Fencing Match: Round 1

Starting last night, we've commenced "Project Fence Removal" in our front yard. It's ugly, it's chain link, it spans all the way to the street - and it's our fence but not in our yard. Our neighbors on that side have been away on vacation and we wanted to pull it up before they got back, and they get back on Saturday afternoon. At least the weather is cooperating.

The fence issue a really long story, but basically before we bought the house it was brought to our attention by the current owner (the woman who inherited the house from her Aunt) that the fence in the front yard (not the backyard, just the front) was 5" in the neighbors' yard. It's literally right next to their driveway and they have trouble opening their car doors. The neighbors had a survey done, but the woman who lived in our house was like 97 and they are nice people and nice people don't tell a 97 year old woman to move her fence. Our survey confirmed the fence's incorrect position.  It was supposed to be removed before we closed, we (us, the owner, the neighbors) were all in agreement. Then all hell broke loose between Realtors and lawyers and I'll spare you the details, but it was  complicated situation. In the end we just wanted the house. After being burned by that Summit house situation in October, we just wanted to close on time and have the keys in our hand.

In a complicated deal that didn't quite go the way it should have, the fence company (that installed the fence improperly) was willing to remove the 30 ft fence for a $200 "warranty transfer deductible".  For $200, we'll dig up our own fence posts thank you very much! Especially since there are only 5 posts.

So last night we got started. The problem with fence posts sitting literally next to (like touching) the neighbor's driveway is that the cement for the posts is under the driveway. So we had to dig on one side and pull each out diagonally. Last night removed 2 posts entirely, dug holes for 2 more and removed all the chain link. One of the remaining 3 posts is going to have to be cut (luckily we were able to borrow the proper tool to do this) because the cement spilled when installed/poured and later bonded with the neighbor's driveway! And while we want the fence gone before they return home tomorrow, we don't want chunks of their driveway gone as well.