Nov 20, 2020
Our new fence
It will be the only fence we ever build as it is vinyl. It certainly will outlast us, but they are certainly expensive. This only happened because we did not go to Mexico this winter. Each time we look at this fence in the years to come we will remember Covid 19 and the winter we were forced to stay home.
The first thing that our fence builder, Frank, did on Monday was to cover the cemented steel posts with the vinyl posts. As you can see our neighbours view of the lake from their their pie shaped lot is the narrow end of the pie.
He was ever so careful and kept measuring and checking with his level. You can see how this home has been misplaced on their lot. Our fence will be just a few inches away from this home. Colin actually gave up four inches of our property, the entire length of the fence, so that there was space from their house but is is still very very close. You can’t walk between the house and our property.
It was very cold as you can see and was snowing up in the hills. Mid afternoon it started to rain.
Frank said that our fence incorporates five different fencing styles. He did this corner for us to see how it would look so that we could make any changes before he got too far. This was his first ever two tone fence and he really loves it. I could not have designed a fence any other way. Doesn’t it look great.
We returned home on Tuesday from the vein clinic to this first view of our fence from the street.
While we were gone he completed the side from the street to the lake end of the fence. The first thing we both saw was not acceptable to us. We really should have stayed home but I booked the vein treatment months ago and I could not change it. So we asked him if he could please redo the last three panels and offered to pay him for that. He said no, that we would do it as it was part of the job. It was even colder Tuesday than Monday as you can see by his increased layers of clothing. Of course we compensated him for this as it was partly our fault. We had mentioned that the property dipped down towards the lake but wanted to keep the fence looking level. At some point we also mentioned that we wanted the fence to be as close to the ground as possible so that any future puppies could not get out.
So Frank went with keeping the fence lower to the ground. We came home to the third panel from the end dropping down to the right about three inches and was very visible. He had said that it would not be noticeable but it certainly was. I neglected to take a photo of the before ( ( I was upset ) and this is the after. He fixed the entire problem within 30 minutes. The rail at the bottom of the arrow was sloping down the three inches to the right and perhaps because it was a lighter colour was very noticeable. As I said, this was the repaired photo. It looks perfect.
This photo shows our neighbours enhanced view. Our property actually cuts into their deck by at least two inches. The string line for the fence came onto their deck. The first fence post that was cemented in was touching this deck. Of course the neighbours were upset, they had just purchased this lot in June. Perhaps they did not do their due diligence. All the survey pins were in our favour. By moving that post and by turning out our last fence section to the right, we gave them an additional 2.5 feet of view. In return I asked if I could increase the height of that last fence section from 6′ to 7′. They were so happy to have the view, the height was not an issue. For me, privacy is everything. We had an 8′ plus hedge there and I had total privacy. Even with the increase to 7′ they can still stand on their deck and see directly into our home. I think we made good compromise, not perfect but everyone is happy ( well mostly ). We now have to wait for the materials to increase the height to seven feet.
By raising the fence to keep it even, left us with too many inches between the ground and the bottom of the fence panels.
Colin was already working on it with some smaller rail ties that we had. Both panels are the same colour, the camera was being cheeky.
Frank ran out of time to complete the fence Tuesday. He tends to get a late start in the day so we didn’t see him until shortly after 10AM on Wednesday. Another bitterly cold day and it wasn’t long before the wind started to blow hard off the lake and the rain begins to fall. In fact it rained so hard that our street was flooded. Because of extreme water conditions I did not take any photos. Frank insisted on finishing the install which he did shortly after 3PM.
Sadly I never took any photos of the completed fence on Wednesday due to the wet cold weather.
So tomorrow promises sunshine and we will make a point of getting some completed fence photos. Those photos plus what happened on Thursday ( yesterday ) will complete the install of our fence. Hard to believe that this all started just three weeks ago on October 3oth with the hedge removal and now it is all complete.
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Looking forward to all the finished pictures of the fence – it really looks classy so far, and just think no more hedge trimming.
No more hedge trimming, no more watering and fertilizing, no more spiders living in it and making webs all year long and no more baby blackbirds being born within it every spring. they are very loud birds. We are most happy and will be even happier once they move their house.
Lovely fence but so close to neighbor. They can’t even wash their windows. And they can’t slide the house over to fix something. They never should have let that house build so close to the lot line. I sure hope they don’t have trouble or your pretty fence is going to be a nightmare for them. If you sold them two feet of property your fence could be free. I really like the two tone. Very classy.
Yes their house is very close to ours as it was placed incorrectly close to 40 years ago. We did consult with them as to the building of the fence. They were in full agreement as they did not like the hedge and all the spiders, etc. They wanted white and we said no, this two tone colour or we will keep the hedge. What was a surprise to them and us was how much they are on our property. BTW Colin also gave them and extra four inches the entire length of the fence. Had he not done so then there would be but less then 2′ between their house and the fence. They were supposed to move the house or build a new one in March. Now they have delayed that to next September.
Very, very attractive. Just my colour combination. Well done. K
So glad that you approve Ken. I had one complaint at how the fence was overshadowing the house. I explained That the fence was actually lower then the hedge and that you could see more.
A very unique type of Fence.
The colour difference in the photo is due to the angle. It changes how the light is reflected.
Like your Virus Sayings.
Be Safe and Enjoy your new yard.
It’s about time.
We are enjoying the extra space in our yard.
The fence looks great and I really love the two tone!
Someone came by today who has the 8′ high blinding white vinyl fence. He commented that he was not offered a choice like ours. I told him that it was our creation and a first for the fence builder. By summer I bet we see our fence colours in a few places in here.
Well Done! Tu cerca se ve absolutamente hermosa! Love the colour combination and the two-tier. You must be ecstatic.
Love reading your blog,
Catheline
Thank you Catheline. We had to go various tiers based on a maximum height of 6′ and 8′ wide. So in various areas re the 8′, 7′, 6′ and 6’6″, which is why it looks odd in places and then the three foot section .We are sill getting used to it as we have had cedar hedges since 2003.
I like your virus sayings too. A lot. And I am a bit horrified at the clearance between lots…but I guess it IS PRIME real estate, where you pay by the inch. A beautiful view is worth a lot. And it is a handsome fence….
That home was put on the site incorrectly close to 40 years ago. The lot is huge at the other end. The plan for these new owners is to move it the larger end of the lot and to renovated it. Or to simply get rid of it and to build anew house similar to ours.
Our county ordinances require that each house have a five-foot set back from the surveyed land line; even though each lot owner owns each of their respective five-foot set backs, you can plant only shrubs in your set backs or build a fence, but you must leave room for maintenance by utility companies like electric, telephone, and cable. Then the county inspector comes out with a copy of the survey to make sure you did it right. When we moved here, I had a dream of having three driveways, the third one to move my RV to the rear side of the house. I approached the developer, Bob Lane, to make him an offer to buy 30-feet of land (to be taken from the lot next door) so that I would have the room for my third driveway; he took the offer before he put the new house up for sale. Everyone who now buys that house says the swimming pool is too small, but I never tell them I bought the land the larger pool was supposed to be on.
Contessa, if you could talk your neighbors into selling you the “troubled” lot, you would have quite a spread there. The fence looks magnificent.
First of all they will not sell as this is the best that they can get lakefront and we can’t afford $250,000.00 for a lot that we don’t want. Lucky you getting your third driveway.
The fence looks great and like the two tone color. Fantastic
So glad that you like the new look.
And I was lucky that the developer had not sold the newly built house on the lot yet–he was low on funds while waiting for a sale. Heck, this was back in 1984. Everything will work out for you; the adjacent owners just need to spend a little of THEIR money to correct the positioning of the house.
They are young kids and will sort it out eventually.