Please And Thank You: The Etiquette Side Of Fences

When it’s time to look into erecting a fence between you and your neighbor’s yards, be sure you’re being neighborly and politely discussing your plans with everyone.

There are times that you and your neighbor could be the best of friends. Inviting each other to backyard barbecues, sending holiday cards, helping out watering plants while they’re away—there are plenty of pleasant interactions that could occur between you and your neighbors. What happens when your neighbor isn’t being very neighborly and is actually making things a bit awkward?

Open communication

The first and most important thing in any relationship is communication. Any time you or your neighbor are thinking about doing anything near the property line, it is essential to communicate this to one another. It might even be a written rule or law in your municipality to discuss any plans for shared property lines with your neighbor. This helps keep future squabbles to a minimum.

As long as you are following all laws surrounding a commercial, residential or industrial aluminum fence and you aren’t doing anything too close to the neighbor’s property line, you can do as you please. If you want to put up a brightly colored aluminum fence that clashes with the rest of neighborhood, you can! However, it will make life so much easier if you make your neighbor aware of your plan beforehand to avoid any unpleasant surprises.

Joining forces

If you are indeed erecting a fence close to the property line and think it might be beneficial to go in on the project together with your neighbor, this can be a great way to cut costs. Communication will be important here, as you need to be sure you are both fully aware of the agreement that is being made and the choices regarding what type of fencing and accessories are agreed by all.

As for splitting the cost of joining forces on a mutually beneficial fence, this will depend on a few factors. If you are both getting the same benefit and neither is doing the actual work, a 50/50 split would make the most sense. If one or the other is able and willing to do the residential or industrial aluminum fence project as a DIY, that neighbor should pay less because they are putting in labor. Come to an understanding so all parties feel it is fair.

When it’s too late

Sometimes the friendly relationship between you and your neighbor just isn’t working out. Perhaps they aren’t being very neighborly and are allowing your fence to get damaged from their side of the yard or they aren’t keeping their yard tidy and it’s spilling over onto your property. It’s best to get evidence of this in the form of photographs. This helps you get any money due to repairs that are beyond your control and fully in theirs through small claims court. Of course. the first thing you will always want to try is—you guessed it—communicating with your neighbor. Perhaps they don’t realize the damage they are doing and will happily rectify the situation.

Being polite and neighborly goes a long way when it comes to keeping the peace in the neighborhood. Always imagine how you would feel if a big change was happening right next to your property line and you weren’t aware of it. Keeping everyone in the loop can stop any uncomfortable situations before they start.