Don’t fence me in…
Our house is now twelve years old and whilst it is in sound structural condition (apart from the window frames, that we had to replace a while back) the fences are now past their best. We have some decorative brick walls but the gaps were simply wooden posts and overlapping flimsy boards. Despite regularly sealing them, most of the posts have rotted at ground level and many of the panels have blown down & been nailed up again.
A few weeks back, we got together with two of our neighbours and agreed to go halvies on a much better fencing system with concrete uprights & plinths. The builders have now been and gone, leaving a substantial fence system that should stand the test of time. In the event of very strong winds being likely, we can even lift out the panels and secure them so that they don’t take a battering.
As the other two houses face the fence, we agreed that they could have the dressed side (where you don’t see the cross beams), although to be fair to them, there was the offer of going halvies on a double sided fence if we really wanted it. (We didn’t regard it as overly important).
Our garden is on a slight slope and originally the fence height varied along the way in a number of jagged jumps. This time, the top is level throughout, giving us a bit of leaning room at the top of the slope for over the fence chat whilst retaining privacy for the rest of it.
We still have a bit of shared old fence on the other side of the garden, however the guy that side has been proactive on keeping it sound, seeing as how he parks his car next to it.
And isn’t wood and fencing expensive nowadays? We’ve just had to replace some and before that blew down necessitating it Husband was considering replacing all the garden fencing - until he worked out it would cost £600! And with no neighbour to share the cost. It#ll just be replaced as and when it has to be, I think.
Comment by Liz — April 22, 2008 @ 10:39 pm
Well, I must say you seem to have nice neighbours compared to mine back in the UK!
Comment by Welshcakes Limoncello — April 23, 2008 @ 12:23 am
We are managing to keep our thirty year old wooden fence barely acceptable by judicious repair. Since it is almost 300 feet in total I think I would have a heart attack at the cost of replacing it at today’s prices. Besides it would almost be impossible to actually get behind the trees and shrubs to replace it.
So where are the photos?
Comment by jmb — April 23, 2008 @ 6:46 am