Neighbour wanting a front extension, not pleased.
Discussion
DonkeyApple said:
Where is your internal wall? Surely the position of that is the core reference as to where your garden ends and his begins? Your garden suggests that it is a foot or so to the right of your front door but his application suggests that it is right next to your front door?
Also, what is your reasoning for not just teaming up with your neighbour and both of you adding a porch? Given that your property seems to be the odd one out in the street not having one it seems logical that it would only add value to fit anporch that isn’t a UPVC monstrosity and it gives you privacy, saves met clothes and shoes from entering your living room and ends the issue of stepping outside to be faced with the side of his porch?
If I’m honest, given the street and the benefits of my neighbour was doing this then Knowing that you can’t stop him I would consider the better option to copy him and to work together to get something that looks much better than everyone else’s £5 horrors.
I'd say the boundary line would be a brick or two to left of his upstairs bathroom extract fan and not the white pipe?Also, what is your reasoning for not just teaming up with your neighbour and both of you adding a porch? Given that your property seems to be the odd one out in the street not having one it seems logical that it would only add value to fit anporch that isn’t a UPVC monstrosity and it gives you privacy, saves met clothes and shoes from entering your living room and ends the issue of stepping outside to be faced with the side of his porch?
If I’m honest, given the street and the benefits of my neighbour was doing this then Knowing that you can’t stop him I would consider the better option to copy him and to work together to get something that looks much better than everyone else’s £5 horrors.
Here's a view prior to neighbours alterations................
https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@53.2312917,-1.20332...
Edited by dickymint on Saturday 4th May 11:54
And after but prior to white pipe..................
Edited by dickymint on Saturday 4th May 11:59
The Moose said:
I understand your bone of contention...but as I said, still on his land? Unless you’re suggesting he is going to be building beyond his boundary?
I haven’t read the whole thread in one go, but I have kinda kept up with it from the beginning as it’s developed.
If I read right, and he is willing to move the thing away from your front door a little further, I think that’s a pretty reasonable solution for him and you.
It would be on his land, yes. Our core beef was it dominating what we see when the front door is opened, being 6 inches away. We were also originally pissed off at a proposal that a toilet was going to be in a wooden construction right next to our front door. Luckily that idea seems to have been put to bed. I haven’t read the whole thread in one go, but I have kinda kept up with it from the beginning as it’s developed.
If I read right, and he is willing to move the thing away from your front door a little further, I think that’s a pretty reasonable solution for him and you.
PartOfTheProblem said:
With all due respect, you appear to have widened your frontage a bit encroaching on your neighbours, your neighbour could be foaming at the mouth, making your remove the gravel from their garden, removing your house number from their front wall etc etc. They don't seem completely unreasonable people.
I don't think you have much of a leg to stand on in planning terms given the local context, I'd focus on working with your neighbour on minimising the impact of the porch. Your neighbour appears to have made a very generous offer by moving it away from the actual boundary (rather than your preferred more aesthetically pleasing boundary
). I'd bite his hand off, tell him that if the planning drawings show a front elevation with a very clearly annotated dimension to the above effect (ideally measured from your door frame or some other fixed point that can be verified in the future) then you won't object. This is arguably more of a compromise for them than it is for you, but if that compromise is acceptable to everyone then happy days. You can then screen it a bit, move your gate as suggested and can really enjoy the benefit of your lovely end of terrace plot.
Concentrate your efforts on the visual aspects of your own property and worry less about the look of your neighbours. Live and let live. It sounds like you've already benefitted by extending your frontage by pinching some of your neighbours, so they clearly aren't completely unreasonable people, they just have different priorities. It sounds like despite your clear concerns you are both being quite civil and adult, do everything you can to keep things that way.
One of my colleagues received a letter from his housing estate management company complaining about the visual appearance of his frontage since some "plastic planters had faded in the sun and looked tired", and "please can you consider you neighbours before hanging washing in your front balcony".
Some people really need to get a life and let others live theirs.
The 'boundary' concrete line is undoubtedly in the wrong place, as when we cut it we made an assumption of the half way point between doors being apt. A genuine mistake. By the same token we give concession with what you could call land grab. His rear extension comes over our boundary by maybe 4", so in turn he has acquired the same amount in garden. All the fault of the previous owner, hence it would be unfair to demand he rectifies. I don't think you have much of a leg to stand on in planning terms given the local context, I'd focus on working with your neighbour on minimising the impact of the porch. Your neighbour appears to have made a very generous offer by moving it away from the actual boundary (rather than your preferred more aesthetically pleasing boundary
). I'd bite his hand off, tell him that if the planning drawings show a front elevation with a very clearly annotated dimension to the above effect (ideally measured from your door frame or some other fixed point that can be verified in the future) then you won't object. This is arguably more of a compromise for them than it is for you, but if that compromise is acceptable to everyone then happy days. You can then screen it a bit, move your gate as suggested and can really enjoy the benefit of your lovely end of terrace plot.Concentrate your efforts on the visual aspects of your own property and worry less about the look of your neighbours. Live and let live. It sounds like you've already benefitted by extending your frontage by pinching some of your neighbours, so they clearly aren't completely unreasonable people, they just have different priorities. It sounds like despite your clear concerns you are both being quite civil and adult, do everything you can to keep things that way.
One of my colleagues received a letter from his housing estate management company complaining about the visual appearance of his frontage since some "plastic planters had faded in the sun and looked tired", and "please can you consider you neighbours before hanging washing in your front balcony".
Some people really need to get a life and let others live theirs.
We are indeed trying to work with him so it works for everyone. We won't like it, but it's his house, his call. We probably will accept the compromise, but we'll let him sweat it a bit over the weekend, so he doesn't think we're push overs (he can be a bit bullying in his demeanor at times)
then concentrating on our own frontage will indeed be the order of the day. It's not a point of needing to get a life, it's attempting to ensure that efforts we have made are not undermined by an in your face front extension. A resolve is in sight though, as said.
DonkeyApple said:
Where is your internal wall? Surely the position of that is the core reference as to where your garden ends and his begins? Your garden suggests that it is a foot or so to the right of your front door but his application suggests that it is right next to your front door?
Also, what is your reasoning for not just teaming up with your neighbour and both of you adding a porch? Given that your property seems to be the odd one out in the street not having one it seems logical that it would only add value to fit anporch that isn’t a UPVC monstrosity and it gives you privacy, saves met clothes and shoes from entering your living room and ends the issue of stepping outside to be faced with the side of his porch?
If I’m honest, given the street and the benefits of my neighbour was doing this then Knowing that you can’t stop him I would consider the better option to copy him and to work together to get something that looks much better than everyone else’s £5 horrors.
Our internal wall is behind the 303 sign, lending credence to his boundary theory. That said, roof lines (as and when replaced around the village) are often at a half way between the doors, but I'd guess that is because of the unusual 'L' floorplans, to ensure everyone gets the same amount of new roof?Also, what is your reasoning for not just teaming up with your neighbour and both of you adding a porch? Given that your property seems to be the odd one out in the street not having one it seems logical that it would only add value to fit anporch that isn’t a UPVC monstrosity and it gives you privacy, saves met clothes and shoes from entering your living room and ends the issue of stepping outside to be faced with the side of his porch?
If I’m honest, given the street and the benefits of my neighbour was doing this then Knowing that you can’t stop him I would consider the better option to copy him and to work together to get something that looks much better than everyone else’s £5 horrors.
We don't want a porch. To our eyes it would ruin the kerb appeal. We're not the odd one out BTW, he will be the odd one out if it goes up. The terrace littered with plastic porches is further up the road, thank god!
Edited by Fermit and Sexy Sarah on Saturday 4th May 12:42
El stovey said:
Rewe said:
Whatever happens, I’d put your own gay and path in.
Agreed.You can never put enough gay into the front of your house.
This is what comes of the OP's obsession with overbaring, though?
Rewe said:
Fermit and Sexy Sarah said:
We are deliberating stating no objection if it is moved back to where the white pipe is. It's not ideal, but it won't be in our face, how it would have been. He's also said he is fine with us fencing where the concrete line is (maybe 8" over his boundary?) and with us screening it.
We would then install a gate off our side alley.
There is always the possibility of a refusal, even without our input of course.
I’m with you here. If it stops a bit back from your door and you put your own gate and path leading up to your door it will be OK. We would then install a gate off our side alley.
There is always the possibility of a refusal, even without our input of course.
Edited by Fermit and Sexy Sarah on Friday 3rd May 21:09
Whatever happens, I’d put your own gay and path in.
Edited by Fermit and Sexy Sarah on Saturday 4th May 12:41
Little Lofty said:
There’s building a porch using matching materials and there’s building a Upvc abomination, big difference. A nice porch would improve the appearance as it’s a pigs ear at the moment. I’m assuming that there is no glass on the boundary? Or is it classed as a conservatory?
No glass will be on the boundary, no.dickymint said:
DonkeyApple said:
Where is your internal wall? Surely the position of that is the core reference as to where your garden ends and his begins? Your garden suggests that it is a foot or so to the right of your front door but his application suggests that it is right next to your front door?
Also, what is your reasoning for not just teaming up with your neighbour and both of you adding a porch? Given that your property seems to be the odd one out in the street not having one it seems logical that it would only add value to fit anporch that isn’t a UPVC monstrosity and it gives you privacy, saves met clothes and shoes from entering your living room and ends the issue of stepping outside to be faced with the side of his porch?
If I’m honest, given the street and the benefits of my neighbour was doing this then Knowing that you can’t stop him I would consider the better option to copy him and to work together to get something that looks much better than everyone else’s £5 horrors.
I'd say the boundary line would be a brick or two to left of his upstairs bathroom extract fan and not the white pipe?Also, what is your reasoning for not just teaming up with your neighbour and both of you adding a porch? Given that your property seems to be the odd one out in the street not having one it seems logical that it would only add value to fit anporch that isn’t a UPVC monstrosity and it gives you privacy, saves met clothes and shoes from entering your living room and ends the issue of stepping outside to be faced with the side of his porch?
If I’m honest, given the street and the benefits of my neighbour was doing this then Knowing that you can’t stop him I would consider the better option to copy him and to work together to get something that looks much better than everyone else’s £5 horrors.
Here's a view prior to neighbours alterations................
https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@53.2312917,-1.20332...
Edited by dickymint on Saturday 4th May 11:54
And after but prior to white pipe..................
Edited by dickymint on Saturday 4th May 11:59
Edited by Fermit and Sexy Sarah on Saturday 4th May 12:44
There is one other option we've been mulling over, an unlikely one, but an option all the same.
Yesterday when chatting to him I asked if he'd considered removing the door and panes, installing a standard sized door, remove the redundant lintels and position a porch over the new front door, and to the right of.
This was dismissed on a cost basis, although we feel that from an aesthetic view point v what he wants it would undeniably be the best solution. If he was prepared to do this we could consider a contribution to works, say £500, and then it would ensure we got a resolve which would arguably enhance the look of the terrace.
As I say, unlikely, but still mulling it over.
Yesterday when chatting to him I asked if he'd considered removing the door and panes, installing a standard sized door, remove the redundant lintels and position a porch over the new front door, and to the right of.
This was dismissed on a cost basis, although we feel that from an aesthetic view point v what he wants it would undeniably be the best solution. If he was prepared to do this we could consider a contribution to works, say £500, and then it would ensure we got a resolve which would arguably enhance the look of the terrace.
As I say, unlikely, but still mulling it over.
Fermit and Sexy Sarah said:
We'll still be happy with OUR front aspect, not so chuffed at the neighbours, but that's his property, not ours.
When it comes to terraced houses with little, if any, clear boundary his aspect *is* your aspect and vica versa. It's what you see when you come home at night, it's what visitors see on arrival and is what everyone else sees when passing. What other meaningful definition is there?
Fermit and Sexy Sarah said:
We're not going to join in adding an unsympathetic porch to ours.
Of course, I wouldn't expect you to. My suggestion is for you to both add a sympathetic porch; I see no reason why a brick-and-tile connected porch wouldn't enhance both your properties both visually and functionally. I won't keep badgering you as its clear you're not interested in the idea, but I do honestly think that's a real shame and missing out on a good opportunity.
Edited by MJNewton on Saturday 4th May 13:58
MJNewton said:
Fermit and Sexy Sarah said:
We'll still be happy with OUR front aspect, not so chuffed at the neighbours, but that's his property, not ours.
When it comes to terraced houses with little, if any, clear boundary his aspect *is* your aspect and vica versa. It's what you see when you come home at night, it's what visitors see on arrival and is what everyone else sees when passing. What other meaningful definition is there?
Fermit and Sexy Sarah said:
We're not going to join in adding an unsympathetic porch to ours.
Of course, I wouldn't expect you to. My suggestion is for you to both add a sympathetic porch; I see no reason why a brick-and-tile connected porch wouldn't enhance both your properties both visually and functionally. I won't keep badgering you as its clear you're not interested in the idea, but I do honestly think that's a real shame and missing out on a good opportunity.
Edited by MJNewton on Saturday 4th May 13:58
And no, we have zero interest in a porch. Anyways, he's a chippy, not a bricky, it will be covered in slips not bricks, which is not the way we'd want to do things, were we interested.
Fermit and Sexy Sarah said:
It's not a point of needing to get a life, it's attempting to ensure that efforts we have made are not undermined by an in your face front extension. A resolve is in sight though, as said.
Apologies, that comment wasn't aimed at you, it was meant at the people who are full on mental when it comes to how others live their lives, complaining about faded plant pots for crying out loud! You're nowhere near that end of the spectrum I was just massively exaggerating to make the point. Sorry that came across so unnecessarily aggressive.I really think the new porch, assuming you can work with them on placement and materials, will actually help provide some enclosure to your your front garden, and the difference in quality between your frontage and others will really help your house stand out as exceptional. With new fencing or hedging and relocated gate it will be really lovely.
Do you actually use the front door as your main entrance out of interest?
Edit to add - I really reccommend against contributing to his porch, if you end up hating it you'll just grudge it even more, and will make you come across as a very soft touch. Nice to explore the options but £500 towards someone elses building works is bonkers imho. Now if you could buy a 1m strip of garden for £500 on the other hand...
Edited by PartOfTheProblem on Saturday 4th May 14:15
Fermit and Sexy Sarah said:
Rewe said:
Fermit and Sexy Sarah said:
We are deliberating stating no objection if it is moved back to where the white pipe is. It's not ideal, but it won't be in our face, how it would have been. He's also said he is fine with us fencing where the concrete line is (maybe 8" over his boundary?) and with us screening it.
We would then install a gate off our side alley.
There is always the possibility of a refusal, even without our input of course.
I’m with you here. If it stops a bit back from your door and you put your own gate and path leading up to your door it will be OK. We would then install a gate off our side alley.
There is always the possibility of a refusal, even without our input of course.
Edited by Fermit and Sexy Sarah on Friday 3rd May 21:09
Whatever happens, I’d put your own gay and path in.
Edited by Fermit and Sexy Sarah on Saturday 4th May 12:41
I didn't mean anything judgemental about your own gay; renting one works just as well!!
PartOfTheProblem said:
Fermit and Sexy Sarah said:
It's not a point of needing to get a life, it's attempting to ensure that efforts we have made are not undermined by an in your face front extension. A resolve is in sight though, as said.
Apologies, that comment wasn't aimed at you, it was meant at the people who are full on mental when it comes to how others live their lives, complaining about faded plant pots for crying out loud! You're nowhere near that end of the spectrum I was just massively exaggerating to make the point. Sorry that came across so unnecessarily aggressive.I really think the new porch, assuming you can work with them on placement and materials, will actually help provide some enclosure to your your front garden, and the difference in quality between your frontage and others will really help your house stand out as exceptional. With new fencing or hedging and relocated gate it will be really lovely.
Do you actually use the front door as your main entrance out of interest?
Edit to add - I really reccommend against contributing to his porch, if you end up hating it you'll just grudge it even more, and will make you come across as a very soft touch. Nice to explore the options but £500 towards someone elses building works is bonkers imho. Now if you could buy a 1m strip of garden for £500 on the other hand...
Edited by PartOfTheProblem on Saturday 4th May 14:15
That's another way of looking at it I suppose, and I think a fence dividing us will really make it feel 'ours', as will our own private gate.
We want to do something with the black fence at the front, we can't quite figure out what mind!
We do use it as our main entrance, with the exception of dog walking. There is a solid wooden floor in the front room, which isn't dog paw/claw friendly.
DonkeyApple said:
If I’m honest, given the street and the benefits of my neighbour was doing this then Knowing that you can’t stop him I would consider the better option to copy him and to work together to get something that looks much better than everyone else’s £5 horrors.
I agree with DA. Looking further up the street, the brick porches look a lot nicer. Perhaps as a last resort, a double brick porch could be an option, though I understand you're not keen on the idea.g3org3y said:
DonkeyApple said:
If I’m honest, given the street and the benefits of my neighbour was doing this then Knowing that you can’t stop him I would consider the better option to copy him and to work together to get something that looks much better than everyone else’s £5 horrors.
I agree with DA. Looking further up the street, the brick porches look a lot nicer. Perhaps as a last resort, a double brick porch could be an option, though I understand you're not keen on the idea.I'll just walk up there and try and sneak a further, but the odd set up has now got even odder....
Edit, it's not that one (although the fence position remains) it's this one I was thinking of. When the front gate was communal it was positioned in such a way that didn't allow the yards to be split up (the thin front is the one on the left) Instead of moving the opening they have fenced off two of their windows, gated it to front and side, and even put a house number and arrow right on the 'wrong' side of the fence to show who's who. or the left one could do what we're going to do and put a side gate on. Bizarre!
The end point of repointing shows who's house is whose.
Edited by Fermit and Sexy Sarah on Saturday 4th May 14:58
Edited by Fermit and Sexy Sarah on Saturday 4th May 15:00
Edited by Fermit and Sexy Sarah on Saturday 4th May 15:03
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