Fences and property lines often go hand-in-hand. Whenever you’re looking to build a fence on your property, knowing the boundaries of your property are important. You can’t build a fence outside of your own property. What about boundary lines, though? Normally these lines are owned by both parties of the properties that touch the boundary line. In this case, who owns the fence?
We know that there are many questions that come with fence building, and our team here at Northland Fence is here to help you find the answers. Whether you’re looking to build a fence on your property line or the new place you bought comes with a fence already, it's important to know how to determine who owns a fence. Let’s dive into fence ownership, boundary lines, and who’s responsible for the upkeep of boundary fences.
A boundary fence refers to a fence that is built on someone’s property line; normally a property line that is shared by two parties. The material and height of the fence have no impact on it being a boundary fence.
It’s important to note that when a boundary fence is built, you must receive written permission from the other owner of the property line before the fence can be built in most cities and counties. Additionally, not every city even allows boundary fences to be constructed. If you’re thinking about constructing a boundary fence, make sure you check both your location’s laws as well as check with your neighbor first.
Whether you ended up with a property that already had a boundary fence, or you were a part of the process of it being installed, you might be curious who’s responsible for upkeep and repair.
While the situation can vary depending on the specifics of the agreement when the fence was installed, in most cases the cost of upkeep and maintenance for a boundary fence is split 50/50 between both parties. It’s best to keep an open line of communication between you and your neighbor so that you can be on the same page in regard to taking care of the fence. Making sure you stay in communication with them can help negate potential future conflicts between both of you.
We understand that design and style preferences change over time. If you’re thinking about altering your fence, and it is located entirely within your property line, you’re free to do so without needing additional permission. Make sure you keep in mind the laws and regulations of your city or country regarding height restrictions and materials for fencing.
If the fence you’re wanting to alter is on your property line, which is owned by another party as well, it would be best to discuss any potential alterations with your neighbor, first. Depending on the agreement you have with your neighbor, you might be allowed to make alterations to your side without additional permission. Your alterations might impact their side of the fence or potentially the stability of it, so keeping your neighbor in the loop for any updates can help avoid future conflict and keep you both in good graces with each other.
You’ve decided to build a fence on your property, but your neighbor already has a fence installed. You might wonder how close you can build your fence to theirs.
Many cities and counties have regulations in place regarding how close you can build to someone else’s fence. Some places won’t even allow you to build on the property line, or they’ll require you to build back a certain distance from your property line. It’s important to know the regulations of your county before you build a fence. If you live in Minnesota and want to check your city’s fencing regulations, you can reference our city code and regulations page to quickly and easily check your city’s laws.
On average, you need about 5 feet of space between your fence and your neighbors, or enough space to easily access both for repairs and lawn work. Regardless of if your neighbor has a fence up already or not, when you build a fence you must always have the “finished” side facing outwards, away from your property.
Whether you’re wanting to update your fence or install a new one, Northland Fence is here to help you out. Our family-owned company was founded right here in Minnesota over 15 years ago. With our years of experience, we strive to provide the best quality installation and materials possible to our customers. We believe in treating not only our customers like family, but our employees, too. This helps ensure that you get the best service possible from our employees, as they know our values and uphold them.
We pay our employees during the off-season and will install fences year-round. We’re familiar with the Minnesota climate and know how unpredictable winter can be. All of our fences are built to last through these climates, and we trust our quality so much that we put two warranties on all installations to back that up. All installations come with not only a 10-year labor warranty but a material warranty as well. For our chain link and ornamental steel fences, we offer a 15-year material warranty. If you decide to go with our vinyl fencing option, the warranty lasts a lifetime.
We make it quick and easy to get started on planning the fence of your dreams. From our online fence-building tool to our quick and easy estimates, you could quickly be on your way to having your new fence installed by our professional team. We even work hard to ensure you get the best deal possible on your fencing costs. Our years of experience in the field ensure we have great connections to find high-quality materials at a reduced price that you couldn’t find as an average consumer. We always make sure to translate those savings directly into your final total. We’ll also never spring any sudden changes to your cost. We’re entirely upfront about the price of our work, so you know what you’re going to pay without any hidden fees.
If you ever have any questions about our fencing, installation process, warranties, or anything else, feel free to give us a call at (763) 316-4881. We also have a showroom in Ramsey, where you can swing by during our business hours and check out our materials and stock in person. We hope to work with you soon!
Yes, in most cases the “finished” side of the fence must always face outward, away from your property.
If the fence is on a boundary line, meaning a line both you and your neighbor own, you might be able to paint the side facing you. If your neighbor’s fence is entirely on their property, however, you cannot alter it.
Most cities have regulations in place regarding how close together two fences can be built. On average, they must have enough space between them to easily access and repair both if needed, so they cannot be touching each other.
Whether you’re looking for a beautiful, maintenance-free vinyl privacy fence, a sturdy chain link fence, or a ornamental fence, we’re ready to show you why we’re Minnesota’s highest and best rated fence company.
Use this form to request a free estimate or call us at 763-325-8211.
Northland Fence Company Ramsey
6390 McKinley St NW, Suite 150
Ramsey, MN 55303
763-496-4813
Monday: 9 AM–5 PM
Tuesday: 9 AM–5 PM
Wednesday: 9 AM–5 PM
Thursday: 9 AM–5 PM
Friday: 9 AM–5 PM
Saturday: Closed
Sunday: Closed
