fence and neighboors

[lillygator]

wow, it's your property right? I would do what I want without consulting the neighbors....do you guys always consult the nighbors with decisions in your yard?

 

[Feralpeg]

wow, it's your property right? I would do what I want without consulting the neighbors....do you guys always consult the nighbors with decisions in your yard?

A fence is a little different than other types of yard decisions. The fact that the OP's neighbor already has a fence makes a big difference. If she puts her vinyl fence right against his chain link, it will make taking care of his fence much more difficult and, it will make it hard for the OP to care for that side of her fence.

Why not make the gesture of talking to your neighbor? Isn't it better to try to create a good atmosphere with your neighbor? I don't understand the "I'll do what I want" mentality. If the neighbor decides to be difficult, that is a different story, but at least give them a chance to be nice about it.

 

[scrapquitler]

What is a twin house???? I would just ask him if- if it was me I would take down the chain link and just leave the one fence but thats up to him. I would never want a house without a fence though- big fences make good neighbors!

I think the OP means it is a duplex....where the houses share one common wall. One family lives on the right, one family on the left, with the shared wall in between.

 

[Molliday]

A twin home is the same as a townhome in most areas-but just 2 "houses" connected instead of more than 2.

OP, does your homeowner's association allow you to put up privacy fences? I would check into that first. I am not a fan of the white vinyl privacy fences personally. Have you investigated putting in shrubs or other greenery along the chain link fence?

Those are known as duplexes here.

We have to have fences here. I'm not sure about your climate, but here, a 6' cedar privacy fence is very common. When it separates property lines, it's called a "good neighbor fence". Every ten feet, the section flips, so each person gets an equal amount of posts without support beams.

I'd much rather look at that, than a white vinyl fence.

 

[manning]

Our police dept is not a fan of privacy fences. They say it is a perfect hiding place for a thief. When patroling they cannot see what is going on. All a thief has to do is duck down until all is clear.

 

[eeyoremum]

Pools aren't allowed in our neighborhood. Also, why would I want to keep kids out of my yard if they are just coming through to get a ball or passing through on the way up to another neighbor's house? It is safer to walk through the back yards than on the front street.

As for keeping my children in, from the time they were toddlers I was either outside with them or as they got older I simply told them "stay in the backyards" and they would. There are about 8 lawns that all connect and most families have children-- so sometimes I'll look out and a neighbor child will be on our play set and/or if we put up the big water slide some will toss on bathing suits and come up to play. Isn't that what a neighborhood is for? To enjoy spending time with your neighbors?

If we have company or some reason why neighborhood children shouldn't be there, I will simply say "Today isn't a good day for everyone to play here because we have company, but you can come back tomorrow." ...and I tell my children "Don't go over to (insert neighbor's name) yard right now because it looks like they have company and we don't want to interrupt. Even then-- usually it would be fine, but it is nice to be respectful.

I don't want kids in my yard uninvited. It is nice to say that most kids will listen but some don't. I admittedly am not neighbourly I have my life they have theirs. Fences make good neighbours.

 

[shinysparklybubbles]

Our police dept is not a fan of privacy fences. They say it is a perfect hiding place for a thief. When patroling they cannot see what is going on. All a thief has to do is duck down until all is clear.

Never thought of that. Now the people across the steer from us have the solid fence on 3 sides and the front is picket style.

 

[LuLuO]

We would talk with our neighbors if we were planning to change the fencing in our yard.

 

[GRUMPY PIRATE]

Our police dept is not a fan of privacy fences. They say it is a perfect hiding place for a thief. When patroling they cannot see what is going on. All a thief has to do is duck down until all is clear.

Just put up motion sensor lights for nighttime.

and out police department fixed that problem.

then have helicopters.

 

[disykat]

Our police dept is not a fan of privacy fences. They say it is a perfect hiding place for a thief. When patroling they cannot see what is going on. All a thief has to do is duck down until all is clear.

My experience from TPing houses in the 70's tells me bushes are much better for hiding behind than fences.

 

[aprilgail2]

I don't want kids in my yard uninvited. It is nice to say that most kids will listen but some don't. I admittedly am not neighbourly I have my life they have theirs. Fences make good neighbours.

sometimes I'll look out and a neighbor child will be on our play set and/or if we put up the big water slide some will toss on bathing suits and come up to play. Isn't that what a neighborhood is for? To enjoy spending time with your neighbors?

.

kids in your yard uninvited playing on your playset and waterslide?? Thats like a lawsuit waiting to happen!! No one would be on anything in my yard without permission and supervision-not random kids using our things whenever they felt like it. My neighbors were away and didn't lock their gate and some kid went into their yard and got hurt on their swingset-the parents sued and WON- something like it being an attractive nuisence or something but from then on my neighbors made sure they put up a privacy fence with a lock!

 

[Imzadi]

This is an incredibly interesting fence thread.

My experience from TPing houses in the 70's tells me bushes are much better for hiding behind than fences.

 

[Ceila]

For those who don't understand the concept of a twin house, it's just like a townhouse with only two units. Each person maintains their own yard and home. Our first house was one, and we loved our neighbors. (We were lucky to have such great people living next to us!)

To the OP, I think you should tell them what you are going to do, but I would be sure not to phrase it as a question. Don't leave room for them to think you are asking for their permission or opinion. You are just giving them the courtesy of a heads-up.

 

[luvsJack]

If I was basically sharing a house with someone, I would talk to him about it. Just because you don't "have to" doesn't mean you shouldn't. Common courtesy. Especially since it could cause a big problem on the upkeep on his side of the fence.


I agree with others that I would never live somewhere that said I could not have a fence. I live on 5 acres, my mom on the front 5 acres, and other family on the another 15 acres all joined. By the end of this summer, 3 of us will have a fenced in yard. It keeps the animals safe and the kids safe.

 

[tvguy]

For those who don't understand the concept of a twin house, it's just like a townhouse with only two units. Each person maintains their own yard and home. Our first house was one, and we loved our neighbors. (We were lucky to have such great people living next to us!)

To the OP, I think you should tell them what you are going to do, but I would be sure not to phrase it as a question. Don't leave room for them to think you are asking for their permission or opinion. You are just giving them the courtesy of a heads-up.

Actually for most of us, a twin house is a duplex....but in some states, twin house is a legal designation indicating that you each own your half of the structure, and you each own half the land. Here in California, it would just be a duplex with information on the deed explaining the ownership arrangement.

 

[FredinFL]

I don't understand how OP's putting up a fence will deprive the other owner of being able to take care of is chain link fence. Exactly what do you do to a chain link fence that would be interfered with by a fence along side it?

 

[sparks19]

I would consult with him just to be curteous.

As for the fence vs no fence debate... to each their own.

When we were house hunting our biggest criteria was FENCED IN YARD. We have two large dogs that like to spend their time outside ... on nice days they'll spend the entire day out there if I don't make them come in lol.

It's also nice to have with DD. if we want to play with the neighborhood kids we all gather outfront in the cul de sac it's perfect. we have our privacy fenced yard for when we want some more private time and then we have the cul de sac out front where all the kids play when we want to go out and socialize. it's the perfect set up.

Our neighbors attached to us do NOT have a fence however and their bratty dogs run free around the neighborhood torturing all the dogs who have been responsibly contained and then they go outside and scream their heads off for the dogs to come back... usually accompanied by profanity. it's lovely

 

[Bob NC]

I don't understand how OP's putting up a fence will deprive the other owner of being able to take care of is chain link fence. Exactly what do you do to a chain link fence that would be interfered with by a fence along side it?

If you put a solid fence next to a chain link fence, there is no way for the chain link owner to cut the weeds between the 2 fences.

 

[ZephyrHawk]

You can do what you like on you own property (within code), but it's neighborly to give him a headsup.

Good fences make good neighbors!

Umm....no. Something there is that doesn't love a wall.

 

[EMom]

If you put a solid fence next to a chain link fence, there is no way for the chain link owner to cut the weeds between the 2 fences.

I'm a big fan of fences and I can't blame you for wanting to look at something other than a chain link fence. That being said, if I was your neighbor, I'd be less than happy that a vinyl fence was going up if it meant I'd either have to let my neighbors come in my backyard a couple of times a years to clean it and keep the green slime off OR clean it a couple of times a year myself so I didn't have to look at the green slime on the reverse side of your fence. Isn't there something that will serve as a fence but not look like crap on their side?