Fences.. did you ask your neighbor to split cost?

so we've been here a little over a month.. met our neighbor from the right side on the 2nd day, very nice guy in his 50s and his wife... but we've NEVER seen our neighbor at the left side...

so now.. we want to put up brand new fences.. I don't have a problem asking our nice friendly neighbors of the right side... but should I even bother to see if the neighbor on the other side would be interested in spliting cost with us? It'll be like. "hi, nice meeting you, we are your new neighbors, would you pay half of the cost of the fences we are sharing?"

What would you do??

Re: Fences.. did you ask your neighbor to split cost?

oh geez...i never even thought about that!

Re: Fences.. did you ask your neighbor to split cost?

if the fence is on your yard, and it is facing your side of the yard then you need to pay. sorry if that was not the answer you wanted to hear.

Re: Fences.. did you ask your neighbor to split cost?

We didn't. DH was concerned that when the time came for one or the other of us to sell, it would become an issue of who owned the fence. He thought that if the neighbor sold first, they would say it was their fence, and then we'd have to duke it out with the new neighbor. Our neighbor was trying to talk our landscaper into putting the fence on his existing retaining wall, but we said no, had our own retaining wall built and the fence put on that.

Re: Fences.. did you ask your neighbor to split cost?

growing up, my parents house is on a cul-de-sac and there were only us and our next door neighbor, we shared everything, and we were very close...
I always assume, things like fences are shared (?)
now I see, apparently not. We don't have a problem paying for our fences.
The PVC fences doesn't have a in/out side, I don't think...?

ETA: sarahsmommy: that's a really good point, thanks! What's retaining wall? We are new at this house thing

Message edited 1/26/2006 9:48:12 PM.

Re: Fences.. did you ask your neighbor to split cost?

We had one put in because we needed our whole backyard regraded. There was a huge slope, so our landscaper added a few tons of dirt to make it level. He said we needed the wall to keep the dirt in and doesn't wash away from rain, snow melt, etc. Since the neighbors all around us had them we figured it must be normal.

Re: Fences.. did you ask your neighbor to split cost?

Our neighors on our side asked us - which was fine. We moved in at the same time so we're both renovating. I can't ask the neighbors in the back to split it. They're elderly and the last thing they really care about is our fence. We will talk to them before we do the backyard fence to let them know.

Re: Fences.. did you ask your neighbor to split cost?

Our neighbor just got a new fence and didn't ask us for anything...then again we have bushes anyway.

I think whoever is putting up the fence -- should be on their property, and their obligation to pay for it. I don't think I'd even ask either neighbor to pay, just let them know I am putting it up.

Message edited 1/27/2006 10:40:07 AM.

Re: Fences.. did you ask your neighbor to split cost?

Our deed specifies that we're responsible for the border of the right side of our yard. the other side is the neighbor's responsibility

Re: Fences.. did you ask your neighbor to split cost?

I don't think I would ask my neighboors to chip in. Maybe if we were friends and it came up in casual conversations before, but otherwise no. I would just put up the fence.

Re: Fences.. did you ask your neighbor to split cost?

I would never ask my neighbors... Its kinda rude what if they are caught off guard. I know I would be.

Re: Fences.. did you ask your neighbor to split cost?

you guys are right.. it would be a little rude... we are still new at this house thing, I am just going by what I remember my parents did... but then again, my parents have a great relationship with their next door neighbor.
We would defintely give our neighbors the heads up.

Thanks every one

Re: Fences.. did you ask your neighbor to split cost?

Good question our past neighbor had asked us- our backyard neighbor and we said ok but we had to get rid of a tree first that was on the property line and the roots were a killer. so we spent 1500 to get the tree down and our neighbor put up the fence but never asked us for the money for the fence, and its the expensive white vinyl with the lattice up top. when I asked him he said he knew we shelled a lot of money for the tree so he felt funny asking for the fence, so it was cool with us BUT and heres the but- he sold the house and there are new neighbors. I highly doubt they will take the fence down since it goes all around their house but its right on the property line now. so I dont know what will happen in the future, hopefully nothing!

Now heres the other side of the coin- our past neighbors on our left wanted to put up a new fence but just the plain wood ones from home depot and wanted to continue right from our fence so my DH said no way, you have to put it on your property, well it caused a fight and we never spoke to them, thankfully they moved and the new neighbors we are friends with. the point was my DH wanted to put up either new cedar or the white vinyl that was in our backyard to match and they didnt, they wanted the cheapy style and my DH wouldnt have it, I will never forget the neighbor screaming and yelling b/c she got caught- they didnt know I was home, they knew DH left for work and had the installers come when hes not home, ( they figured out his work schedule) so anyway I saw them digging the post up against our fence so I called DH and asked him if he agreed to that so he rushed home and what a mess that was!!!!

I suggest you do it by yourself, no headaches in the long run.