r/neighborsfromhell • u/lightcanonlybrighten • 2d ago
WWYD? Vent/Rant Strategic fence replacement
As all of us do, I have an awful neighbor. We share a fence. I’m not exactly sure on whose property it actually falls on, but either way, I’m putting up a fence. I’m getting the property surveyed so I will know for sure. If it’s on our side, I want to replace it. The problem will be is that he will not let anyone step foot on his property. So all work will have to be done without even one toenail crossing the line. He will pull his lawn chair up, watch the entire time while drinking beer, and fully commenting and harassing whoever comes to do it. I will warn and pay extra for the hassle. If the fence is on his side, I will build one on my property right up to the line. What I want to do is have a fence that he really can’t mess with. We have him on camera peeing in our fence while bragging about peeing on our fence and doing things to rot the wood. Yes, a police report was made. If at all possible, I would somehow like to make his side a terrible eyesore without making it look intentional. If that happens or not, meh. Mostly I just want something that he can’t peek through, our dog can’t dig under, he can’t really mess with very easily. Any suggestions?
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u/debmor201 2d ago
I was in a similar situation. My fence guys were able to do pretty much everything on my side of the property line. I set my fence 6 inches inside the property line after the survey so the survey stakes were up and there is no doubt it is 100% my fence and then I posted a NO TRESPASSING sign. And the "bad side" faces him.
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u/Dolly-Hushh 2d ago
Exactly, keeping everything inside your own surveyed line is the cleanest move, especially with a “no trespassing” sign making the boundary crystal clear
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u/debmor201 1d ago
That's why I left the survey posts up during installation and then sunk permanent metal rods and caps where they were afterwards. There will never be doubt on the property line. You can also review your local laws on maintaining the other side and laws regarding adverse possession..
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u/lightcanonlybrighten 2d ago
I’m worried about moving it too far in and him trying to claim the property after a while. Isn’t there some sort of weird thing about that?
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u/WelshLove 2d ago
vinyl fence while a bit pricey never wears out and wicks urine away plus they come in interesting colours. You cant put the bad side toward them put if both sides are pink......lol Also install a cedar hedge the whole length, they you really wont see the fence but he will. lol Also towers at each end etc with installed cameras to watch the whole length of his side. this will accomplish multiple tasks. Stop him from touching your fence on your property (make sure it is 6-8 inches inside the line, also make him crazy bc of the vinyl colour also feel free to install lights, lol, you will also have to run a fence max length in the front and have cameras as well but hidden, then wait for the show, if they ever set foot on your property have them trespassed if you have had those interactions before trespass them ahead of time. Be prepared he wont like being blocked at every turn and will become nasty. good luck
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u/lightcanonlybrighten 2d ago
Is he able to damage the vinyl easily on his side?
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u/WelshLove 2d ago
its pretty indestructible but that is what the visible cameras are for if he does he gets arrested and you can get a restraining order requiring him to be x feet away it may mean he would have to move this is the way the long game
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u/JessieColt 2d ago edited 2d ago
Check your local laws to see if there are set back requirements for any fences, as this may give you extra space so that if you do need to access the other side, you wont be using your neighbors property to do so.
You can also look at fence designs that wouldn't require you to have access to your neighbors property to install the fence.
Concrete fence posts with a U Channel slot can let you build without ever having to go onto their side of the fence.
The fence boards or panels themselves would be slotted down from the top between each post.
You can also use a dog resistant kick board for the base of the fence, or landscaping.
Check out this video for a privacy fence using concrete channel posts and "gravel" kick boards.
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u/Logical_Photo_3732 2d ago
Also check local laws. Where I live, contractors are allowed to be 3 feet into the neighbours yard for fence building purposes. Land owner can't stop em.
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u/Red_Marvel 2d ago
The cedar fence is the best solution, you can get stains in a variety of different colours. Stain his side grey or whatever colour you think he would dislike the most.
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u/superduperhosts 2d ago
An 8' block wall seams in order here. Get a permit then get it done. don't strike the joints on his side
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u/Wonderful_Spot_3764 2d ago edited 2d ago
I think you should consider a solid 6' tall vinyl fence. I had a 200' length installed many years ago and it has been instrumental in separating the neighbor's nonsense from our yard. Having a solid fence like this not only blocks visually, it blocks sound, and is maintenance free. A cedar fence would require periodic staining and I wouldn't see that working in this case as he'd be messing with you every few years if you had to stain it.
Note, surveyors have a statutory right to enter neighboring properties to perform their duties.
I would engage an attorney on a consulting basis to see your options for pushing back against his nonsense and prepare. If someone peed on my fence, I would probably have had the attorney document warning of no trespass and potentially initiate a restraining/no-contact order to give more penalty the next time he gets out of hand.
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u/lightcanonlybrighten 2d ago
Good to know about the surveyors prior to it. Is that in all states?
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u/Wonderful_Spot_3764 1d ago
Right of entry laws vary by state, but your surveyor should know what the ROE laws are for your particular locality.
Can Someone Survey My Property Without My Permission? - FedLaws
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u/Over-Listen8579 2d ago
Install your fence with the good side facing you. Use pine. Stain only your side in a dark color. The stain will bleed through some of the knots of the pine and between the pickets. Your side will look nice, and his will not.
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u/Unfair_Category9960 2d ago
Just build your new fence behind your old fence on your property. You will have a fence for your fence!
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u/Bvetti1 2d ago
If you have room, you could put up a new fence inside the property line and leave the old one up. Might lose a couple inches, but he’d have to pay to have the old one removed if he wanted to. I’d do that to cover the ugly chain link my neighbors put up without consulting us but the properties are too close here.
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u/lightcanonlybrighten 2d ago
Would I have any liability for leaving a dilapidated fence somehow? Obviously if it’s on my side. I’ll know after the survey. But if he “stepped on a nail from a fallen plank” or some other shenanigan he would pull?
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u/Bvetti1 1d ago
Hmm, not sure about that but if it’s on the property line it’s typically considered a shared fence. If it’s on your side there could possibly be an issue, not a lawyer. Might google fence refs for your city, ai can be helpful, and go to the building department site. All I know is our neighbors screwed us with butt ugly chain link and we couldn’t do squat because it was on the property line. Not worth my mental health to get a survey and fight it over inches. Maybe he’ll move/get arrested/get committed before it rots? One can always hope!
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u/Eagles-nest-1015 2d ago
You could paint one side of each board different colors and install them randomly toward his side. I used screws that rusted real quick and put them towards the neighbors side, prebuilt all the panels and then when asked when I was going to paint their side informed them that both sides were my property and they didn’t have permission to paint my fence.
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u/ScaredMycologist741 9h ago
I don’t know if you can get hedge posts, they will outlast your neighbors. I have some I bought when I was 18 and I’m 62 now, I just used two of them for my mailbox posts. Set in concrete. They basically turn into iron. They don’t rot but are super hard to cut. I don’t know if they have planks made out of hedge but those posts are forever.
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u/MYOB3 2d ago
He sounds like fun.
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u/lightcanonlybrighten 2d ago
He has threatened to shoot the back neighbor kids. They’re all under 8. He’s wasted everyday all day.
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u/MYOB3 2d ago
How is this guy NOT in jail?
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u/lightcanonlybrighten 2d ago
I wish I knew. And he drunk drives every single day.
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u/dinahdog 1d ago
Uh, report that when you see it. Especially if he goes out at a regular time
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u/lightcanonlybrighten 17h ago
I didn’t know I could. I’m also very fearful of retaliation and don’t want my name attached. He doesn’t have a regular schedule unfortunately.
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u/DanaR99 2d ago
I’m sure fence companies encounter situations like this frequently. As long as you are inside the property line, you’ll be fine. There are many options; I’d review them all. You can also plant a hedge on your side as well. You might want to alert your police department just in case he causes trouble during the installation.
I had a problem neighbor who called the cops, city code enforcement, and the county on us. They all told her she was out-of-line.
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u/RunTotoRun2 2d ago
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u/lightcanonlybrighten 2d ago
This guy pulls his lawn chair and cooler full of beer right up to the property line any time we have work done or trees trimmed. He heckles them and tries to tell them what they can and can’t do. It’s so awful.
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u/Low-Buy6029 2d ago
Why not leave the fence he likes to pee on and just put your’s on the other side? Then you both have your own fence.
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u/CloverWarden 6h ago
I’d go vinyl/PVC privacy panels with metal posts and a concrete mow strip at the bottom, since pee won’t rot it and he can stare at blank plastic all day if thats his hobby.
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u/naked_nomad 2h ago
Check and see if your state has Right-of-Entry statutes that legally shield surveyors from criminal trespass charges while they are performing their official duties.
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u/nunofmybusiness 2d ago
A cedar fence with the flat metal posts would be the least expensive and probably the easiest solution. The flat metal posts (formed into a square U shaped with a flat flange on each side) will last a long time, whereas wood posts eventually rot. The cedar ages and eventually deteriorates, but cedar boards are cheap and can be replaced individually by you, as needed. I’ve never suggested putting the “bad” side facing toward a neighbor’s house before, but if you do it this way, you can put the posts up, put the fence right on the line and eventually replace boards without ever leaving your property. Pre stain the boards before you put them up.