Cost

• When it comes to choosing a wood fence and determining the cost, there are a variety of options: cedar, redwood, chestnut, white oak and pine. Whichever type you decide to install, wood fencing is by far cheaper than vinyl fencing. This is because wood fencing gradually rots, needs annual maintenance and may need to be replaced within five to 10 years. The price of installing a wood fence varies from $9 to $15 per foot depending on the length of the wood.
  
  

Cedar and redwood fencing

• Cedar and redwood fencing are popular wood fences because they are attractive and resistant to decay. Because they do not rot as easily as other types of wood, their prices are extremely high, especially for redwood because it is a rare commodity.
  
  

Vinyl fences

• Vinyl, with its various styles--privacy, semi-privacy, picket, ranch --varies in price. However, many vinyl installers believe that if consumers factor in the long-term effect of installing the vinyl fence, then they will realize that vinyl fencing is the cheaper way to go. The durability of a vinyl fence cannot be contested, and that is why the upfront cost of vinyl fencing is so high. Vinyl fences can last as long as 50 years and a warranty is always provided. The price range for a white vinyl fence is usually more than $17 per foot.
  
  

Factors

• If you are not a do-it-yourselfer, the bulk of the cost associated with installing either a wood fence or vinyl is the labor cost. The work involved in installing fences is labor intensive and the rate per hour to install a fence is $20 to $25. The rate may be higher to install specialized wood like redwood fencing.
  
  

Goals

• If you own your home and plan to live there for more than 15 years, it is cost effective to install vinyl fencing, especially since vinyl fences comes with warranties. On the other hand, if you own your home and plan to live there less than 10 years, it is a wiser economic decision to install wood fencing.