Replacing a shared fencline...

[jill.costello]

Hi everyone,
We just moved to our new property in March, and are "getting to know" our older, retired neigbors.

We share the "short side" fencing of our 9 acre rectangle with them. Because I am retired and 100% disabled, I am home all the time puttering with the critters and they are home all the time puttering with their landscaping/lawn/ and RV, etc. So, we have friendly little chit-chats over the fence and wave to eachother, etc.

Recently, the gentleman noticed I was "shoring up" the OLD barb-wire cattle fence (read: rusty 3-strand barb wire tacked to old, rotting, falling down wood posts). I was just checking the hot-tape that we had run along the top, and hammering in any nails/tacks that were sticking out that might injure a horse. He made the comment, "You guys can do what you want with that fence, you know.". So I said "well, whose fence is it?" and he said "It's shared, but if you want to redo it for your horses, that's fine".

So, we would very much like to move forward and pick a day to rent a bobcat and pull that fence down (won't take much effort!) and replace it with covered tee-posts spaced every 10' and strung with 4 strands of that extra-wide 2" electric tape for horses (the stuff that looks like vinyl fencing when it's done).

It would CERTAINLY look better than the broken-teeth-with-braces look we've got going on now!

I guess my question is: At this point, would you just "DO IT", or would you go back to the neighbor with your plan, and a picture, etc? What if he has a revulsion to the materials?? I do not expect him to pay for half, so it should be my choice of materials, right?

I guess I don't want to offend him, either... we're in Texas, and he's an old cattle rancher from way back, and I get the feeling he's of the ilk of "my word is my bond", and if he said it, he meant it.

What do you think?

[Qwispea]

If you are definitely going to replace the entire fence ..it wouldn't hurt to share your plans with your neighbor. While you already have his permission ..and could just "do it" ..perhaps just being friendly and showing the neighbor your plans will make them feel good.

[anniew]

If you are going to put up an entirely new fence, why not bring it in five feet so it is on your property. That way, if something happened to the neighbor and a new owner took over the property, you'd still have your fence with or without a new neighbor's permission. You might explain that to the current neighbor, and also offer to pull down the older, not-so-nice-looking one.
Ann

[topside1]

Talk to the neighbor and mention electric fencing for sure. Hate to see his grandchildren getting pop with 6000 plus volts. Also run a string from each corner of the property line and just bring in your new fence 6-12 inches. If you move the fence in to far you have now created a new problem, who is going to mow/maintain the opposite side of you fence line??? You or him?? Six inches should do it....press on...Tennessee John

[fordy]

.................If i remember texas law correctly, you have the right to work on BOTH sides of the fence for up to 5 feet on the neighbors side . Put your new fence ON the property line as that is what you PAID for and that is Where the survey platt shows your ownership too be . My interpretation of your neighbors assent to your building a new fence is that "it's OK with him as he doesn't want to invest any money into "Your" , new fence " . Atleast , that's the way it seems to me . fordy...