How can we add xtra height to a 6′ fence? We have a nosy neighbor with a new deck and miss our privacy. Help!
It seems like this guy built this fence as soon as he realized I drink my coffee au natural. I bought the house because the yard had complete privacy and now it does not.
Would the builder replace the bkyrd fence on a new home lot? I have 3 neighbor been there at least 3yrs.?
My house is being built by village builders, Tereavista (Austin, TX) the spec sheet state new fence backyard.
The current neighbors (left, two back, right) These houses been there at least 3 yrs. The fence is warp, leaning to my property line. The builder rep say they only add a new fence connecting at the front sides of the house to the 2 neighbors on my left & right. He say , i can bring up the issue when I go through the walk through inspection 1 week prior to closing.
My arguement is that the spec list for in the house, states backyard fence included. I would expect them to built new fence on my property line, which would be okay for me or replace the existing wood fence. I’m plaining to have my own 3rd party inspector with me during the walk through with the seller inspector.
How do I get my neighbor to help pay for a new fence?
My neighbor said to give him until he gets paid and he would pay me the .00 he owes for his share of the fence. I have not seen him since. Now what?
Landscaping Designs: Three Basic Principles
Creating a well designed landscape is a lot like creating a well designed piece of artwork. The guiding principles of design are the same. A well designed landscape is made of three basic elements, or principles: good balance of scale, color, and perspective. In this article, we’ll explain what each of these design principles means, and how you can apply them when creating your landscaping plan.
The first basic principle, balance of scale, refers to the size of the various elements you incorporate into your plan. For example, a landscape made up entirely of low, bushy plants that are all the same size would be fairly boring. However, if you mix in a few large landscape trees, some tall ornamental grasses, and some groundcover plants, now you have a range of sizes that is more visually appealing. A general rule of thumb is to balance the scale of your landscape by thirds. One third of the visual space should be large, one third medium, and the last third small size. Also remember that not all the elements have to be plants. Other structures like trellises, arbors, and pergolas can be worked into a landscaping plan to lend additional variety and balance out the overall scale.
The second basic principle is color. Color is a far more complex topic than many people realize; there are entire fields of study devoted to color. To fully understand how colors work together, it is helpful to study a color wheel. Colors are positioned around the wheel based on how they relate to one another. Take the complimentary color scheme, for example, which is probably the most basic and fundamental of all the color schemes. Complimentary colors are two colors directly opposite one another on the color wheel. Other color scheme options include analogous, which is a group of two or three colors directly beside each other on the wheel, or triadic, which are three colors equidistant from each other on the wheel. All this relates to landscape design in the colors of flower, plants, and other elements we choose. For example, a yard made up entirely of yellow flowers would be visually overwhelming. However, when you add a few colors next to yellow, such as orange and red, now you have an analogous color scheme that is aesthetically pleasing and visually interesting. For more information on color schemes, it might be helpful to consult a book or website about color theory.
The last basic element of landscape design is perspective. Perspective can mean a lot of different things, but for the purposes of our discussion, we will define it as the particular view of the observer, based on the location they are standing in relative to your yard or home. Ideally, your landscape should have a well balanced perspective for all potential onlookers. Many of us focus on the view of our home and yard from the street, but what about the view seen by your most frequent observers, your neighbors? And then there is the most important perspective of all: the one seen when you are inside your home looking outward. After all, it is your yard; shouldn’t you and your family be the ones to enjoy the most attractive view? The point of a well designed landscape is to take into account the perspective of all potential vantage points, and try to make every view as attractive and balanced as possible.
By taking into account all three of the basic design elements, scale, color, and perspective, you will ensure that your landscape is well balanced and aesthetically pleasing to the eye. Remember, you don’t have to have a degree in art or landscape architecture to create a beautiful landscape. When you design with these fundamental principles in mind, you’re sure to end up with an attractive result that you can enjoy for years to come.
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Article Source:http://www.articlesbase.com/landscaping-articles/landscaping-designs-three-basic-principles-1076941.html
Should we remove our current fence posts of drill new holes?
Next weekend, we are replacing our 6′ privacy fence. We have put one up before by renting a post hole digger and drilling new holes. But we have not replaced one before.
Which would you recommend? Removeing the current post and cement or just digging new holes?
We are not sure how easily the old post will come out vs how hard it is to drill new hole.
Thanks!
andrea
Buy Out Door Living garden sheds, furniture and landscaping materials
Outdoor living, urban living, changing your garden,
Out Door Living Advice
This applies equally to country or city living. While for some the garden is a passion, for many more people it is an “outdoor living room”. It’s a place where children play, families eat, friends are entertained and all types of hobbies are pursued. To have the best outdoor living area, you must first consider your lifestyle, and what you want to do in the garden.
Make Your Garden More Liveable!
- For people with larger properties, such as farms or large suburban blocks, try to keep your living, play and entertainment areas away from work and storage areas.
- Keep rubbish and compost areas away from bbq and eating areas. (Note: Flies breed in rubbish and compost).
- Keep still water away from outdoor entertainment areas (these can be mozzie breeding areas).
- Plant mints and tansy near outdoor living areas to help repel insects.
- When you build anything with bolts or nails, make sure no bolts or nails are left protruding.
- Put metal furniture (or play equipment) in shaded places where it won’t get too hot and scald the children.
- In hot climates, check out where cooling winds come from (usually off the water in seaside areas), and leave openings in the garden to catch these winds (ie. Don’t build walls or plant hedges where they will stop a cool breeze).
- In cool climates paved areas against a north facing wall will heat up more than other parts of the garden, providing a useable outdoor living area almost all year round.
For A Comfortable Time in the Garden
- Provide shaded places so you can escape the sun.
- Always wear a hat
- In summer and in warmer climates, always apply suntan lotion.
- Keep out of the sun in the middle of the day.
- Keep your garden clean so you don’t attract pests
- Never chance falling asleep in the full sun.
- Break some mint or tansy and rub over yourself if insects pose a problem. (Tansy repels flies, most mints repel most insects).
- Throw some crushed leaves of mint or tansy around the bbq, or on the table with food to help keep insects away.
- Avoid using poisonous plants.
- Avoid creating slippery surfaces (eg. extra wet areas or an overused extra wet area in a lawn)
- Remove sharp or protruding objects which could be bumped, tripped on or knocked (eg. part of a fence, poorly laid paving, tools left lying around, farm equipment)
- Avoid areas which will restrict the cool flow of air.
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Garden Buildings
Garden buildings are used for various reasons, including:
- Somewhere to escape the heat or rain.
- Somewhere to store bikes, tools or other things either for protection, or just to keep out of eyesight.
- Somewhere to work in away from the house.
- Somewhere for privacy away from the house (some parents use gazebos or shed to escape the kids, and some kids use them to escape the parents).
Garden Sheds
The least expensive type of shed is a prefabricated metal structure with galvanized iron walls and roof. Despite being galvanized, the walls can eventually rust, hence routine maintenance (rust proofing and painting) becomes essential if you want a longer life. Being a cheap construction these have their problems. These sheds are poorly insulated and may not be watertight. Unless anchored tightly to the ground they can blow down in a windstorm or cyclone. These problems can be reduced by bolting the shed to a pre poured, concrete slab which is raised above ground level. A window and double doors can provide useful ventilation on very hot days. Brick or timber sheds are better insulated, and if properly constructed will last longer than a tin shed; however these are more expensive alternatives.
Gazebos
Gazebos are roofed buildings designed to command a view. Open on one or more sides, they may be any shape, though traditionally they are octagonal or hexagonal with a hipped or conical roof.
They may be constructed of wood, cast iron, aluminium or cast columns of cement, with wooden shingles or palings being traditional for the roof, although corrugated or flat iron can be used.
A gazebo can provide protection from the direct sun for outdoor entertaining. There are all types of gazebos on the market today, and your choice is best determined by what you can afford and the style of garden you are trying to create. Remember though, that there may be maintenance involved. Stained timber will need restaining. Painted metal or timber will need repainting periodically.
BARBEQUES
Barbeques come in all shapes and forms, and are just about a must have item in any Australian backyard, even very small ones. No matter what sort of barbecue you have, there are some basic rules to follow in where you put it and how you use it.
Location and Landscaping around the BBQ
- Keep it clear of plants which could catch on fire. (Fire resistant plants include Agapanthus, Coprosma, Ficus, Ligustrum, Pelargonium, Populus (Poplar) and most cacti or succulents).
- Build a wall or fence (preferably fire resistant), nearby to protect the barbecue from wind.
- Locate a table, seat or bench near the barbecue to place uncooked (or cooked) food on.
- Outdoor tables and chairs should be far enough away to avoid any problem with smoke, or spitting fats or cooking oils.
- Install lighting so that you can see how the cooking is going at night. Be sure that people standing around the barbecue don’t throw shadows over the barbecue.
- Put plants which can be used in cooking near the barbecue (eg. Thyme, Sage, Oregano).
- Gravel is the best surface under a barbecue, because it won’t develop ugly permanent stains from oils and fats, etc. Concrete and sandstone are some of the worst materials for staining.
Types of BBQ’s
- Wood barbeques are appropriate if you live in a treed area, where there is an abundance of firewood, such as in country areas, or you have access to wood offcuts (perhaps from a joinery). They are normally built from concrete blocks, brick or stone. Always remember the fire needs air around it to burn. The best wood barbeques are ones where the fire is on a metal grill raised above the base, allowing air to move in below the fire, and ash to drop through. The hot plate above the fire should slope slightly backwards to allow fat to drain off to the rear. If it drains to the front, it is dangerous and can stain paving, shoes or anything else in front of the bbq. If built properly, with a tall chimney, it is relatively smoke free. Another simple way to build a wood barbecue is to dig a pit in the ground, sit a metal grill in the pit and place a metal plate on top of a few bricks to bridge the hole.
- Outdoor Ovens. The “Webber” style barbecue has become very popular in recent years. Using heat beads as the fuel and fire lighters to start it up is not exactly cheap, but it is very easy to use and particularly appreciated when you want to cook a roast on a hot Christmas day. The main disadvantages are that you must remember to buy the heat beads and firelighters, and you must be positive that there is sufficient heat being generated before putting the top on. Most people who own this type of barbecue have experienced the occasional late or cold meal, because “someone didn’t get the heat beads going hot enough”.
- Gas Barbeques. Gas is clean and reliable. It isn’t expensive to buy or use, and is instant heat, unlike heat beads or wood fire. The only real problem arises when you don’t check the gas level and run out of gas half way through a barbecue.
Article Source:http://www.articlesbase.com/landscaping-articles/buy-out-door-living-garden-sheds-furniture-and-landscaping-materials-1067939.html
Choose Outdoor Deck Lighting to Enhance Your Yard
They say there’s no other place like home. Well that’s true especially when you want to relax in your balcony after a tiring day from work. What if your porch is not well lighted and not that relaxing or comforting at all. Some people just overlook the importance of outdoor deck lighting.
Once they’re done installing a backdoor porch light, they think it’s enough the illuminate the whole house. The truth is, the light really is more than just the lighting needed and sometimes may blind the visitors or you while on your way to parking your car in the garage. It is hardly the best way to welcome your guests or to create an accommodating ambience. It is neither relaxing nor soothing after a tiring day at all.
Outdoor deck lighting helps create a good place to hold alfresco dining or entertainment at night. It will not only create a better ambience but also avoid having tricky areas in your patio steps and walkways. You may hardly notice it but you are already creating your front yard into a magical wonderland that you and your family will enjoy while looking up at the stars. Make sure that the lights must be situated in specific areas that best fit the layout of your deck but does not necessarily disturb your neighborhood. Once it spills over your neighbor’s yard, it will not only spoil your privacy but also whatever ambience or atmosphere you want to create.
What type of outdoor deck lighting do you have to install then? Choose from the many low voltage fixtures to not only save from the energy consumption but also avoid having too much glare on your front yard.
When it comes to installation, you can have a contractor do the job for you or if you’re adventurous enough, you can even do it yourself! Often decks are attached to the house so be sure to match the interior and the outdoor lights. With that being said, the outdoor deck lighting should also be as simple as possible to serve its very purpose of just relaxation and entertainment.
Our site contains information for all your outdoor lighting needs including outdoor LED lighting. Visit our site today for more information. http://www.yardsolarlighting.com Article Source:http://www.articlesbase.com/landscaping-articles/choose-outdoor-deck-lighting-to-enhance-your-yard-1073181.html
By M. Applebaum
How do I anchor the 4X4 posts for my new fence to the house?
Also, what type of nails are best for the cedar fence which I will later stain?
Learn How to Do Your Own Landscaping - DIY
There are two essential parts to the beauty of your home. One is what you have done on the inside to make it beautiful and the second part is what you have done on the outside to make it attractive. That is where the issue of landscaping comes in. Landscaping your home does not have to be a big scary thing it is just how you approach it. If you have decided to do your own landscaping in this article I hope to give you a few pointers on how to make it a bit easier and not such a daunting task.
Get Free: Home Landscaping Advice
First, as with any project you do you must start with a budget. Decide what you can afford and what would make sense for your home. Landscaping your home can be very expensive but at the same time many things can be done that are quite attractive and not very expensive.
How to: Get DIY Help
Secondly, now it is tie for some research, get some garden magazines, visit neighbors homes that you like their landscaping. You may want to make some trips to local nurseries to see what types of trees and plants you like.
Third, before you think of planting something you must make sure that it will grow where you live. Many trees and plants may be attractive to you but will not thrive in your part of the country.
Fourth, after you have decided what trees and plants you like and will grow best where you live, I suggest a diagram where you can draw out where you want put each tree or plant. If you bring a whole bunch of trees and plants home without a scheme it can be way to over whelming. You want to make sure that colors and plants types will work well together.
Fifth, now it is time to go to your local nursery and make your purchases. I suggest you take a calculator so you can keep your budget in mind and don’t fall in love with everything.
Sixth, now you have all your trees and plants, make sure you prepare the ground for your planting. After the correct preparation you are ready for the fun part putting the trees and plants in the ground. Make sure you allow yourself enough time to get the job done properly.
Lastly, sit yourself down with a cool drink and enjoy all of your hard work and be proud of what you accomplished.
Bryan Burbank is an expert in the field of Landscaping. For more information go to: http://www.myhomesrepair.com/landscaping.html Article Source:http://www.articlesbase.com/landscaping-articles/learn-how-to-do-your-own-landscaping-diy-1069429.html
Our fence is too short and we can see the neighbors…how can we make it higher without putting in a new one?
A section, about 12 feet long of our old wood back yard fence is about a foot or two shorter than the rest. When we bought the house 2 months ago, it was like that. Any ideas on making it higher without spending a lot of money? I thought of attaching some lattice to the top but I’m sure it will look cheesy so scrapped that idea.
We have a lot of plants and that area of the yard gets a lot of sun. That area of the fence/property border has some good dirt below it.
We live in Central California. Thanks for any ideas you might have!