One material that's been around for about a decade but is really starting to catch on with home owners is vinyl. Its biggest advantages are that it's nearly maintenance-free and will last a long time. Vinyl won't need to be painted, boards won't rot and it's easy to clean in Birmingham, Alabama.

Vinyl fencing mimics many of the styles found in wood, but it will be more expensive. Vinyl runs about double the cost of wood and three times the cost of chain link. But a lot of that price disparity will be made up in the long run with reduced maintenance.