Good Fences Make Good Neighbors

     When you have lived as many places as I have, you begin to appreciate the importance of establishing your boundaries.  Because so many of us have relegated ourselves to subdivision living, the need for a good fence has exponentially increased over the last 15 to 20 years.  This fact is especially true when living in urban and suburban areas.  It never ceases to amaze me how real estate developers have learned to cram so many houses into so few acres.  The difference between the average lot size of the 1970s as compared to those of today is difficult to comprehend.  Even higher end homes seem to be being built closer and closer together.  Maybe I am crazy, but if I’m going to spend $500.000 on a home, I expect to have some breathing room.

     A few years back, we were living in a subdivision where the homes on each side of us were about 15 feet apart from ours.  Keep in mind, these were good sized new homes.  But this neighborhood was typical of so many being built today in that we were allotted one little tree strategically located directly outside the sliding glass doors at the rear of the house.  A few shrubs were planted out front, but the yard was hastily created and thus very spotty and uneven.  Only later did we start finding out that all the construction trash had been thrown into the back yard, plowed under, and then seeded over.  Granted our lot was actually larger than most in that neighborhood.  We had a whopping ½ acre to roam on.  But this was not nearly enough for me.  This reality was reinforced one afternoon while I was mowing the grass.

     I was born and raised in the rural mid-west.  So I decided I would bless my neighbor by cutting a couple rows of their grass along our shared property line.  I figured that they were clearly too busy to stay on top of keeping their own lawn neat and tidy, so I would just help them out a little bit. This turned out to be a big mistake.  Apparently in the more urban areas, this is not considered kosher.  Within a few minutes of putting my lawnmower away, I heard hammering in the side yard.  I looked out the window to see my neighbor pounding rebar stakes into our property line about every 10 feet.  She proceeded to connect the stakes with kite string.  Clearly this impromptu fence was the best she could come up with on such short notice, but the message was as clear as crystal.  I had unknowingly assaulted her domain.  By the way, those silly stakes were still there when we moved out a couple years later.

     We now live on about 10 acres surrounded mostly by woodland, but I must admit, my neighbors still bug me on occasion.  I guess the older I get, the more space I need.  That being said, if you are currently in a housing situation that is cramping your style, the addition of a privacy fence may be in order.  I have found that, more often than not, your neighbor will appreciate the sentiment rather than resent it.  They probably want to get away from you as much as you do them.  In turn, this will allow you to enjoy your neighbors company when you want to, and not when you have to.  If you need help finding a good fencing company in your area, try using the links listed below.