I'm not interested in building my own fence from scratch, but I'd rather just buy a prefab thing from OSH or berkeley lumber or home despot and install it. Any ideas on doing it right as apposed to quick and dirty?
Neighbors side has a lot of sharp viney stuff- a rose bush gone feral, with blackberry vines aroudn that, and some other non flowering thorny thing. And there's jasmine vines and bourgenvelia all over the place. I'll be chopping some of it back, but do we have to remove all of it?
Neighbors side has a lot of sharp viney stuff- a rose bush gone feral, with blackberry vines aroudn that, and some other non flowering thorny thing. And there's jasmine vines and bourgenvelia all over the place. I'll be chopping some of it back, but do we have to remove all of it?
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Maryland
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Re: need to replace a fence on property line
Mon, May 12, 2008 - 2:59 PMScrew prefab. Simply causes headaches and won't save you anything in the long run.
As to tips on fence building, I've acquired about 20 years worth as a journeyman carpenter. The bases for the posts are the most crucial thing; don't encapsulate the bottom of the post with crete, pack the very bottom with pea gravel to keep it from rotting and slope the top of the crete away from the post.
Just hack away whatever you need to and then swaddle the rest with a tarp and pull it back. Sometimes we would use a piece or two of 1/2" ply laid against/over bushes to push them back while we worked on the fence line.
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Re: need to replace a fence on property line
Mon, May 12, 2008 - 3:28 PMI'd be working with the neighbor real closely about the plants on his side. While trimming branches and roots that over hand your property is OK in every state I know of If you kill one of the plants you may be liable.
That aside Cedar fences are great and come in pre-fab sections that you attach to posts that you plant.
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Re: need to replace a fence on property line
Mon, May 12, 2008 - 3:41 PMmy longest-lasting fences all have a horizontal board of pressure-treated lumber (ie a 1x10" or 2x10") from post-to-post on the bottom edge that touches the soil. make sure to treat the ends you cut.
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Re: need to replace a fence on property line
Mon, May 12, 2008 - 5:30 PMI went with the PVC fencing materials they sell at Lowes (in Union City). Sure, it's white and it's not organic, but I love it. They sell matching PVC posts. For the posts, I used the 10" concrete tubes. Dig a hole about 12" down, fill up the bottom 4" with gravel, fill with wet concrete and set the post in place. Attach the pre-fab pannels.
When I installed my fence, I told my neighbor I would pay for it, if he let me cut down his two diseased plum trees that constantly dropped ick on my lot. Maybe you could get your neighbor to let you cut back his weeds (and use round up to make sure they stay dead). -
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Re: need to replace a fence on property line
Tue, May 13, 2008 - 8:02 AMWell I have, in the past 3 weeks, put up several privacy fences. The guy I work with and I only put up the type of fence you do from scratch. No pre-formed panels. All they do is cause major headaches with the placement of the 4x4 posts.We set the 4x4 post 7'10" apart and use 8 foot 2x4s. The 8 foot 2x4s are 8'1" long so there is room for errors on the posts or placement due to ground obsticles.
As for the PVC fences - no this guy. Sorry! But they will become a pain later on. And whatever you do - do not hit them with a weed-eatter line - THEY CRACK!
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Re: need to replace a fence on property line
Tue, May 13, 2008 - 9:53 AMI'd suggest you verify exactly where you property line is, and be sure to build the fence, including the limits of the foundations/post holes, entirely on your property. Even if you get-along with your current neighbor, this might help prevent any future disputes if someone new moves in next-door.
If you don't have any clear monuments that indicate the property line, it might be smart to hire a surveyor to research your plat maps and stake the property corners.
I woudln't trust the location of the existing fence as being the true property line. If it's actually on your neighbors property, and you rip it out, you might be inviting some un-neigborly stinky-ness. -
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Re: need to replace a fence on property line
Tue, May 13, 2008 - 10:26 AMI'd just put the new fence where the old one is. Or talk with your neighbor about where you think it should go. Only way they would ever dispute it is if they have a survey done and decide it's on their property. But even then, chances are they will be more concerned with keeping the neighbor (you) happy, that they won't bother to move it.
When I moved in, I put up a new fence in the same place as the old one. A year later, I had a survey done (required by the city for putting in my driveway). At that time, I found out the fence was actually 1.5 feet inside of my property line. Now, I could have moved the fence, even built the driveway wider than it was. But I chose to leave it up, built the driveway and retaining wall where it is now, and have essentially given the neighbor 150 sq ft of lot for free. Although mute point for them now as they've been foreclosed and the house is vacant. But still, I could easily move the fence if I want, it's just too much work to dig out all those posts and reset them.
But if you do need a surveyor, I can recommend a good, cheap one in the Oakland area. They'll charge about $2500 for a small residential property, which is very cheap. -
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Re: need to replace a fence on property line
Tue, May 13, 2008 - 2:35 PMI want to replace the fence.
the neighbor is OK with the plan.
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Re: need to replace a fence on property line
Tue, May 13, 2008 - 2:46 PMYou may want to investigate the legalities involved before proceeding. Based upon experience in another jurisdiction I googled the California law regarding "Division Fences"
Depending upon which County you're in, you may be entitled to partial reimbursement from
your neighbor. Specifications for different types of fences are also set forth in California law
books.google.com/books
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Re: need to replace a fence on property line
Tue, May 13, 2008 - 2:50 PMI'd suggest just hitting up a few stores and seeing what they have in stock, take notes as to what you like and the cost, then go from there.
The most hated one, home depot, will have the cheapest prices. Lowes has all the same evil qualities as home depot, but a better conceptual image. You're in Oakland, so you may also try Economy Lumber on high, they are probably the cheapest for bulk lumber without going to a big box store. Cheap anything is going to look cheap, whether it is raw natural materials or synthetic. You pay more, you can get much better quality.
Panels are often more expensive than building from scratch. Most stores have pre-cut pieces of lumber, just frame with 2x4s, then nail the pieces to that (make sure to level and space evenly). Where you save with panels is on time and labor. -
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Re: need to replace a fence on property line
Tue, May 13, 2008 - 2:52 PMFYI: Economy is the worst for prices.
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Re: need to replace a fence on property line
Tue, May 13, 2008 - 4:25 PMMaybe it would be a good idea to take some before and after pictures and keep them somewhere, just to show you haven't substantially altered the existing fence line and landscaping. I know I sound paranoid here, but people can be funny when it comes to their property and things happening near their property. -
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Re: need to replace a fence on property line
Wed, May 14, 2008 - 10:33 AMYou may also want to check on any permit requirements associated with new fencing. In places where inherited line disputes are common the city or county may wish to check that the fence actually does fit to the property line. -
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Re: need to replace a fence on property line
Thu, May 22, 2008 - 2:45 PMI need to buy lumber to construct the fence!
Where would you go, out of the following list? Good product, good pricing, good customer service. I can do Home depot, but I'd rather give the money to someone local:
Lumber Baron
www.thelumberbaron.com/
500 Cleveland Ave, Albany CA. 94710
Phone 510.526.7224 Fax 510.526.4236
Channel lumber:
www.channellumber.com/
P.O. Box 4002
100 West Cutting Blvd.
Richmond, California 94804-4002
Phone : (510) 234-0233
Fax : aa(510) 234-0421
Monday thru Friday 7:30-5:00 PST
Norcal Fence & Deck Supply Incorporated
855 San Leandro Blvd
San Leandro, CA 94577
Phone: (510) 568-787
Falcon Lumber & Wholesale Inc
1515 E 14th St
San Leandro, CA 94577
(510) 895-8343
Larsen Brothers Lumber Co
14200 Washington Ave, San Leandro, CA
(510) 357-5020
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Re: need to replace a fence on property line
Thu, May 22, 2008 - 9:45 PMHey tomcat,
Lumber Baron! That's the name I was trying to think of the other day.
Channel is a bit big of a yard to handle a small order like yours. They will though. I don't know the other suppliers.
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