Spring is now well and truly here, which means we’re all looking forward to spending more time outside. If you’re looking for a new project that enables you to spend more time in the garden while being productive, maintaining your current fence or building a brand new one could be the perfect project for you. Building a new fence is a classic DIY favorite for a reason. It’s a good way to occupy some of your time without taking on a very long-term project that risks taking over your life.
However, there are some things you need to know before embarking on constructing your new DIY fencing project. Here are some of the DIY fence golden rules you should keep in mind when building a new fence. These will help you avoid running into any unwanted issues or even having to stop your project partway through.
Check Your Property Boundaries
One of the most crucial things you need to do before starting to construct your DIY fence is check exactly where your property’s boundaries are. If your fence encroaches onto your neighbor’s land rather than being fully in your own yard, you could be setting yourself up for unpleasant arguments with your neighbors, possibly escalating to expensive and stressful legal battles.
Checking your property boundaries and placing your fence accordingly is a very simple way to avoid any potential future headaches. As a general rule of thumb, it’s advised that your fence posts are fully on your own land. The outer wall of your fence can go up to your land’s boundary with your neighbor’s yard but shouldn’t cross it. However, if your fencing needs to be secured by footing, these feet are allowed to partially go beneath your neighbor’s land, and this will not legally count as encroachment.
Don’t Repair Your Neighbor’s Fence
It’s not pleasant to live next to neighbors who don’t play their part in maintaining the neighborhood. However, as tempting as it may be, you’re not legally allowed to use your DIY fence fixing skills to replace or fix your neighbor’s fallen-down fence.
Even if you can’t repair your neighbor’s unsightly fence, there are still DIY projects you can do to make your yard look better. Why not consider repairing your own fence, possibly making it higher, or changing the spacing between your fence’s slats so you can’t see into your neighbor’s dilapidated yard? Another alternative is to consider planting some bushes or flowers in your yard to give yourself more privacy and a better garden view.
Choose the Right Material
It’s crucial to choose the right material for your fence. One of the downsides of traditional wooden fencing is that it needs frequent repainting, especially if you live in an area that regularly experiences heavy rain or snow. Investing in an aluminum fence is a sure way to make your life easier as aluminum fences are easy to install and stay looking great for years at a time. This means that you won’t get stuck with a much bigger DIY project than you’d hoped for.
If you have any more questions about building your own garden fence without running into any avoidable issues, our trusty Knowledge Base can help.
