I feel sick inside-fence budget buster!

[princessmorgan]

Who knew building a fence could be so controversial? Long story short-the original fence we wanted to build a (5 ft picket fence) was denied because of the height. Only 4 foot and 6 foot fences allowed now since they are rewriting the covenants. So we went with a 6 foot privacy fence. The neighbor behind us (we border 3 neighbors behind us) has a 4 foot picket. Well the fence builder we went with (a referral from a friend of a friend) said he could not build one side of the fence the "regular way" with the flat side facing out because of the fence behind us. So we trusted him and said o.k., then do what you can. Well our behind us without a fence are livid, because they have to see the crossboards, our fence is too high, they can't see our tress anymore, etc, etc.

Now we have to fix our brand new fence. Personally I don't think it's that big of a deal, but I can see their point. The only way to fix it now is either to add new wood on the other side so it appears flat or to rip off the boards and basically build a new fence. What a waste of wood though! It just makes me sick inside. I know it's my own fault for not finding out more info, but now we're basically going to have to rebuild a fence we just built and fences are not cheap. All this because the kids wanted a playground in the backyard Sorry for the vent!

 

[mdsouth]

Ugg! What a pain! I can certainly understand why you are upset.

Remember, the neighbors do not have to have a view of your trees. It is something that they enjoyed before but it is not a law that they have to have it.

Perhaps, the contractor would work for you since he gave you false and misleading information. I would think, he would have to absorb some of the cost of fixing the fence.

I am sorry you have to deal with this!

 

[princessmorgan]

Thanks for the sympathy, I needed a little of that

 

[r&kmommy]

What makes this neighbor's complaints so important that you have to REDO the fence? It's not your fault he has to look at the crossboards. Nor does he have the "right" to look at your trees. Leave things as they are.

I am LIVID for you! LIVID!!

(maybe I'm missing something? Who is telling you that you can't have a 5 foot picket fence? Why didn't you go with a 4'6" picket instead?)

LIVID!!!

 

[hffmnheidi]

Do not rebuild the fence! If it's at the height you want, leave it alone. They're your trees, not the neighbors and if they don't like not seeing trees, they can plant their own in their backyard. Maybe I'm bitter about neighbors because we have neighbors who throw glass beer bottles into our backyard when they have parties.

 

[maggiew]

None of those complaints seem like valid reasons for redoing your fence???? You will spend all that money because your neighbors can no longer see your trees???

As long as you aren't violating any neighborhood association rules, I wouldn't change anything.

Maggie

 

[princessmorgan]

What makes this neighbor's complaints so important that you have to REDO the fence? It's not your fault he has to look at the crossboards. Nor does he have the "right" to look at your trees. Leave things as they are.

I am LIVID for you! LIVID!!

(maybe I'm missing something? Who is telling you that you can't have a 5 foot picket fence? Why didn't you go with a 4'6" picket instead?)

LIVID!!!

Oh sorry, the Homeowners Association said we need to fix it. They set the bylaws and covenants for a little neighborhood of about 200 houses. I could understand if everyone's fence looked the same, but there are fences of all shapes and sizes and heights. My neighbor next door has chicken wire in between the x shaped crossboards on her fence and one side is being held up by rope. Is it the prettiest thing? No, but somehow our fence is the biggest eyesore in the neighborhood.

 

[princessmorgan]

None of those complaints seem like valid reasons for redoing your fence???? You will spend all that money because your neighbors can no longer see your trees???

As long as you aren't violating any neighborhood association rules, I wouldn't change anything.

Maggie

There's nothing specific about not being able to show crossboards on the outside in the covenants. However, it says basically that the Architectual Committee can basically approve or not approve whatever they want. There are 3 people on the Committee. The HOA president and a husband and wife who live in the neighborhood. So basically it's all a matter of opinion, and even those 3 can't agree on things!

 

[ceecee]

We put a custom shed ($6000)on our 1.5 acre property and painted it to match the trim on our home and a neighbor across the street complained that it wasn't brick (estimate for brick was $19,000). This is a neighborhood with 1-2 acre yards so obviously this is not even close to her house!!!
I agree with the previous poster, tell them to plant their own trees. Leave the fence as it is. Do you have a covenent that says a fence has to be a certain way?

 

[princessmorgan]

Do not rebuild the fence! If it's at the height you want, leave it alone. They're your trees, not the neighbors and if they don't like not seeing trees, they can plant their own in their backyard. Maybe I'm bitter about neighbors because we have neighbors who throw glass beer bottles into our backyard when they have parties.

I'm starting to feel bitter about neighbors, too. The HOA pres told me the neighbor has called everyday to complain about the fence. I don't understand why people can't be good neighbors. Why would people feel the need to throw beer bottles in your yard? It's just so rude!

 

[r&kmommy]

oh god you know what? i'd take the issue to city hall. honestly. take pictures of all the fences in your area and show them what's going on. then show them the bylaws. basically i'd refuse to change it until they make chicken wire lady changes hers.

have a lawyer look at the bylaws. sounds like a shoddy operation LOL! I'm very sorry!!

 

[piglet33]

I know in our town, the slats on the fence have to face your yard and the nice side face the neighbor's yard. Maybe that is why they want you to redo it? Didn't the building inspector come by to see it? Is that when you found out it has to be changed?

As for them seeing your trees, I'd tell them to plant their own trees to look at. You don't have to redo your fence for that!

 

[kaytieeldr]

I guess I'm confused how the fence behind yours prevented the fence builder from erecting yours with the flat side facing out? That doesn't make sense to me. It would seem the flat side facing that fence - and so, your other behind-house neighbors - would work better than the crosspieces facing out. Can you go talk to another fence company for advice? It does sound like this guy was wrong and should erect your fence correctly.

But your fence isn't "too high", it complies with the HOA rules, and as others have said, those neighbors don't have a 'right' to a view of your trees.

(maybe I'm missing something? Who is telling you that you can't have a 5 foot picket fence? Why didn't you go with a 4'6" picket instead?)

Nope. Not four-foot six-inch fences; four foot high fences or six foot high fences .

 

[chicagodisneyfan]

oh god you know what? i'd take the issue to city hall. honestly. take pictures of all the fences in your area and show them what's going on. then show them the bylaws. basically i'd refuse to change it until they make chicken wire lady changes hers.

have a lawyer look at the bylaws. sounds like a shoddy operation LOL! I'm very sorry!!

Sorry - but everyone knows that the "pretty" side of the fence has to face the street and/or neighbors.

Many places have this rule. There are quite a few suburbs that enforce this.

 

[piglet33]

I could understand if everyone's fence looked the same, but there are fences of all shapes and sizes and heights. My neighbor next door has chicken wire in between the x shaped crossboards on her fence and one side is being held up by rope. Is it the prettiest thing? No, but somehow our fence is the biggest eyesore in the neighborhood.

I would definitely question why your fence has to come down and the one with chicken wire and rope doesn't.

 

[kaytieeldr]

Oh sorry, the Homeowners Association said we need to fix it. They set the bylaws and covenants for a little neighborhood of about 200 houses. I could understand if everyone's fence looked the same, but there are fences of all shapes and sizes and heights. My neighbor next door has chicken wire in between the x shaped crossboards on her fence and one side is being held up by rope. Is it the prettiest thing? No, but somehow our fence is the biggest eyesore in the neighborhood.

Ah, yeah - I'd file a complaint about that. Your crossboards are an eyesore, but a fence held together with a rope is acceptable? Really?

 

[piglet33]

Ah, yeah - I'd file a complaint about that. Your crossboards are an eyesore, but a fence held together with a rope is acceptable? Really?

Yep, I was going to say the same thing. Maybe the chicken fence people are friends with the committee that makes the rules???

They need to either change the by-laws or enforce them for everyone to be fair.

 

[princessmorgan]

I think the builder was just being lazy about not wanting to place the boards correctly, so he told me there wasn't a way to do it. I know now after having another company come look at it that it was possible, it's just more work. He would have to piece the boards together and then lift it over. That is essentially what he's going to do to fix the problem by adding more wood. At the time I just believed him when he said there wasn't a way to do it. So it's his fault for not really being honest with me and mine for giving him approval.

 

[princessmorgan]

Ah, yeah - I'd file a complaint about that. Your crossboards are an eyesore, but a fence held together with a rope is acceptable? Really?

They've been sending them notices for a couple of years; they just haven't enforced them. They're in a tight situation; the father of the family left them and it's just a single mom who works all day while her sister takes care of the kids. There are 5 kids. This is where the controversy comes in. The HOA pres has been around a long time and doesn't want to create undue hardship on people. But the husband of the couple on the ARC committee is kind of the new blood coming in who wants everything to shape up around here. I see both sides, but our neighborhood is older, so it's going to be really hard to start now to make everything uniform.

 

[r&kmommy]

Sorry - but everyone knows that the "pretty" side of the fence has to face the street and/or neighbors.

Many places have this rule. There are quite a few suburbs that enforce this.

My goodness, where do you all live that this is enforced? I can see a development, but just a random house in a city/town can be told what to do? I pay my city taxes, I keep my property nice, and I am a good neighbor. If I want to pay $6000 for a fence and have the nice side face in so I can see it, I will. And nobody around here can tell me otherwise.

Of course, this is why I would never live in a development or anywhere where the houses all look the same or there are "rules" to what you can do to your house. What about those places that ban laundry lines? *rme* I could NEVER live in such a communistic situation!

I love my

(and ftr, we had our fence replaced to the tune of almost $9k last year and the 'pretty side' faces out to our neighbors LOL! I'm just playing devil's advocate...)


OP - Sorry it sounds like you're in a sucky situation!! Have you talked to the fence guy and shamed him into fixing your fence for free? I would give him a rash of you-know-what for lying to you!!!