[MyGoldenBoy]

My neighbor's fence between us fell down in sections starting about a year and a half ago. These are the neighbors who have their sweet black lab in a kennel for 23/7, since she was a pup. And they've never trained her to do anything, including to have any manners.

They're OK that Max wanders into their yard and he's enjoying having two yards to roam and eat poop. I'm not OK with their lab going into my yard and not OK with my kids going into theirs because they have all sorts of crap that my little guys bring back. Who leaves a golf club outside over the wintertime??

I noticed yesterday that my screened in shed has holes in the screens and marks on it. I blamed the kids, unfortunately. Today, I saw it was their lab, when they let out of the kennel to run, who was jumping up at it and creating the holes. She's also broken my enclose-the-deck-so-nothing-goes-under-there fencing (I now have bunnies breeding there) and has now torn down my trellis.

It's time for me to do something as it's clear that they will not. I have no idea how to build a fence and no enthusiam about learning how to do the work so I'm going to have to call someone.

Are there questions I should ask so I don't get fleeced on either price or quality? Should I match my fence style or theirs? They have a 6 foot privacy fence in poor repair and I have a 4 foot picket fence. The area is located not in the public view for the most part, so looks don't really matter too much. I'm not even sure if it was their fence or if it was mine, it was right on the property line and the corner part that is still standing runs from their house to my garage. It's more like a T where the common fence split the property.

 

[kaisdad]

Can't you complain to the city about the disrepair of their property? Are they owners or renters? If the latter, can you talk to the owner? If you do build a new fence, put just on your side of the property line, then they can't complain about it. I wouldn't recommend a fence that you will be able to see through, if their yard and home are in a state of disrepair. Out of site, out of mind. As for pricing, take a walk around and see if anyone has a new fence and ask them who did the work and if they are happy. If you feel comfortable about it, ask how much it cost. You can get a sense for materials cost by visiting a big box home store and seeing the prices of pre-fabricated fence panels. Just factor in labor costs and you'll have an idea. Failing that, phone fencing companies and as for quotes. Get prices from at least three different companies and be sure to tell them that you are getting prices from several companies. If they know they are competing, they will likely sharpen their pencils before submitting their prices to you. As with anything, ask for references and follow up on those references. Go and see the work, if possible, and see if it is a quality that you are comfortable with.

 

[Allie]

I agree with Cam...I would probably do a 6 foot privacy (to keep them out of sight) and possibly put it a foot within your property, so it is clear it is yours. Wooden fences are expensive. Depending on the size I would say $1000+ just for the back panel. Make sure you seal it, as that will help it last longer, too.

 

[brody]

They may not know whose fence it is either ...
perhaps they'd pay for half of whatever you do if you ask them

 

[Aim]

When we built our 6ft privacy fence, we put it right on the property line and split the cost with each neighbor. Worked out wonderfully. But that is because we all wanted a fence. Unfortunately, if they don't want to have a fence, they don't have to pay.

 

[AZLAB]

I would go chain link or vinyl so you don't have to maintain them. Chain link would probably be cheapest.

 

[labby]

I have a six foot privacy fence a foot in from the property line. I got the property surveyed so I knew exactly where to put it. Found out through the survey that the neighbor had swiped six feet of my property.

If you get cedar, don't put anything on it. It lasts the longest. It's been 20 years and I'm just now having to replace a board here and there.

My neighbors all hated me installing a fence, but too **** bad. I was tired of the neighbor kids coming through my yard and I actually caught one of them kicking at the ex-pen that contained a litter of puppies.

When the fence was first put up, I had the next door neighbor kids crawling over it when their soccer ball came into the yard. Fixed that quickly by running a hot wire about three inches below the top of the fence. hehehehehehe I warned them not to climb the fence, but they wouldn't listen.

 

[Canula2000]

Fixed that quickly by running a hot wire about three inches below the top of the fence. hehehehehehe I warned them not to climb the fence, but they wouldn't listen.

oh, I didn't know that you could do that with kids around...my gus jumps our 6 ft. fence and I had someone suggest to me to run hot wire to keep him in but I thought I might get in trouble with neighbors since the kids love to tease the dogs by hanging over the fence. The idea of giving those bratty kids a good shock does make me giggle! We live in city...maybe I should just wait until we find our country home.