With summer around the corner, people spend more time outside and issues with neighbours that were hidden in winter tend to come out. That’s why spring is often the time for fences. As the saying goes “good fences make good neighbours.”
But where should you put the fence? You have the legal right to build a fence right on the property line, but if you do, it will be jointly owned with your neighbour. A more common solution is to put the fence up just your own property (say by an inch or so); that way you own the fence and can maintain it as you like.
Before building it is critical to make sure you know where the property line is. Lots of nasty neighbour disputes start because people put up fences when the boundary is uncertain. Rather than guess, get a licenced surveyor to come and stake out the property line; unless your relationship with your neighbour is truly poisonous, let them know in advance what you are doing and make sure they are clear you are not asking them to contribute financially.
Fences are generally governed on a municipal level. You cannot build a concrete boundary wall twenty foot high even if you want to. In most municipalities you are allowed to build a back yard fence provided the fence does not exceed 6’6” in height. A front yard fence normally should not exceed 3’3’’ in height. The height is measured from the ground to the highest point of the fence. Remember the municipality likely owns a strip of land near the road and your fence has to stop before the municipal land. If you have a corner lot, you are not allowed to build a fence that would block the view of traffic: normally, you have to stay back from the corner by 20 feet. It is very important to contact the municipality before building a fence to confirm the precise rules for fences in your area.
This all seems like a lot of work, but really it amounts to getting a surveyor, making a few calls to the municipality and then getting the fence built. For the peace of mind a good fence brings, the effort is worth it!
3 comments:
good post
That's awesome! If I had to do it over again, I would build a wraparound fence too. I bet your kids really appreciate it.
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