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Raising wall height.

  • 28-04-2013 1:25pm
    #1
    j14
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 833 ✭✭✭


    I have moved in to a house and the master bedroom is at the back of the house right beside the neighbours back garden.

    The neighbours kids have a trampolene and they are constantly on it less than 6ft away from my bedroom window. The back dividing wall between the two houses is only 4ft high. When the neighbours are in their conservatory or the kids are on the trampolene they can see directly into the bedroom and my back garden.. I cant sit out the back garden without the kids shouting at me. I'm going potty. I am looking to raise the wall to 6ft (either with bricks or privacy panels). Problem is the neighbour is complaining that they will lose sunlight in their garden.

    Any advice as to what I can do?

    Do I just raise the wall and to hell with the neighbour or do I just suffer in silence?


Comments

  • #2
    Mr.Fred
    Registered Users Posts: 1,055 ✭✭✭Mr.Fred


    What is it they say, something along the lines of high walls make great neighbours.

    If you want to raise the wall go ahead and do it you're entitled to your privacy. Either that or plant some kind of hedging.

    There's nothing worse than not being able to relax in your own garden/home.


  • #3
    j14
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 833 ✭✭✭j14


    Mr.Fred wrote: »
    What is it they say, something along the lines of high walls make great neighbours.

    If you want to raise the wall go ahead and do it you're entitled to your privacy. Either that or plant some kind of hedging.

    There's nothing worse than not being able to relax in your own garden/home.

    I like the quote...I forgot to mention my house is a bungalow and the the property beside me is a two story house so they can see into all of my garden.

    It would be nice to just sit out there without getting shouted at constantly. They are only playing but if they can't see me then maybe the kids won't know I'm there.

    Talking to the parents is like talking to the wall. I understand the kids have to play outside but surely i should be able to enjoy my garden?

    The neighbour is unhappy because their back garden is very small (and the trampolene takes up nearly all of it) and they are saying raising the wall will block the sunlight.

    Am I ok to raise it or can they object to the county council or anything?


  • #4
    paddy147
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 15,858 ✭✭✭✭paddy147


    j14 wrote: »
    I have moved in to a house and the master bedroom is at the back of the house right beside the neighbours back garden.

    The neighbours kids have a trampolene and they are constantly on it less than 6ft away from my bedroom window. The back dividing wall between the two houses is only 4ft high. When the neighbours are in their conservatory or the kids are on the trampolene they can see directly into the bedroom and my back garden.. I cant sit out the back garden without the kids shouting at me. I'm going potty. I am looking to raise the wall to 6ft (either with bricks or privacy panels). Problem is the neighbour is complaining that they will lose sunlight in their garden.

    Any advice as to what I can do?

    Do I just raise the wall and to hell with the neighbour or do I just suffer in silence?


    Who owns the back garden wall..you or neighbour??


    If you,then you can legally raise the wall height to 2 meters....so it would be just over 2.5 feet taller than it is now.:)


  • #5
    Mr.Fred
    Registered Users Posts: 1,055 ✭✭✭Mr.Fred


    Here's a similar thread on the matter.

    http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?p=56866107

    It looks as though the regulations are 2 meters for side and rear boundary walls and 1.2M for front wall.

    As pointed out in the thread check with your local planning office and they'll set you straight. If you have the space I'd raise the wall and then plant some kind of hedging against it which will eventually raise the height and your privacy.

    Sounds like a terrible situation. I'd say you'll have to check the foundations of the existing wall the last thing you want is to raise the wall and for it to fall down. Who built the original wall?


  • #6
    j14
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 833 ✭✭✭j14


    paddy147 wrote: »
    Who owns the back garden wall..you or neighbour??


    If you,then you can legally raise the wall height to 2 meters....so it would be an extra 2.5 feet taller than it is now.:)

    I don't know who owns the wall (its just a small wall between the two gardens. To put it into perspective I can stand in my back garden and see the whole way up the road. All the back garden walls are only 4ft. Its not very private.


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  • #7
    Mr.Fred
    Registered Users Posts: 1,055 ✭✭✭Mr.Fred


    j14 wrote: »
    I don't know who owns the wall (its just a small wall between the two gardens. To put it into perspective I can stand in my back garden and see the whole way up the road. All the back garden walls are only 4ft. Its not very private.

    You could concede that bit of land and build a new wall inside your boundary and there'd be no arguements regarding who owns the wall etc.

    I'd just raise the wall up and sod what the neighbour has to say. Life's to short to be miserable.


  • #8
    j14
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 833 ✭✭✭j14


    Mr.Fred wrote: »
    You could concede that bit of land and build a new wall inside your boundary and there'd be no arguements regarding who owns the wall etc.

    I'd just raise the wall up and sod what the neighbour has to say. Life's to short to be miserable.

    It seems the original builders of the house built all the back garden walls too. The boundry wall to the back was raised to 7ft in back in the early 90's and the boundry wall to the left is also 7ft (raised in 2008 using wooden privacy screens) so only this one small wall remains.


  • #9
    Mr.Fred
    Registered Users Posts: 1,055 ✭✭✭Mr.Fred


    I see no reason for it not to be raised so.

    If you can use privacy panels as this will be less fuss and quicker to install. Either way I'd say you'll have a bit more privacy this summer :)


  • #10
    Sonnenblumen
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 5,834 ✭✭✭Sonnenblumen


    Low boundary walls can be give rise to many problems and some like being overlooked/loss of privacy can be acutely painful and distressing. But simply building walls to partition gardens for 'privacy' doe srequire needs careful consideration. Afterall you may value your privacy and reduce being overlooked but what if the results resemble being imprisoned in your own prison yard/garden, well I wonder?

    Rear boundary walls can be built to 1.8/2.0m range without any problem, and often higher if neighbours do not object. Of course what regulation ssay, but the regularors are not your neighbours, so some diplomacy might be useful?

    But before I'd do any building, I would first check to see if it would be feasible to increase the height of the existing wall. The original construction and foundations may not be suitable for a taller wall?

    Consider also other methods for privacy (hedging, trees, shrubs, trellis etc. Plant in ground or in large troughs or planters if you believe it to be temporary. For a more permanent solution, consider planting in a raised bed, especially idela for screening plants such as bamboo which can be invasive when planted in the ground.

    I hope you find your peace.


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