The fence for the backyard was installed in two stages. In Oct 1987, the bulk of the fence was put in. Then in June 1999, the two gates were put in, to seal off the back yard, to keep the dog in. So most of the fence is 37 years old, and it shows.
So it seems time to get a new fence. Coincidentally, the fence between us and 10600 was just replaced by the neighbor.
We wanted to use the metal posts that one neighbor used, and the 3-rail design of the other. Plus in speaking to the neighbor behind us, he reminded us that we have raised the ground level around the big tree in the back (the General) which then steps down to zone 7 and the Blue Rock Pool. We estimated the materials alone would run about $6,000.
One problem was the Bamboo Grove. It sits right in the back corner of the backyard and goes right up to the fence.
To be able to even see the fence, much less do any work, we need some space next to the fence. So we used saws and trimmers to clear our a two foot section next to the fence.
At the other corner of the backyard we had a similar problem,
And a similar solution.
We have been looking at fences and comments on NextDoor about replacing fences, and came up with a list of some 9 possible fence replacement. We picked 4 of those and got 3 quotes out of them. One was at $12,289, while the other two were around $10,000. So we went with Ram Fencing at $10,400.
The materials for the new fence were deliverd on Wednesday.
And on Thursday morning, a crew showed up and started taking out the old fence. The 8-foot sections of fence between the 4x4 supports where knocked down and carried off as one piece.
This left the old 4x4 posts.
The posts were removed leaving a wide-open space.
A new hole was dug -- a post hole digger and a jack hammer as necessary
A new metal pole was inserted, and concrete poured around it to hold it in place.
Once the old fence was gone, it was obvious that the work to put 4x4 limestone blocks under the old fence, and provide a base for the new fence, was incomplete. There was a section where the rock wall met the old fence. I vaguely remember having done that part but there was some issue with one of the utility companies wanting to run new wires or pipe to the neighbor, so it was taken out. And there was another section behind the green electrical box that was just inaccessible with the old fence in place. With the old fence gone, I had one night to fix these problems. Luckily, I had purchased 4x4 stone blocks from Whittlesey Landscaping (a bit over 8 feet of blocks), and had some cement and mortar left over from other projects, so I was able to dig a trench and pour the concrete where I needed the stones. My leftover mortar was just enough to do the section by the rock wall.
And early the next morning I went to Home Depot to get another 60 pound bag of mortar ($7.56) and used it to set the stones behind the green electrical box.
I don't think the workmen even noticed the work that was done.
When they arrived, having let the concrete set overnight, brackets were attached to the pole.
Rails were then attached to the brackets.
And then the pickets were attached to the rails.
That went pretty much like expected on the back fence. The side fence was a bit more complex. The old fence was installed before we did any work in the back. part of the work we did was to try to level the ground around the General. To do that we built a rock retaining wall between Zone 7 (the lower part) and Zone 8 (the upper part around the General) and then brought in truckloads of dirt to raise the ground level in Zone 8. To contain it, the rock retaining wall was separated Zone 7 from Zone 8. But we also needed to contain the new dirt along the fence line between us and our neighbors. So we built a different retaining wall of 4x4 limestone blocks) on our side of the fence that started at nothing (at the upper corner and grew to about two feet where the fence meet the large rock retaining wall. By raising the ground level around the General, the fence effectively went from 6 feet above ground level (at the corner) to only 4 feet above ground level with two feet of the fence being below ground level, on the outside of the small 4x4 stone wall.
When we removed the old fence, this 4x4 limestone block retaining wall became visible.
For the new fence, the design was to put the new pickets on top of the 4x4 stone wall. This required extra tall metal poles.
And as soon as we passed the rock wall, there would be a two-foot drop to the ground level in Zone 7 and then into the Bamboo Grove. So the pickets suddenly were not 6 foot but 8 foot. But we need to be back to 6 foot when we get to the corner of the fence, so there is a short section where the height decreases from 8 foot back to 6 foot.
There is one small section when the 4s4 stone wall steps down from the Blue Rock Pool to the Bamboo Grove. Unfortunately, the crew did not start decreasing the height from the 8 foot section early enough and when the wall drops from the Blue Rock Pool to the Bamboo Grove, they needed an 8 foot, 9 inch slat, so they were 9 inches too short. The eventual solution is to raise the stone wall, but temporarily, we just put two horizontal boards, to seal the gap.
In general, there is a design tension between having the fence be straight across at the top and following the ground at the bottom. This becomes more of an issue when the ground level drops (or raises). For example, for reasons I don't know, the stone border wall for the Bamboo Grove is a bit lower than for the backyard generally.
The long term solution is to make the Bamboo Grove wall the same height as the rest of the backyard, but in the short term, we have a noticeable gap under the fence in the corner of the Bamboo Grove.
And of course we have the two gates. On the West side of the house
We changed this gate so that it opens into the back yard, instead of out to the front. Since the ground slopes down from the front to the back, we had problems with being able to open the previous gate; this one opens easily.
And similarly, on the other side of the house, by the garage, we have the gate over the sidewalk
This gate has always opened into the backyard.
As a practical matter, all the digging, nailing, posts, rails, and pickets with people and material being moved to and fro, everything within a couple of feet of the fence has been trampled into the ground. Save some special plants that were carefully worked around. Compare the following before and after images.
