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[TechBoyJK]

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[shimpster]

cant tell from ur pics if the existing fence is yourz or ur neighborz.
that will be ur first priority

 

[TechBoyJK]

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[Elixer]

Tear down that fence! How dare you want to put a barrier to prevent people from getting in...
Oh wait, wrong forum.

All kidding aside, are you going to do this yourself? If so, and you don't mind the look of vinyl, that is pretty easy (and fairly cheap) to install, and on a lot that size, it should be doable in a day.
If the vinyl look bothers you, then you can go for composite (getting more expensive), some of those look like real wood.
I wouldn't go with the wood route, way too much of a PITA to maintain.
Chain link is still good, it is pretty strong as well. Downside of this material is that it will eventually rust out.
If you want a rough idea on the costs, homedepot and lowes offer free estimates.

As for plants, I would say put gravel or <whatever> chips around the plants, this is so you don't have to take a trimmer to the fence all the time. A farmer told me that they use mint plants to keep the rodents away. Dwarf trees / shrubs could also be good, depends on your taste, and how much upkeep you want to do. 1 plant/shrub/bush in the middle of a vinyl fence is plenty.
The thing about trees that big is, they will grow. And then they could grow over the fence... then you get bitching from the neighbor.


Oh, and are you *sure* that fence is yours? Yes, the realtor might have said it was, and it might have been in the paperwork, but, unless you get a survey, you might end up having to tear the new fence out if your neighbor gets a survey, and the fence is on his side.

 

[Spacehead]

Might want to go to the local tree place to get an idea of your options for your area.
How tall do you want the trees to eventually be?
How far apart to plant them?
How far from the fence to plant them?
Do you plan on doing tree trimming/pruning or just letting them grow on their own?

 

[3chordcharlie]

Might want to go to the local tree place to get an idea of your options for your area.
How tall do you want the trees to eventually be?
How far apart to plant them?
How far from the fence to plant them?
Do you plan on doing tree trimming/pruning or just letting them grow on their own?

This. Cedars and pines are fine, pyramidal oak is a good choice too with a somewhat smaller footprint than a full grown spruce tree (easily up to 30ft diameter).

 

[twinrider1]

Being that trees are 3 dimensional, be sure to account for their future growth when choosing how from the fence to plant them. My neighbor planted two pines that grew to overhang into my property. I'm easy to get along with but it was a pita to mow under.

 

[lxskllr]

I'd leave the fence, plant cedar or arbor vitae, then remove the fence once the trees are well established. If you live in the right area, it won't cost a thing. The trees shiuld be free.

 

[Subyman]

I don't care for the vinyl fences, you can easily shatter them while mowing or weed eating. One rock out of your mower and it will punch right through. Kids playing can break them with baseballs or golf balls. I much prefer composite or treated lumber. As for maintenance on treated lumber, it could be as easy as spraying them with sealer every couple of years. Takes only an hour or so to do that. If you want it white then painting it can be a PITA. There are more expensive vinyl options that have a cellular core than are more resistant to damage, but you are starting to get up to composite costs.

I wouldn't do chainlink. They do not provide privacy.

Non-white wood tone: Treated with spray sealer every few years (can be sprayed out of a decent garden sprayer.)
White: Composite or cellular core vinyl (I still think vinyl looks ugly and cheap.)

If cost is not an option composite is king. If cost is an issue and you still want a decent look then do the treated wood.

If you can do it yourself you'll save a lot. Labor is usually over half of what the cost of a fence is and nearly all the cost of a treated fence.

 

[Carson Dyle]

Sounds like she should have bought a house in the woods with no neighbors.

 

[mizzou]

If the rust of the fence is an issue, just spray it with rustoleum that has a rust inhibitor in it. Should last several more years after that!

I don't think you would benefit much with a privacy fence. Your neighbors will still see you. Also, I am not a big fan of the look of those 6-8ft walls anyway. I would say leave the chain link fence, and do a smaller portion of your yard with a privacy wall.

 

[KentState]

We did a mixture of stainless steel and board-over-board cedar. Both materials are pretty resillient and look nice together. Cedar has natural protectants against bugs and rot compared to pressured treated pine, plus it doesn't twist and warp as bad. It should still be treated, but holds up a longer.

I would hold off planting/landscaping until you have the fence. From my recent experience, you end up making adjustments to the installation because seeing it visually changes things like gate placement.