</Text>}
    </View>
  );
}
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🧪 Next Steps & Ideas

  • Add user authentication to save quotes
  • Integrate Stripe to allow deposits
  • Use geolocation for regional pricing logic
  • Add a visual preview of the fence
  • Deploy backend to Heroku / Render
  • Convert into a SaaS for contractors

Final Thoughts

Building a quote calculator isn’t just a developer exercise—it’s a tool that delivers value directly to customers and increases conversions. Whether you're offering Wood fence chicago services or managing complex projects like Aluminum Fence Installation Chicago, giving users instant access to pricing helps build trust.

Even if your client needs a Chain link fence Chicago il style project, this kind of app can make the decision process easier and faster.

In an industry where time = money, coding a multiplatform calculator might be the smartest tool you deploy this year.

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