Newbie - question on joining fencing to neighbours

[garyh]

Hi

First attempt at putting my new fence up, and wonder if someone could provide a little advice please

Putting up a 6' fence, and double garden gates which are 6' by approx 10 ' in total size. My neighbour has the same, and the gates meet in the middle where the gardens join.

When i put mine in this weekend, i'll have a 4"x4" post concreted in, a 1.5" rail for the fence dividing the gardens, then my neighbours 4" x 4" post concreted in.

My question is, the 2 posts are next to each other and approx 1.5" apart, both supporting 6' gates. Should i leave them concreted in individually, or use something to attach the 2 posts together to give them more strength?

If so, any idea what would be best way to attach them together?

thanks

 

[Richard C]

If it’s his fence, don’t touch it without asking his permission, doing so could amount to criminal damage; you can’t even paint your side of your neighbours fence without their permission.

That aside, I still wouldn’t fix them together; do you have any idea how good the foundation for his post is; will it be stronger or weaker than yours? Trouble is, any problem with either fence could end up bringing the lot down & then the arguments could start over whose responsible for fixing it. You may well get on amicably with your present neighbour but what happens if they move out & your new neighbour is the one from hell; or you could have a falling out over something! You’d would be truly amazed at the problems such things can cause but you can get an idea from reading some of the archive posts one here;
http://www.gardenlaw.co.uk/phpBB2/index.php

I’ve actually had a boundary fence problem which advice from the above forum helped me resolve.

 

[garyh]

Thanks Richard C

Never really thought about that side of things. I'll have a look at that forum you recommended. It was the neighbour who suggested that joining the posts might strengthen them and support the 2 sets of gates better.

I know neighbours was a 4x4 treated post and was sunk approx 2' and filled with postcrete.

I was going to do the same with mine, 8' 4x4 post sunk 2' down and filled with postcrete.

Without attaching them together, would a 4x4 post normally support a 6' x 5' long gate okay?

thanks

 

[Richard C]

That’s a bit of a weight for a 4 inch fence post; I assume your neighbours isn’t doing too well either as he’s suggested joining them together I suppose you could do that as long as you’re both in agreement but type up a simple letter of agreement, sign & date it & keep a copy each! Assume the post is timber, best solution would be to fit a close fitting wooden fillet into the gap between the posts & bolt through them with 10mm coach bolts spaced at, say 400mm centres; should stiffen it up considerably.

Is the gate in regular use or just occasional access? I’ve got a similar arrangement in an area where I keep the wheelie bins. log & coal bin. I’ve put a rubber tyred swivel caster on the outside bottom corner; it’s only used once a week & has lasted 4 years to date but it’s starting to get a bit wobbly so is going to need some maintenance soon.

 

[garyh]

Thanks

Suprisingly, their gate isn't looking too bad for now

My old post is being removed from the corner of my concrete drive, so i'm hoping when i sink the new post 2' down and re-concrete it in place it will hold the gates. Maybe i'm being a bit optimistic though.

Just thought if the 2 posts were bolted together it might strengthen both, but i suppose it might also cause problems in the future!

Unfortunately the gates are used every day as the open up onto my drive to park the car.