Privacy fence - what would look best?

[Delaney21]

DH and I want to install a tan vinyl privacy fence. Here is the problem: Our neighbor to the left of us already has a wooden privacy fence installed. I think it would look really stupid to keep that side wood colored with the 2 other sides the tan vinyl. So what should we do about this?

A couple of options we have thought about include, painting their wood fence to match our new fence or putting up our vinyl fence against their wood fence. It briefly crossed my mind that maybe we could ask them if we could take down the wood section, but then their fence wont match the rest of their other fence, so that's not fair to them.

What do you think would look the best? If you have other suggestions, please share those too!

[BTB]

Are the neighbors okay with you painting their fence and if so, would you paint the whole thing? (all the way around their property)

I'd be inclined to get the same kind of fence as they have, avoiding the issue altogether. If you don't want to do that, or it's too expensive, I'd just abut the two fences. I haven't got the chutzpah - or motivation to do the work! - to ask to repaint the neighbor's entire fence to match my new fence color. :)

[southhavenjen]

I hope you are going to ask your neighbors if it's OK to paint your side of their fence. I don't think I'd be too happy if my neighbors painted my fence - the paint is likely to seep through the cracks of the fence and make it look crappy on the owner's side. I would probably just do the tan vinyl all around if you are worried about the look.

[miaclear]

I agree...don't paint the neighbors fence. If you're worried about it fence your whole area. I think that's the best option.

Curious about a vinyl fence...not sure if I've seen one before. Do you have pictures?

[boilermaker]

Actually, in the places where i have lived, I technically owned the fence that faced my side of the property, so I could have painted it whatever I wanted.

That being said, I would go with the vinyl all the way around.

[Delaney21]

Legally you are allowed to paint your side of the fence (at least in my city), and since the fence is on the property line, we technically have rights to the fence also. That being said, we would of course ask them if we could paint our side, which shouldn't be a problem. The paint wouldn't go through to their side at all.

As far as putting up the same fence as them, it would be a lot cheaper to do it that way, but I don't like the look of it. It looks too old and shabby.

miaclear Here are 2 examples of what vinyl fencing is. I can't find a picture of a tan one right now, but it will give you the general idea. They are popping up all over our area right now.

http://www.lifetimevinylfencing.com/images/fences/lexington-b.jpg
http://www.lifetimevinylfencing.com/images/fences/chesterfield_latt_b.jpg

[LittleFredPunkinHead]

I'd just do the vinyl fencing all the way around. It'll look better.

[Tanya]

I'd do the vinyl fencing all the way around, too. Will it be the same height as the neighbors? If so, I don't see why they would complain. Otherwise, I could see them having an issue.

I lived in a townhouse, and the neighbors built a deck that was 1' above the ground. Therefore they could look over the 6' fence and see our yard, so they built a new fence right on the other side of ours. So we got to see 1' of their fence above ours. They did ask us, and as long as we and the neighbors on the other side were fine with it, it wasn't against rules. I agreed to it, but it wasn't my favorite. I also painted my sides of the fence, and never thought to ask the neighbors. The ones with the new fence had no say since they couldn't even see the other side, and my other neighbor didn't ever mow his lawn (seriously, it was 3' high), so I knew he wouldn't care. We even repainted it with a sprayer when we moved out, and the spray never even got through the cracks (I did test it first on the back fence which bordered an empty lot).

[Delaney21]

Thanks for the replies! I think we will just put up our fence around the whole yard and not worry about their fence. I believe the 2 fences will be the same height so that shouldn't be an issue.

[mrsdrummer]

The only thing i wonder about putting the vinyl all the way around is grass growth. will the grass grow between the two fences? Why not put the wood up and then just paint it? (this coming from someone who's dying to put vinyl up in our soon to be back yard)

[amorey]

I would just put up the same fence all the way around. In my city if you put up the second fence, you're responsible for the grass and weeds that grow in-between the two fences. That can usually be remedied pretty easily with some Round-Up, though!

[LynzeyAHL]

If you put down land scape fabric and trench it in below the grass root line and use the staples to keep it in place you can back fill as you put each section up with pea gravel and neither of you should have grass/weed issues for the life of the fabric you choose. You'd have to add this step after you set and cement your posts. Then put your fabric down. Put in your first pannel back fill with pea gravel then your next section gravel.. you get the idea ;)

[LynzeyAHL]

forgot to add your fence supplier should have matching trim pieces as well and as long as its ok with your neighbors you should be able to cover the gap between your post and theirs with a matching vinal trim piece so you don't see that gap from the street. Because I'm just that anal that I would notice that type of thing hehe and that's my $0.02

[Delaney21]

Thanks for the replies everyone. I think we are going to wait until next spring to put the fence in, so I'll have a lot of time to make a decision

[jengen]

Just bumping this thread up as we are starting to explore fencing options. We have yet to buy a house, but most that we are looking at don't have them and we absolutely need one with our dog. The property we are currently interested in is only .21 acre and it would be less than that as we only want it around the back yard. Can anyone provide any insight as to a ballpark cost we're looking at to have a wood or vinyl fence installed? We were thinking $8,000 minimum. How off are we? :o

[Hello Kitty]

Jengen - installers don't measure by acre, they measure by linear foot of fencing that you need, and then usually a fixed flat fee for gates, etc. So you can either use your home's plat of survey to draw out a fence for an estimate, or walk the property with a tape measure and get an estimate of the number of LF you need.

Our custom fence, made from western red cedar and set in real concrete, installed in IL in 2005 cost ~$18/linear foot. Just going off a guess of your lot size (converting acres to square feet and pretending your yard is a square for simplicity's sake :p), even if you fenced in 3 sides of your yard at ~95 feet each, at $20/foot, that would be $5700. HTH!

ETA - obviously that could change if your yard isn't a fairly even rectangle, or your house is set way towards the street or something.

I have to say having a fenced in yard with a dog is heavenly! I would just strongly suggest you find a company that makes custom fences as opposed to using premade panels, so they can get as tight a fit to the ground as possible. We have a neighbor who paid just a bit less than us, and he's got gaps all over his fence, because the company used panels. And they have to keep their dog indoors, because the gaps were enough to intrigue him to dig and get out. :(

[jengen]

sebskitty Thanks! :) It is pretty much a flat rectangle, but we obviously would need to have people come out and give us firm estimates based on the actual dimensions, etc. It helps to have some idea of what we are looking at for cost before doing so, though.

[asksmd94]

I just purchased a home and it has a partial chain linked fence that leads to what appears to be a foundation for a garage that is no longer there. My question is, can you dig/pull up fencing? Or, is it pretty much there to stay.

[eli1126]

I just purchased a home and it has a partial chain linked fence that leads to what appears to be a foundation for a garage that is no longer there. My question is, can you dig/pull up fencing? Or, is it pretty much there to stay.

I think you should be able to remove it. It might be a PITA, but I know people who have had chain link removed and put vinyal or wood fences in.

[asksmd94]

Thanks eli1126.

[BeachBum]

I'd just landscape in front of the neigbors fence.