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stumbling goat
Joined: 20 Jan 2009 Posts: 1990
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Posted: Thu Sep 08, 16 5:45 am Post subject: Fence query and a problem |
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What you would do in these circumstances?
My neighbour spoke to me about putting up a new fence on our boundary. Feather edge over gravel boards. Existing was only 1600 high and she asked about going higher, no problem with me.
Along that boundary I have a path of light Cotswold light colour paving slabs, edged both sides with Cotswold stone shingle. All bright and clean. There is another area of cotswold shingle at the front.
Th local general maintenance handyman arrives and takes down the old fence.
Its a muddy job. For some reason he does not bother to cover the slabbed path with a tarpaulin, or the shingle area.
At end of day 1, the old 16 metre fence is gone, all the new fence posts are in. A lot of work in a short space of time. How is it so quick I wonder?
The new fence height will be about 2 metres. 150mm gravel board and 1800 feather edge. The new posts are 75 x 75mm, about 2800 apart.
At end of day 2, the 2 new 3 x 2 treated rails are fitted. One about 150 from the top and one 150mm from the bottom of the fence. I don't think that 2 will be enough to prevent warping? Some feather edge is fitted. Galvanised nails were used, they are in an undulating line as no level used or measurement taken as to where they should be placed.
At end of day 3, the feather edge is completed.
So you stand back and look.
Instead of butting up 2 gravel boards at the dogleg in the fence, he has just cut one end off, not straight, so there is a chamfered edge showing, curving out, as the cut has gone wrong.
From my side, I can see that the 125mm feather edge has been fitted so that some show 95mm and others show 110 mm, some are at an angle one way, others an angle the other way, some straight, no level was used and no guide as to distance apart. Some slats are bowed or warped, instead of being put aside they have been fitted. It shows.
He ran out of galvanised nails, instead of going to the builders merchant 5 minutes away, he used clouts on one half of the fence. Some of these have gone in, others not quite, and the bent nail heads show on their own wavy line.
The paved slabs are filthy and the edging gravel will need to be replaced. I expected to replace some but thought that some care would be taken to protect the path and shingled garden area. A tarp would have done most of that.
Chatting with my neighbour, and seeing her side of the fence, it's worse. Some of her support rails are at an angle, fitted and levelled by eye apparently, such that at one point there is 150mm board above and at others 75mm above. Some posts are over 30m out of true in 2 directions. As an afterthought, he said that he would fit a 3rd middle rail for added support but as this was after the feather edge had been fitted the fixings are through the sides of the posts, visible and ugly.
The tops of the posts are at varying heights.
The fence flexes and can be pushed back and forth easily due to the thin posts. Its a bodge job. She is not happy at all, neither am I.
She is still having her pond filled in and a patio area laid by him, supposedly.
I know I can jet-wash the slabs and dig out and lay new shingle. And I can stain the new fence dark brown which will make the bodged fitting less obvious.
How was it so quick? Because it was not measured or levelled, it was mostly done by eye.
What would you do?
Oh, and a similar fence section I fitted a few weeks ago, with 3 rails started to warp after 3 days so I had to install a 4th rail.
Rant over. That certainly feels better.
sg |
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Mistress Rose
Joined: 21 Jul 2011 Posts: 15834
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stumbling goat
Joined: 20 Jan 2009 Posts: 1990
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stumbling goat
Joined: 20 Jan 2009 Posts: 1990
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Pilsbury
Joined: 13 Dec 2004 Posts: 5645 Location: East london/Essex
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stumbling goat
Joined: 20 Jan 2009 Posts: 1990
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Posted: Thu Sep 08, 16 10:19 am Post subject: |
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All sorted,
Apparently he meant to cut the posts level and will do that today, he meant to straighten up the bent post and will do that today, the rails that are not level, no idea about them.
The change of nails was due to the fact that they were all he had, so well that's alright then!
He offered to build out the gravel board joint with some more gravel board to hide the uneven cut, but that would make it stick out even more.
I have taken them off and cut the edges true so that they now butt up and the joint is hidden.
The slats have only been up one day and are already staring to warp so that you can see daylight between them.
The nails are through both slats, so do not allow for timber shrinkage and expansion.
Will the clouts not give when the timber warps and starts to come away from the rails as they have no grip? I would have used annular ring shank nails, in a straight line, just for a laugh.
I am not paying for the job, but he tells me my neighbour is happy now.
How long is it likely to last before the gaping between the slats becomes too much?
sg |
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onemanband
Joined: 26 Dec 2010 Posts: 1473 Location: NCA90
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Nick
Joined: 02 Nov 2004 Posts: 34535 Location: Hereford
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onemanband
Joined: 26 Dec 2010 Posts: 1473 Location: NCA90
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stumbling goat
Joined: 20 Jan 2009 Posts: 1990
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dpack
Joined: 02 Jul 2005 Posts: 46052 Location: yes
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dpack
Joined: 02 Jul 2005 Posts: 46052 Location: yes
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Nick
Joined: 02 Nov 2004 Posts: 34535 Location: Hereford
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Posted: Thu Sep 08, 16 11:44 am Post subject: |
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stumbling goat wrote: |
He is the local "go to" handyman. Booking several weeks ahead. I have used him for painting before, he was fine, neat and tidy.
The job was to take 2 days, but he had to do it on his own, and it was gutty and hot work over 3 days and then some. No excuse though.
£1200, plus 2 skips at £250.00.
Will work out the materials cost. I think it was cheap price for a good job, but will work out expensive for what has been done and how long it will last.
Shame, my neighbours are nice people, but have been talked round apparently.
sg |
I've had a similar fence done. I posted on here about it, including various prices, details and there was feedback from people. If you can find the thread, it might be a helpful comparison. I can't! ![](images/smiles/icon_smile.gif) |
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onemanband
Joined: 26 Dec 2010 Posts: 1473 Location: NCA90
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Nick
Joined: 02 Nov 2004 Posts: 34535 Location: Hereford
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