Mind this Fence Etiquette to Avoid Neighbor Disputes
It’s important that your fence doesn’t start disputes in your neighborhood that could and should easily be avoided. If you’re installing a brand new fence, there are a few commonsense rules that must be followed. If you’re willing to play along with etiquette that has long been proven to be effective, you’ll have zero disputes with neighbors over your fence.
Stay Within the Boundaries of Your Land
The quickest way to anger a neighbor is to build a fence that encroaches on their property. Your existing house line boundary should provide you with all the information you need about where your land ends and your neighbor’s land begins. If you have any questions or the report is very outdated, you can have your land surveyed again for under $600 in most cases. Most fence companies err on the side of caution when installing your fence, choosing to place the fence one foot inside the line.
Keep Your Fence Within Limits
All fence companies have to get permits to erect fences, so they’ll know exactly what the limits are for your fence. The fact that your fencing vendor is going by the book should be more than enough to establish clear limits that you must respect. The community you live in can levy fines against you for any mistakes you make with your fence. In severe enough cases, they could even order the fence removed. Don’t mess around with these potential disasters. Instead, stick with the regulations and make sure your fence is fully compliant.
Communicate With Interested Parties
One of the strongest tactics you can use is to chat up your neighbors about your plans. If they have any objections to your fence building initiative, they’ll let you know. If there’s a homeowners association (HOA) involved, it’s essential you understand any rules and regulations they have on the books. They tend to be real sticklers and are in a position to thwart your project quickly. Communication is the fastest and easiest way to find out if there are any opposition to your plans. If there are, you have time to make the adjustments needed to turn the project into a winner. For the most part, it’s not important that you show them the design of your dream fence. The aesthetic choices are solely up to you. However, letting interested parties know a fence is coming will eliminate much of the resistance you may have had otherwise.