Fence Etiquette

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Waldo

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I have been getting a message about not posting lately. So I thought I would ask a question that is being debated in my neighborhood. There are about 6 single family home on my side of the street. Our back yards back up to the backyards of the houses on the street behind us. There were no fences. One of the people behind us has put up a white vinyl clad picket fence. It looks very nice. It is not immediately behind me so it does not butt against my yard. But it does effect my neighbor. Before the fence was there he would just run his mower down the property line. Now that the fence is there he has to use his string trimmer along the fence. It takes him longer to trim then it did to ride his mower. He says the man who owns the fence should trim the outside of the fence. He has not talked to him about it because he does not want a fight. I have never heard of this problem before and can see both sides. Does anyone here have any experience or opinions on this?
Thanks, Waldo.
 
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He has not talked to him about it because he does not want a fight.
Click to expand...

Good plan. If he didn't help pay for it and it is not over the line on his land, he really has no complaint coming. Period.
Just like when your neighbor has a tree that grows over your property, and a limb blows down on your yard. Just pick it up and don't start a silly feud.
Don't expect a neighbor to come mow your yard because he put up a fence.
 
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" He says the man who owns the fence should trim the outside of the fence."

Well, then the neighbor can say the fence owner is trespassing.

Generally, if the fence is on the property line, IIRC, Virginia law says that both property owners are responsible for maintainance, even if only one property owner erected it.

Tell him to just live with it and use the weedeater. Or spray.
 
Not the same, but we own two house`s. The one we live in has the usual fairly small lot here in town, the other, a rental, sit`s on a half acre. In the two or three years we put up block wall around the one we live in, and fiberglass privicy fence all around the 1/2 acre rental. A couple neighbors loosely voulinteered they would help pay, but none has come through. Let me get this staight. Somebody puts up a exspendsive fense, and a neighbor on the otherside that probley didnt contribute a dime, wants or thinks the fence owner should weed wack his side? I might be soft and generious, but I aint crazy and that ambitious!
 
If he doesn't want to trim, one solution to consider is digging up a space (about 8" will do) from the fence into his yard. Fill the space with landscape fabric and several inches of small stone or mulch. Tamp it down level with the lawn. You can then mow away from the fence and there's no need to trim. Roundup is OK but doesn't look that good. If he does trim along the fence he needs to be careful not to damage it. A powerful trimmer can cause damage to vinyl. This is not an issue that's worth a confrontation with his neighbor.
 
A man can do whatever he wants to "improve" his property, as long as it complies with any various local ordinances. That being said . . .

My late father always reminded me, "Son, in 100 years none of this will matter at all!" He's was right of course.

As far as my neighbors, I don't mind helping them keep the block looking good. Different folks have different needs, talents, priorities and health situations. In return, we have the best neighbors in the world . . . and they help us on other things.

I've found that if I find a "problem" with someone, and bust 'em in the mouth, they will respond in kind. On the other hand, if I help them ease their burden, they will also want to help me if I ever need it.

This is the spirit that made America great, and I'm gonna keep on doing it whether every single other person reciprocates or not.

A better world, country, town, neighborhood . . . and block always begins with someone taking the high road and thus encouraging others to rise to their best potential too!

T.
 
Your friend has got to be kidding right????? Neighbor puts up a fence so now he has to weed eat ??? IMHO your friend is the jerk. Kinda like saying he's mad cause the neighbor put up a fence and now he can't cut trough the neighbor's yard any more.
If I put up a fence around my yard and the guy next door wanted me to come around and weed eat on his side, I think I would tell him (what's the acceptable term...oh yea) to pound sand.
 
Long story short: your friend/neighbor needs a life. Be a volunteer at a medical facility, nursing home, or become an little league coach. Friend/neighbor has too much time on his hands.
 
Another reason fences should go 1"-3" on your side of the property line.
 
IMHO your neighbor should trim away and quit griping.

He should be grateful he got a fence he didn't have to pay for.

In my experience, abutting property owners generally make a gentleman's agreement to split the cost of abutting fence length (in some manner), since both get a benefit from it.
 
Well I am the one that hates to weedeat. But I have always heard that fences make for better neighbors. Less to see of them I guess. Works for me.
 
Have you neighbor check his property line down to the fence. Maybe the guy that put the fence up, put it up 2"/3" on his side of the property line so as not to be on your neighbors property. So it is now his responsability to do the trimming as it's all on his property.
 
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I agree with those who stated a fence must be within a couple inches of ones property line. That way, his neighbor could actually cut his (own) grass and not trim for a cosmetic clean look. Of course after awhile the growing grass will get high around the posts and look crappy, but that's his choice.
 
The house I had BD I put up a 6'wood fence.i contacted the two neighbors,one beside me and the one behind.Asked if they wanted to split the cost of material.Both declined and i set the fence 8" inside my property line.I put the good side to me and sprayed the outside of the fence with roundup twice a year.Both neighbors decided to tie into my fence and finish their lots out with fence.Reminded them that they were encroaching on my property,but if they ponied up half the cost they could attach to my fence.Again they declined.Four times I walked the line and used my chain saw to "unattach"their fence from mine.Finally they decided to sue me.They lost,and I didn't really care as they were both a PITA.
 
Most municipalities around here have a fence line setback ordinance. Setback is typically one or two feet. If you don't want to get a variance, you set your fence back from the property line, and you have room to go on the other side and do whatever maintenance you want. If an owner wants a fence on the line, he needs a variance; usually you have to get the adjoining owner to sign off. If you sign off, you can expect to maintain the grass on your side. let it grow if you want, or trim to suit you.

My neighbor wanted to put up a chain link fence on my line. I gladly signed off. It left me less to fence off for my dogs. When a new neighbor moved in, we tacitly left the grass shaggy on both sides. It makes it less tempting for her dog and ours to dig underneath.
 
Slowhandd, I had a similiar problem, we put up a steel pipe field fence. and our neighbor did not want to contribute to the common side.
Once we got started, the neighbors wife got on her husbands case about ponying up some money.
Our neighbor wanted a wrought iron. We are good neighbors and did the first 200 feet in pipe and then they did the rest in wrought iron. As far as the original poster, I think the gravel spacer is the only way to go. I do know for a fact a weed eater will eventually tear up the vinyl fencing.
 
Fence etiquette is interesting. I have lived in my house for over 20 years. When I bought a dog after about the first year, I fenced in my back yard. The way the property runs, it would only butt up to 2 neighbors' property. It was a new neighborhood, so the lot on one side had not even sold yet. The neighbor in the back would have the fence along about one third of his property line.

I built the fence inside my property line about 18 inches. Neither neighbor has built a fence and tried to attach it to mine. I do weedeat BOTH sides of my fence (in is all on my property). If one of the neighbors decides to attach to my fence, I will cross that line when it comes. It would be weird if one of them were to build a fence on their property line (not hooking to mine), leaving an 18 inch strip of grass in between. That would be a bear to maintain!!
 
Good fences=Good neighbors.

So I've heard.Would it follow?

Bad fences=Bad neighbors.

I've made it clear to my neighbors that the fence is mine and I will take care of it.

After a little storm named Wilma my neighbors trees fell all over the place.I had cut their trees that threatened my house.(At my expense but thats another story.)So the only damage was to the back corner of my fence.That woman next door told my fence guys to attach the fence to hers.I told them that it was mine before repair and made it clear.The workers fell for her and did it wrong.Well,I came home and saw it....Kept my cool.....Called the fence company and requested that they made it good,They did.
Neighbors,You can't always pick them.
 
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