Here are a couple of things to consider when you are thinking about building or replacing a privacy fence.  I will only discuss lower cost fences in this post.

Planning:
*  Check with your City codes, many cities now require only steel posts to be used.
*  If you’re within City limits, most will require you (the fencing company) to pull a permit before work begins.
*  Property corners must be marked clearly and a plat of the property must be provided.
*  This will require a land surveyor to come out and clearly mark the corners.

Material:
*  Whitewood, the lowest cost available.  3/4 inch thick and if taken care of, should last 8-10 years.
*  Cedar, a great durable wood, will last 8-12 years if taken care of.
*  Treated, STAY AWAY!!!  When we switched wood treatments a few years ago and went with a less-cancer-causing treatment, the lumber has become almost worthless.  The biggest issue is bad warping due to imp?roper drying.  I refuse to install it.
*  Builder grade material….worse, never use it.  We’ve seen 4 year old fences falling apart…

Posts:

*  Landscaping timbers…should NEVER be used as posts, they warp and rot extremely fast.
*  4×4 treated posts are our wooded posts of choice… from 4-7 each, it’s a bargan.
*  4×4 cedar posts, even better, but would recomend cedar posts with a cedar fence so it doesn’t look missmatched.
*  Steel posts, the best…price varies greatly with the price of steel. From 12 to 22 dollars each.  Note that with steel posts you will have to purchase 3 brackets per post @3-4 dollars each.  The most expensive option, but the best option.

Treatments:

*  At the very least, put a clear coat over the fence as soon as it goes up.  We do this to all our fences.
*  So many stains and treatments, you have dozens of options.  Just make sure you put SOMETHING on it immediately.

Happy Fencing