· Michael Blair
Fences get built on assumptions — an old fence line, a row of shrubs, where the mower stops. Those assumptions surface years later during a sale, and by then the fence has been in place long enough to complicate matters.
Establish the line first
A survey is the only reliable answer. Existing fences, hedges and driveways are frequently not on the line, and in older Nashville neighbourhoods they are often several feet off.
Relative to the cost of a fence, a survey is minor. Relative to the cost of moving one, it is trivial.
Setbacks and rules
Metro has requirements on fence height, particularly in front yards and at corner lots where sight lines matter. HOA covenants often add stricter rules on material, colour and height.
Corner lots are the usual trap: a fence that is fine along the back can violate a sight triangle where it meets the street.
- Get a survey before ordering materials
- Check Metro height rules, front and rear differ
- Check HOA covenants for material and colour
- Corner lots have sight-line restrictions
- Call 811 before digging, always
Building inside your line
Many people set a fence a few inches inside their own line deliberately. It removes any argument about encroachment and keeps maintenance access on your own property.
The cost is a strip of land you cannot easily mow. Most consider that a fair trade for certainty.
Shared fences
A fence built jointly with a neighbour should have the arrangement in writing, however friendly things are, because the next owner of either property inherits the situation and not the goodwill.
Get it in writing before the fence goes up rather than when it needs replacing.