Awkward conversation with new neighbors about replacing garden boundary walls..

bwthreemobile

Hi All,

I have recently just bought a property and the 3 garden walls have Cracked and split and are now dangerous and fear of Collapse into any of the Gardens and possibly lead to damage or even worse INJURY, how should we approach our new neighbors with contributing to the walls been replaced for Safety reasons without them thinking straight away " these are only here and taking the piss looking for money towards walls " these walls are boundary walls to all our gardens and surely the Onus is not 100% our responsibility.

any advice would be great

blackbox

It's not unusual for walls to develop cracks. It doesn't necessarily mean they are about to collapse.

I suggest you get some expert advice as to whether they are dangerous.

If you are over reacting you may come across as a crank to your new neighbours.

SteM

It's not a great time of the year to be looking into this tbh. If my neighbour came to me looking for a large amount money I'd tell them that we'll discuss it after Christmas.

bwthreemobile

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122739560#Comment_122739560

No the Cracks are Quite large and we had a structural surveyor inspect the property and explained in his report what the issue might have been but looked rectified , his professional recommendations was to replace.

bwthreemobile

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122739568#Comment_122739568

That's a fair point, maybe try them in march when everyone is back on their feet . thank you

lmk123

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122739571#Comment_122739571

his recommendation covers his a**e, if he says it looks rectified just leave it and see if it gets worse over time

bwthreemobile

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122739587#Comment_122739587

😅 true true ..

blackbox

If the surveyor says it looks like it has been rectified, why replace it?

drunkmonkey

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122739571#Comment_122739571

That should have been accounted for when purchasing.

I'd take it easy, don't mention until you're both chatting at the wall someday and say it looks a bit wobbly and guage their reaction.

I've had this and the neighbour just refused so I just let nature take it's course, it was only a wooden fence though. She still didn't contribute when it collapsed.

bwthreemobile

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122739603#Comment_122739603

it would be great if all 3 neighbors were on board and get the issue sorted split with minimum cost for safety and my pocket. but I'm expecting someone to be Snaggy

You can ask them and if they are decent enough people with the means to contribute they will probably agree. However they are under no obligation to agree and they simply may not have thousands that it's likely to cost.

Dont be surprised or upset if they refuse and don't hold it against them as this will set you up for an uncomfortable relationship.

Lumen

When I moved in to my house I replaced most of the boundary fencing at my cost, I considered it a blow-in tax. It meant that I got to choose the type of fencing (although I sought opinions) and get the job done to a good standard. I now have better relations with my neighbours than they have with each other 😀

Seriously though, in my experience walls generally fall over during storms when people are in their houses. Unless you have kids that are likely to be climbing on them and are genuinely concerned for their safety, I'd leave them be until you are in there a bit longer.

bwthreemobile

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122739620#Comment_122739620

Ahh i totally agree, it will be a discussion about safety and the possibility of some contribution, if they refuse i wont get too upset about it .. but its all four of our gardens and a boundary wall is 50 - 50 . am I right or wrong ..??

bwthreemobile

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122739622#Comment_122739622

we are a bit concerned because we have two young girls that would be in the back Garden in the good weather,

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122739637#Comment_122739637

It maybe a shared responsibility - but if they don't consider it an imminent issue then you haven't got a leg to stand on.

drunkmonkey

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122739619#Comment_122739619

They will be snaggy no surer thing, personally I'd leave for a while, if it's really that bad the winter should bring it down. Can it not be repaired? If it's wobbling when you stand against it then it's dangerous.

bwthreemobile

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122739653#Comment_122739653

i didn't start leaning or pushing anything as they are big cracks , if the walls are in bits my thinking on it would be to take down and start again . maybe i could send in a nice bottle of whiskey to the neighbors either side of us with a Christmas card and that could be a start , and if we got 2 neighbors out of 3 that wouldn't be bad either . 😉

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122739678#Comment_122739678

Its going to come down to the type of neighbour they are, don't try to bribe them as it won't make any difference, they either will or they won't.

We moved recently and I shared the job of installing a fence on their side and did the work between us. Very amicable.

The other side is rented and the landlord approached us to share the cost, we agreed and I gave him a bit of a hand with the work. It saved me because I was going to have to do it anyway.

bwthreemobile

yeah your right , they seem ok and look like they would be ok with some discussion about it but you know yourself when it comes to parting with money , that can change. maybe i will come up with some plan for March next year and see how that goes

SteM

Have you priced up the work? I'd imagine it'll be pricey enough getting 3 walls done to the correct height.

bwthreemobile

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122739799#Comment_122739799

I have only got one quote atm but ill check with 2 or 3 other lads I know before committing to the job . hopefully by then the neighbors will have come around to my way of thinking,, the thing i do know is that every trades man has the perfect excuse for crazy money jobs. "the cost of materials" the No 1 buzz word

mykrodot

I moved house last year, the shared fence between me and my neighbours was rotting and loose. I also wanted it higher and was prepared to replace the whole thing myself for privacy reasons mostly. I spoke to neighbour to give him a heads up and he offered to do it himself and we would split costs and for materials.

It took him ages because his attention to detail is unreal (he is non Irish) but he did an excellent job and we are all happy. It costs much less than the fencing companies I had been talking to.

You never know how it will work out until you ask. Having said that it was early Spring when I approached my neighbours as I wanted to start gardening and they have kids and a dog, so it got started quickly. I would wait until early Spring to ask neighbours, by then you will know them better. (Maybe drop in a bottle of wine for Christmas and get chatting as neighbours)

bwthreemobile

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122739911#Comment_122739911

sounds good. that's good that it worked out like that for you. and spring sounds like a plan. and its funny that most Irish lads can turn down work if you don't meet them on their high pricing but if you look a bit further you can get quality from some foreign lads for a lot less.. but that can be a big gamble too .

pavb2

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122739644#Comment_122739644

Sounds like you need to do it but it’s about costs, the above is the deciding factor for me personally I’d just do it myself as at least you’re in control of the situation, you can decide what type of fence to put up, when you do it and what tradesmen you use.

You’ll obviously have to let the neighbours know what you are doing but I’d have the details sorted as best you can as you’re not really looking for input from them as they might come up with other options that don’t suit you. At this point the subject of costs may come up so you could see how the land lies and ask them to contribute I’d look at anything I get as a bonus. Ultimately it’s the safety of the kids that’s important.

emo72

Why didn't you wait to see how this seasons storms affect it. One today! If the storms don't knock it why replace it? Anyway there's no rush,

bwthreemobile

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122740039#Comment_122740039

Exactly, anything would be a bonus, the important thing no id sy is the chat before anything happens so its clear of our intentions from the get go

bwthreemobile

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122740047#Comment_122740047

Maybe a good time to put a bit of pressure on the walls lol

T-Maxx

Have you established the exact property boundaries? The wall(s) could be yours, theirs, or both.

bwthreemobile

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122740066#Comment_122740066

There is a house directly behind sharing the same back wall, and neighbors on our left and right which means a wall in each garden of each house and the 3 walls around my garden

Glenomra

Get this plan wrong and as the recently arrival you will have lost 3 neighbours' friendship. More than likely they are you sussing you out anyway. Asking them for money to fix boundary walls within months of your arrival won't work out well on my humble opinion.

ted1

sounds like a you problem.

I imagine there’s plenty of life left in the wall.

It’s like the TV shows where the start to do up the 150 year old house and realise that there’s no foundations and suddenly it’s. Big issue.

bwthreemobile

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122740284#Comment_122740284

Ahh Ted , surely they cannot ignore the fact its their garden wall too and also their problem

ted1

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122740436#Comment_122740436

They don’t have a concern about it falling down ..

can the OP post photos ?

Calahonda52

So 32 posts in and a lot of hot air thus far.

The current wind gusts could help define the problem

Any way

https://www.irishstatutebook.ie/eli/2009/act/27/enacted/en/print#part8-chap3

May have been some slight amendments since but the principles still apply

Until you talk to your neighbours it all guesswork and not very constructive to boot.

Talk to your neighbours and see how they feel, that's the only way to answer your question.

bwthreemobile

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122740468#Comment_122740468

Cala, thank you

what Para are you saying i should read here

bwthreemobile

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122740480#Comment_122740480

yeah i will speak with them and try make my point from a safety perspective and not about only money . thank you

893bet

The safety concern is yours. Pointless doing a “think about the children’s safety”.

Y

banie01

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122740436#Comment_122740436

Sure they can. As it stands, you are the one with a problem not them. Your surveyor's report is an exercise in arse covering on his part. It describes the walls as both rectified and recommends replacement. It is a report written to facilitate your purchase, not the actual state of repair of the walls.

You mention your 2 daughters and the risk incipient in their playing in the garden and a potential collapse. Again, that's your risk, not your neighbours.

Also as others have alluded to, the fact that there are walls in place between properties doesn't actually mean they are shared/party walls. Shared walls are built upon the boundary line, the map and the wall must match. Now in an estate, the likelihood is that the walls were built by the developer and are shared walls.

That however doesn't preclude the possibility that the wall as built, is entirely inside your boundary and as such, is entirely your problem. It's unlikely but, possible that the previous owner built the wall to enclose the property rather than as a shared boundary.

The advice offered by others regarding the actual condition of the walls, how they hold up to a winter and the timing of your request to your neighbours for co-funding a rebuild are all good. Noone wants to spend money before Xmas, and even fewer want to spend money where they don't perceive either a problem or a benefit.

I rebuilt a boundary wall between one of my neighbours and I as part of a shed build a few years ago. The existing wall was cracked but stable. Its alignment included an angle that kicked out the wall in a way that meant building along the line was awkward.

I spoke to my neighbour, asked him if he had any objection to me taking down the existing wall and rebuilding it on a straighter line inside my boundary. He agreed, signed an agreement to the effect (he gained 1.5²sq Mtrs of garden. Then I built the wall and bore the cost. My problem, my solution and my cost. If the wall that was there had collapsed? If I chose to rebuild it as it was? Then yes, asking for a contribution would certainly have been fair. Insofar as it would have been towards restoring a collapsed, shared wall to it's pre-collapse state.

Deciding to preempt that potential collapse and demolish & rebuild before any collapse occured though? As sensible as that seems from a precautionary principle standpoint, if the neighbours are at no imminent risk other than "collapsed wall"? I can certainly see why they'd prefer to wait until a collapse occurs and then repair that portion, than cofund a demolish and rebuild.

bwthreemobile

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122740517#Comment_122740517

Thank you Banie,

i take all your points on board . thank you for the feedback and some very fair and good points.

much appreciated

Havenowt

Have you any pictures of the wall and cracks, maybe you can build up some supporting block piers or if there are extisting piers run some bracing between them. It might save you rebuilding the wall.