What is proper fence etiquette with your neighbor?

The Juggler

so i am going to have a fence installed in the next month or so. the reason is mainly so my dog can run around unchained in the backyard. however the underlying issue is we cant stand our neighbors. we live in an end unit townhouse so we're right on top of each other. they have 3 kids. and it seems like all of the neighborhood kids congregate right off of our yard--sometimes on it. i dont want to seem like a grumpy old dude yelling at people to get off my property. but at the same time i enjoy my privacy. right now i'm staring at them having a football catch at the bottom of my yard. its pretty annoying.

my neighbors and i also dont get along too well. i did a refinance for them a few years ago. my mom handled the notary duties as well. i priced it so low i barely got paid on it and my mom gave them a huge discount. but i remember them grilling us over over every little item in the closing packet like they didnt trust us or something. then not even a year later they applied for another refi with my company. a different loan officer had to assure them that the deal i gave them was the friend and family discount and that there was no way he could offer anything better. so i've always been ticked off about that. plus they have this stupid little dog who does nothing but bark and bark and bark. its just annoying. whenever they are out there, we tend to stay inside.

ANYWHO----what is the protocall here? is it common courtesy to inform your next door neighbor that you are installing a fence. is it considered rude to not say anything? what say you?

The Juggler

i should mention the fence is a 6 foot tall shadow box fence. so its pretty private. its the only kind out hoa will allow...

actually the only problem with it is my grill is on our patio which happens to be right next to their deck. so i will still have to deal with them when i'm grilling up some mouth watering treats.

NoCode416

next time you see the neighbor while walking the dog, just mention the fact that you're planning on having a fence installed so that your dog can have a little more freedom.

lukin2006

I think its up to you whether to notify them or not. I would check with the municipality though on their regulations, so as not to miss something that gives your neighbour a recent to call the municipality, every municipality has fence regulations. Good luck.

mookeywrench

I would contact them and let them know that you're putting in a fence. the reason why is none of their business, but it's important to go over the property lines and to make sure you agree upon the fence's placement.

A neighbor at my friends place built a stonewalled 'fence' that was about a foot thick. He didn't consult with the other neighbors, and mistakenly set the ground work for the fence in the wrong property....whoops.

Wobbie

The Jeagler wrote:

i dont want to seem like a grumpy old dude yelling at people to get off my property. but at the same time i enjoy my privacy.

the jeagler:

CROJAM95

I saw a king of queens re run the other day regarding this

funny stuff

haffajappa

mookeywrench wrote:

I would contact them and let them know that you're putting in a fence. the reason why is none of their business, but it's important to go over the property lines and to make sure you agree upon the fence's placement.

A neighbor at my friends place built a stonewalled 'fence' that was about a foot thick. He didn't consult with the other neighbors, and mistakenly set the ground work for the fence in the wrong property....whoops.

yeah make sure you talk to them.
building on the wrong side of the property line will get you in big troubles!

our neighbours behind us about 9 years ago put up a new fence - but decided to let all the neighbours know AFTER they built it, and then wanted to collect money from all of us who were bordering their yard... ummmmm maybe you should have asked us before you put your own labour and materials into it... :roll:

peacegirl

I think it's a good idea to mention to them that you're putting a fence up and even though they really don't need to know why, you can just say it's for the dog

haffajappa

peacegirl wrote:

I think it's a good idea to mention to them that you're putting a fence up and even though they really don't need to know why, you can just say it's for the dog

lol yah and don't tell them its for their yappy one

The Champ

Piss on his lawn and tell him it's good for the grass..

mickeyrat

here's the etiquette. build the fence. then once it's done throw your dogss shit over the fence, but only when yappy is yapping.

Who Princess

imalive wrote:

The Jeagler wrote:

i dont want to seem like a grumpy old dude yelling at people to get off my property. but at the same time i enjoy my privacy.

the jeagler:

That movie was exactly what I was thinking!

I agree that you need to be absolutely sure about the property lines, especially with neighbors you don't get along with in the first place. I've heard too many horror stories about people putting up fences and finding out they were on their neighbors' property.

I would let them know you're putting in the fence, not as a courtesy so much since it sounds like these people are jerks anyway. Just so they don't have something else to be pissy about. "He had that huge fence installed and didn't even tell us about it." I know it's none of their business but they sound like the kind of people who would make an issue out of anything.

They probably won't even realize that you're doing THEM a favor by putting in a fence. If they want to install one, they can just join up to yours.

81

i dunno....my house came with a fence. hell, the entire neighbor hood came with a fence.

catefrances

i woke up one day to find my entire back fence missing. seriously.

alivegirl

catefrances wrote:

i woke up one day to find my entire back fence missing. seriously.

what did you do :?:

Jo

The Jeagler wrote:

. so i've always been ticked off about that. plus they have this stupid little dog who does nothing but bark and bark and bark. its just annoying. whenever they are out there, we tend to stay inside.

what say you?

In Australia, everyone has fencing.

By our law, you have to sort this issue out with your neighbour and you have to pay half your share of costs to have the fence installed..
If your neighbour knocks on your door and says he's putting up a fence, it is manditory that you WILL pay half costs.
period.

Rules are, you both must have a final agreement on
What Fence?
What Screening?
What Gates?


and get the hose out on thier yapping dog.

pandora

I'm in the minority or alone on this one I guess but I wouldn't mention a thing. I would be sure the property is surveyed and marked properly. They will see the flags and pretty much figure it out unless they are not so smart.
I think by telling them it could open a conversation that you might not want to have if they don't like the idea of a privacy fence. They seem to be, from your description a little"me" focused, self centered maybe and may assume if they didn't want it you might reconsider, which of course is ridiculous. Its hard to second guess what people think, expect the unexpected maybe.
It will much nicer for your little family with the fence.
Good luck

flywallyfly

These people sound like aholes so i say get ur property boundaries correct and put the fence up while they are at work.

haffajappa

mickeyrat wrote:

here's the etiquette. build the fence. then once it's done throw your dogss shit over the fence, but only when yappy is yapping.

i was listening to the radio once when a guy said his neighbours left their dogs outside and hte dogs wouldn't stop barking... so get this,

what he did was waited for it to rain... then he got oxo cubes like beef flavour, and he threw a bunch over the fence all over their yard.



the dogs wouldnt stop digging holes in the ENTIRE yard... just holes, holes everywhere.

chadwick

Jo wrote:

The Jeagler wrote:

. so i've always been ticked off about that. plus they have this stupid little dog who does nothing but bark and bark and bark. its just annoying. whenever they are out there, we tend to stay inside.

what say you?

In Australia, everyone has fencing.

By our law, you have to sort this issue out with your neighbour and you have to pay half your share of costs to have the fence installed..
If your neighbour knocks on your door and says he's putting up a fence, it is manditory that you WILL pay half costs.
period.

Rules are, you both must have a final agreement on
What Fence?
What Screening?
What Gates?


and get the hose out on thier yapping dog.

what about the fist fights from arguing about fencing while being all loaded up on Fosters?