Browse Forums Building A New House 1 Jun 02, 2021 2:30 pm I know it's common but another fence dispute dilemma for you. New house being built and all the fences are already up. We want to raise the side fence to help with the ground level and to get some more privacy (we are talking 300mm). Fence is currently 1.8m but will be 1.5m on our side once the fill goes in. We will pay for it all but the neighbour doesn't want to change the fence and doesn't seem to care that our windows look directly in to each other. Its a strange one because in terms of light, I can't see it making a difference as our houses are 2m apart. In terms of view, they are just looking at our brick wall and windows anyway. Personally i'd rather look at a fence than my neighbours windows but they disagree. Just wandering what other alternative options we might have. Follow my build here: https://www.instagram.com/ivy5custom Re: Fence height dispute/dilemma 2Jun 02, 2021 2:44 pm Depending on where you live, you can build your fence to 2m tall. Both neighbours wanted a little higher, so one side put those black screen panels from Bunnings on their side and they go about 40cm above fence height. You can see through them but not really. The other side put that bamboo screening (the half bamboo poles) which stick up about 15cm. Both neighbours asked first, but we had no problems. So maybe it would be easier if you just add something to your side. Re: Fence height dispute/dilemma 3Jun 02, 2021 4:28 pm if you actually have to put fill in, aren't you required to build a proper retaining wall? i didn't think you could just fill against the fence. so you'd take the fence down, put retaining wall in to hold any fill that may be required on your side, then put the fence back on top of the retaining wall essentially keeping it the same height? otherwise i would imagine you'd have to slope your block to the current ground level where the fence is, and probably provide additional drainage so your neighbor doesn't get flooded with runoff. that's how it was done in our current house, cause it's on a hill so each lot has about half a meter of ground level difference if you were to flatten them. Re: Fence height dispute/dilemma 4Jun 02, 2021 4:40 pm strannik if you actually have to put fill in, aren't you required to build a proper retaining wall? i didn't think you could just fill against the fence. so you'd take the fence down, put retaining wall in to hold any fill that may be required on your side, then put the fence back on top of the retaining wall essentially keeping it the same height? So it's not that much fill, we just want the ground level up near the base of the slab so that we don't have the slab exposed and so that the ground is closer to level with the backyard. What i would like to do is put a timber sleeper under this fence so that the soil is up against that and not up against the colorbond. Follow my build here: https://www.instagram.com/ivy5custom Re: Fence height dispute/dilemma 5Jun 02, 2021 5:09 pm that's looks like a very narrow space. if it was me, i'd just put a concrete path in there leaving just enough gap to fit the formwork in or a strip drain. (and maybe a bit more around the posts so you can rip them out later if they need replacing) Re: Fence height dispute/dilemma 6Jun 02, 2021 5:39 pm strannik that's looks like a very narrow space. if it was me, i'd just put a concrete path in there leaving just enough gap to fit the formwork in or a strip drain. (and maybe a bit more around the posts so you can rip them out later if they need replacing) Yeah it's pretty common in the estate. We have 1020 setback on our side and neighbours have 920 on theirs. Concrete path is the plan eventually and putting formwork down the side is an option if we can't put sleepers under the fence. If the houses were further apart it probably wouldn't worry us too much but when the view out of a window is just another window it's not my cup of tea. Follow my build here: https://www.instagram.com/ivy5custom Re: Fence height dispute/dilemma 8Jun 02, 2021 6:16 pm strannik i can see why you want the fence raised. i would've thought one of you would've had to put privacy screens on their windows when building like this. Yeah I didn't think it would be an issue when we started. I thought it would be pretty reasonable to want to get a bit of extra privacy to the bedrooms - especially as we would be covering all the cost. There issues seems to be they are worried it will limit light hitting the windows but from what i can tell, that would never been an issue due to how house being the object that will be casting a shadow on that side. So the fence could essentially be at eave height before it creates any light issues. Anyway, beating a dead horse it seems so will just have to find a solution that we can both agree on. I could easily just screen it off from my side but then that adds to the neighbours predicament in the first place so I figured I should try and do the right thing first. Follow my build here: https://www.instagram.com/ivy5custom Re: Fence height dispute/dilemma 9Jun 02, 2021 6:47 pm yeah i think if your neighbor's primary concern is the amount of light, what bestspecials has suggested in his post might probably be your best chance of getting them to agree to. there's a bunch of various fence extension products that provide privacy, still allow light through and don't look too ugly. something like this: https://www.bunnings.com.au/matrix-1800 ... e_p0223543 doesn't help you with your slab cover issue, but concrete path would be a solution for that... Re: Fence height dispute/dilemma 10Jun 02, 2021 7:12 pm strannik yeah i think if your neighbor's primary concern is the amount of light, what bestspecials has suggested in his post might probably be your best chance of getting them to agree to. there's a bunch of various fence extension products that provide privacy, still allow light through and don't look too ugly. something like this: https://www.bunnings.com.au/matrix-1800 ... e_p0223543 doesn't help you with your slab cover issue, but concrete path would be a solution for that... Yep that looks to be the likely solution if all else fails. Honestly we probably will still need to put something on our side to give us some privacy anyway. Is there any rules against what you can put up next to the fence generally? Like if council guidelines state fences should be 1.8m. Could we still put a 2.4m screening panel right next to the fence. Follow my build here: https://www.instagram.com/ivy5custom Re: Fence height dispute/dilemma 11Jun 02, 2021 7:50 pm didn't you just put a 3+m tall house next to the fence? you'd have to check your council/state regulations but i think which rule applies will depend on what it is, and whether you can argue that it isn't just another fence. for example if you had a tree planted there, in qld they would have grounds for complaint if the branches were taller than 2.5m and blocked their view etc. Re: Fence height dispute/dilemma 12Jun 02, 2021 8:15 pm strannik didn't you just put a 3+m tall house next to the fence? Don't get me started. I tried explaining that to the neighbour that any addition in height to the fence would be negligible as there is a bloody house less than 2m away on his North boundary. Follow my build here: https://www.instagram.com/ivy5custom yes it does, you've just not understood it. theres a difference. 4 5322 Unless the room is for storage then it's non compliant BCA V2 2019 S3 P3.8 You have 2 options 1. The builder deconstructs the section and rebuilds as per plan /… 7 10682 ok thanks - yes was wondering if that should have been listed as Option Three! 2 7741 |