Comments on: Good Fences Make…Jerks Out of Us? http://www.everyjoe.com/articles/good-fences-makejerks-out-of-us/ Sports News - Tech Reviews - Entertainment - Life Tips for EveryJoe Tue, 01 Dec 2009 20:03:07 -0500 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.4 hourly 1 By: Miranda Marquit http://www.everyjoe.com/articles/good-fences-makejerks-out-of-us/comment-page-1/#comment-315982 Miranda Marquit Thu, 21 May 2009 20:07:44 +0000 http://www.yieldingwealth.com/good-fences-makejerks-out-of-us/#comment-315982 The neighbors didn't do anything on our side. It is a vinyl fence. They didn't do posts or anything. And they were nailing thing to our fence on our side of the property line. Besides, after agreeing to fence in the other side with their other neighbors (who paid to have it put up), they just pulled out and didn't hook in, putting up their own post for a gate, but still getting the benefit of the fence. The generally accepted practice is that if you hook in to someone else's fence, you pay to do so. They wanted to hook in on our side, and they wanted to nail things to the bottom. The neighbors didn’t do anything on our side. It is a vinyl fence. They didn’t do posts or anything. And they were nailing thing to our fence on our side of the property line. Besides, after agreeing to fence in the other side with their other neighbors (who paid to have it put up), they just pulled out and didn’t hook in, putting up their own post for a gate, but still getting the benefit of the fence. The generally accepted practice is that if you hook in to someone else’s fence, you pay to do so. They wanted to hook in on our side, and they wanted to nail things to the bottom.

]]> By: Justin http://www.everyjoe.com/articles/good-fences-makejerks-out-of-us/comment-page-1/#comment-316062 Justin Wed, 20 May 2009 17:20:33 +0000 http://www.yieldingwealth.com/good-fences-makejerks-out-of-us/#comment-316062 We had a neighbor move in about a year after us into a new subdivision. We told them that we wanted to put up a fence and would split the cost with them when they were ready. About 2 months later they had a contractor put up a fence on the property line. Since the contractor was there we talked him into putting in gates on each side of our house in the front for just a couple hundred (now the yard was completely fenced in) About two days later the neighbors came over and wanted us to pay for half the cost of the fence. I just told him no we were not going to do that. We were never consulted on the fence that was put up or on the selection of the contractor. I wouldn't have hired a contractor I would have done it myself. The fence that they picked didn't match the other fences on our property and is not something we would have chosen. On top of all that we paid the contractor to stain our side of his fence. Point is unless you actually have an agreement up front don't bank on getting money from someone else. If I had been your neighbor I would have either lived with the back of your fence or paid you, however I'm not sure your math is right. The only part of the job that should be split are the posts and beams, not all the materials for the fence on that side of your yard. If the neighbors are putting up their own pickets/boards then they are paying for theirs, and you should pay for your own. I'm glad to see you didn't charge them for labor however as you could never tell if they would have done the work themselves or not. We had a neighbor move in about a year after us into a new subdivision. We told them that we wanted to put up a fence and would split the cost with them when they were ready. About 2 months later they had a contractor put up a fence on the property line. Since the contractor was there we talked him into putting in gates on each side of our house in the front for just a couple hundred (now the yard was completely fenced in) About two days later the neighbors came over and wanted us to pay for half the cost of the fence. I just told him no we were not going to do that. We were never consulted on the fence that was put up or on the selection of the contractor. I wouldn’t have hired a contractor I would have done it myself. The fence that they picked didn’t match the other fences on our property and is not something we would have chosen. On top of all that we paid the contractor to stain our side of his fence. Point is unless you actually have an agreement up front don’t bank on getting money from someone else. If I had been your neighbor I would have either lived with the back of your fence or paid you, however I’m not sure your math is right. The only part of the job that should be split are the posts and beams, not all the materials for the fence on that side of your yard. If the neighbors are putting up their own pickets/boards then they are paying for theirs, and you should pay for your own. I’m glad to see you didn’t charge them for labor however as you could never tell if they would have done the work themselves or not.

]]> By: Beautiful Fences http://www.everyjoe.com/articles/good-fences-makejerks-out-of-us/comment-page-1/#comment-315965 Beautiful Fences Fri, 15 May 2009 23:19:54 +0000 http://www.yieldingwealth.com/good-fences-makejerks-out-of-us/#comment-315965 I have built fences for years and see this monthly. Yeah, not a great way to meet the new neighbors. They should have been more respectful then that. You seem to of handled it as best as possible. I have built fences for years and see this monthly. Yeah, not a great way to meet the new neighbors. They should have been more respectful then that. You seem to of handled it as best as possible.

]]> By: Miranda http://www.everyjoe.com/articles/good-fences-makejerks-out-of-us/comment-page-1/#comment-314610 Miranda Tue, 19 Aug 2008 11:44:01 +0000 http://www.yieldingwealth.com/good-fences-makejerks-out-of-us/#comment-314610 Ug, Wisequeen! That's not fun. Interesting the types of people we run to in the world. Good luck with your neighbors! Ug, Wisequeen! That’s not fun. Interesting the types of people we run to in the world. Good luck with your neighbors!

]]> By: Wisequeen http://www.everyjoe.com/articles/good-fences-makejerks-out-of-us/comment-page-1/#comment-314571 Wisequeen Tue, 19 Aug 2008 07:24:11 +0000 http://www.yieldingwealth.com/good-fences-makejerks-out-of-us/#comment-314571 this brings back memories, bad ones. Us cleaning and paying for our private road that the municipality dont maintain. The road is the access for 8 families. only 5 pay the maintence fee and participate in the monthly clean. we are the only ones who don't actually use the road that we border on, but pay nevertheless. Guess who uses the road the most and litters it up? So Miranda build a higher hedge with thorn bushes behind the one you have :) this brings back memories, bad ones. Us cleaning and paying for our private road that the municipality dont maintain. The road is the access for 8 families. only 5 pay the maintence fee and participate in the monthly clean. we are the only ones who don’t actually use the road that we border on, but pay nevertheless. Guess who uses the road the most and litters it up?
So Miranda build a higher hedge with thorn bushes behind the one you have :)

]]> By: miranda http://www.everyjoe.com/articles/good-fences-makejerks-out-of-us/comment-page-1/#comment-314163 miranda Mon, 18 Aug 2008 21:47:43 +0000 http://www.yieldingwealth.com/good-fences-makejerks-out-of-us/#comment-314163 Thanks for sharing, Eric. We feel the pain of development as well, since we are in a new subdivision. It's just about filled up by now. I hope you are feeling better about your neighbors now :) Thanks for sharing, Eric. We feel the pain of development as well, since we are in a new subdivision. It’s just about filled up by now.

I hope you are feeling better about your neighbors now :)

]]> By: Eric Eggertson http://www.everyjoe.com/articles/good-fences-makejerks-out-of-us/comment-page-1/#comment-314528 Eric Eggertson Mon, 18 Aug 2008 21:20:06 +0000 http://www.yieldingwealth.com/good-fences-makejerks-out-of-us/#comment-314528 It's certainly hard to maintain neighbourly relations unless people show a bit of friendliness, or interest in you. When a contractor bought the house next door, split the lot and put up two houses, including a monster house that takes up the maximum space legally allowed, it didn't fill us with goodwill. Especially when the contractor didn't mow the lawn, clean up broken glass from the demolition, or put up a safety fence around the hole where the old basement was dug up. The folks who bought the new houses weren't to blame, but we still felt imposed upon for a while. It’s certainly hard to maintain neighbourly relations unless people show a bit of friendliness, or interest in you.

When a contractor bought the house next door, split the lot and put up two houses, including a monster house that takes up the maximum space legally allowed, it didn’t fill us with goodwill. Especially when the contractor didn’t mow the lawn, clean up broken glass from the demolition, or put up a safety fence around the hole where the old basement was dug up.

The folks who bought the new houses weren’t to blame, but we still felt imposed upon for a while.

]]> By: miranda http://www.everyjoe.com/articles/good-fences-makejerks-out-of-us/comment-page-1/#comment-314568 miranda Sun, 17 Aug 2008 21:23:53 +0000 http://www.yieldingwealth.com/good-fences-makejerks-out-of-us/#comment-314568 Thanks for sharing, Mercedes! The good news is that most homes in the subdivision eventually get fences. Suburbia. At any rate, our neighbors are quite happy to have a fence. They made it very clear that they want a fence. They just don't want to pay for it. They expected everyone around them to put up fences, and then not have to pay for it. They just planned to pay for the bits in the front of their home to totally enclose the yard. Thanks for sharing, Mercedes! The good news is that most homes in the subdivision eventually get fences. Suburbia.

At any rate, our neighbors are quite happy to have a fence. They made it very clear that they want a fence. They just don’t want to pay for it. They expected everyone around them to put up fences, and then not have to pay for it. They just planned to pay for the bits in the front of their home to totally enclose the yard.

]]> By: Mercedes Levy http://www.everyjoe.com/articles/good-fences-makejerks-out-of-us/comment-page-1/#comment-314106 Mercedes Levy Sun, 17 Aug 2008 13:27:41 +0000 http://www.yieldingwealth.com/good-fences-makejerks-out-of-us/#comment-314106 I thought the same things as Sean, what will happen if you ever sell your home and the new owners are not happy about the fence situation. We had a similar situation. One of our neighbors had a fence but the one that didn't didn't want a fence put up. So he was very pouty when we put it up. We have dogs and small children and we don't care what he thought because their safety is most important to us. We put the fence a foot in our property. Months later he finally conceded that it was actually nice because it gave THEM more privacy. They are out of the children face and they have big dogs, I think they are happy they don't have to see our kids running around or into their yard and possibly getting in trouble with their dogs. I thought the same things as Sean, what will happen if you ever sell your home and the new owners are not happy about the fence situation. We had a similar situation. One of our neighbors had a fence but the one that didn’t didn’t want a fence put up. So he was very pouty when we put it up. We have dogs and small children and we don’t care what he thought because their safety is most important to us. We put the fence a foot in our property. Months later he finally conceded that it was actually nice because it gave THEM more privacy. They are out of the children face and they have big dogs, I think they are happy they don’t have to see our kids running around or into their yard and possibly getting in trouble with their dogs.

]]> By: miranda http://www.everyjoe.com/articles/good-fences-makejerks-out-of-us/comment-page-1/#comment-314631 miranda Sun, 17 Aug 2008 00:29:10 +0000 http://www.yieldingwealth.com/good-fences-makejerks-out-of-us/#comment-314631 Happily, it doesn't have to be put on the title survey, and we do have an agreement with the new neighbors (not with the old): They are responsible for that side of the fence. With the other neighbors on their other side, they apparently just put up another post for their front part, and aren't planning on doing anything to that side of the fence. We don't expect to see much of the neighbors, since we did sort of wave at them when they first moved in and make small attempts at some sort of connection, but their response wasn't encouraging, so we just decided not to go introduce ourselves. The fence posts appeared only a day before they started nailing wood to the fence. We were trying to give them some time to talk to us rather than just run over there. We'll see how things turn out. We don't really say much to any of our neighbors, just waves in passing. But we do realize that we will have to make sure that we are crossing our T's and dotting our I's from here on out. Won't be having any sorts of trees that overhang into their yard. Happily, it doesn’t have to be put on the title survey, and we do have an agreement with the new neighbors (not with the old): They are responsible for that side of the fence. With the other neighbors on their other side, they apparently just put up another post for their front part, and aren’t planning on doing anything to that side of the fence.

We don’t expect to see much of the neighbors, since we did sort of wave at them when they first moved in and make small attempts at some sort of connection, but their response wasn’t encouraging, so we just decided not to go introduce ourselves. The fence posts appeared only a day before they started nailing wood to the fence. We were trying to give them some time to talk to us rather than just run over there.

We’ll see how things turn out. We don’t really say much to any of our neighbors, just waves in passing. But we do realize that we will have to make sure that we are crossing our T’s and dotting our I’s from here on out. Won’t be having any sorts of trees that overhang into their yard.

]]>