How Can I Block A Neighbour's View Of My Place?

[Bredbury Blue]

I have a neighbour building his place next door currently and the height of the house and the positioning of the windows means that they'll have ringside seats on my tribes goings on - not a pretty sight when the wife and kids are bawling!

Anybody got any suggestions how to block their view - serious suggestions please - types of plants or trees that will block the view or maybe a simple barrier / screen (any suggestions)?

[lannarebirth]

Maybe have your local bamboo shop make you up something like this:

http://www.mastergardenproducts.com/bamboofenceset.htm

[meadish_sweetball]

A mango or lychee tree would do the trick but obviously they take time to grow. Don't know how large you can buy them and successfully plant them in new soil?

[Jet Gorgon]

Bummer. I'd do curtains so you still get some sun. Else you might get mould buildup. I've seen this before when people build so close your rooves are touching. Stupid.

[Bredbury Blue]

Maybe have your local bamboo shop make you up something like this:

http://www.mastergardenproducts.com/bamboofenceset.htm

Like it and thanks for the idea. Thats actually got me thinking of having some large trestles built free-standing right near their windows and have some nice climbing plants grow up and get bushy. Look pretty from both our side and theirs (so they don't moan so much about it) but does the job.

[Bredbury Blue]

A mango or lychee tree would do the trick but obviously they take time to grow. Don't know how large you can buy them and successfully plant them in new soil?

I should have said in my original posting that between us and them is 8m wide x 20 m long garden (ours). In the garden we have some mango trees already (taste lovely) and after 3 years they're one storey high, so more mango trees is the wifes idea (and as i'm the one who eats them i'm ok with it). Lynchee trees i'll have to look in to but thanks for the idea.

[lannarebirth]

A mango or lychee tree would do the trick but obviously they take time to grow. Don't know how large you can buy them and successfully plant them in new soil?

I should have said in my original posting that between us and them is 8m wide x 20 m long garden (ours). In the garden we have some mango trees already (taste lovely) and after 3 years they're one storey high, so more mango trees is the wifes idea (and as i'm the one who eats them i'm ok with it). Lynchee trees i'll have to look in to but thanks for the idea.

Hey BB,

Another idea is a light greenhouse type frame that you put net over. Then grow melons , pumkins. squash up through the mesh. It's like a arbor but with veggies hanging from it.

[Crossy]

As a Brit I'd go with the standard UK style net-curtains, discrete, reasonable privacy without blocking light. Obviously not very effective at night if your room is well lit, I suppose a lot depends upon exactly what you want to shield the neighbours from

[Lite Beer]

I had the same problem and planted a row of bamboo. It grew so quick and in all directions that I was forever cutting it. In the end I cut it all down. Solved my problem by selling the house.

That bamboo panelling looks a good idea. Not sure how strong it would be in a high wind though.

[Bredbury Blue]

As a Brit I'd go with the standard UK style net-curtains, discrete, reasonable privacy without blocking light. Obviously not very effective at night if your room is well lit, I suppose a lot depends upon exactly what you want to shield the neighbours from

Hi Crossy,

Between us and them is our 8m wide garden so UK net curtains like my mum has won't work (actually i like the dutch way of putting loads of indoor plants in your window to block the view). What i'm looking for is something to stop them looking out of their kitchen window over our partition garden wall and at us in the garden.

They've actually built the house a metre away from their boundary walls (it's also raised high incase of floods), and as they have no garden they've built a large balcony front and back upstairs so they can sit up there no doubt and view the neighbours. Not a lot i can do to block that upstairs view but being a Brit i like my privacy so i'd like to stop their view from downstairs level.

Any suggestions?

Edited March 1, 2007 by Bredbury Blue

[Bredbury Blue]

I had the same problem and planted a row of bamboo. It grew so quick and in all directions that I was forever cutting it. In the end I cut it all down. Solved my problem by selling the house.

That bamboo panelling looks a good idea. Not sure how strong it would be in a high wind though.

Thanks for that advice. Our ideas were bamboo or mango trees. We had concerns about the mess created by the falling bamboo leaves and keeping them in trim so your advice is very useful.

The plot of land (8 x 20 m) currently is bare apart from weeds - we bought it after we bought the house and have just joined the two plots together as one with a wall all around. Later this year we are going to have it landscaped - very simple, imported sand and soil, grass (for the football with the kids) and 5 or 6 trees (some mango) but keep it pretty open as we get snakes (2 cobras seen a week ago, python seen, tree snakes, etc), monitor lizards, rats, etc (we live next to a khlong and farmers fields). So the mango trees positioned in front of their windows is a definite possibility, the trellis idea is another (probably about 2.5 metres high). There are 3 windows close together, probably in a 8 metre run. 3 x trellis?

Any other ideas any one? Any landscape gardens on here with ideas?

[Lite Beer]

A bit late now but I always though that legally a house had to be at least 2 or 3 meters away from the boundary. I would have though 1 meter would be elegal.

[Bredbury Blue]

Funny you should say that!

I've worked as a QS in building for 30 years so i know a little. When they were erecting the roof trusses it was obvious that they were building too close to the building line and their roof was over our land. We quietly asked the mooban developer who said that as the neighbour had building permission it was out of their hands. So the wife spoke to the builder and the neighbour - they said they were aware of it but they would trim back the roof trusses (which they did) and include gutters - no chuffin comment from them on building too close to their 3 neighbouring properties (we're currently the only one built).

The wife tells me that gutters have arrived (i haven't seen them so can't comment on size and suitability but i guarantee that during a downpour rain will overflow and flood my garden).

Last weekend the neighbour came for a chat and tells me that the builder had built the house a metre and a half too wide and its likely that they / the neighbour will be fined. Dur!!!

We'll see how it develops but the house is too big and too close to the boundaries so there's bound to be some problems.

[sendbaht]

Giant bamboo spaced one meter apart...it will do the trick.

[Crossy]

A mango or lychee tree would do the trick but obviously they take time to grow. Don't know how large you can buy them and successfully plant them in new soil?

A neighbour had some big mango trees delivered, they must be going on 4m tall, arrived complete with mangos

The delivery chaps planted them in pre-dug holes with loads of what I assume was a suitable growing medium, they certainly seem happy enough. No idea how much they cost though

If you plant them close to your boundary so you don't lose too much space you can let the neighbours have the fruit that grows on their side (always keep the next door chaps happy).

[Lite Beer]

Funny you should say that!

I've worked as a QS in building for 30 years so i know a little. When they were erecting the roof trusses it was obvious that they were building too close to the building line and their roof was over our land. We quietly asked the mooban developer who said that as the neighbour had building permission it was out of their hands. So the wife spoke to the builder and the neighbour - they said they were aware of it but they would trim back the roof trusses (which they did) and include gutters - no chuffin comment from them on building too close to their 3 neighbouring properties (we're currently the only one built).

The wife tells me that gutters have arrived (i haven't seen them so can't comment on size and suitability but i guarantee that during a downpour rain will overflow and flood my garden).

Last weekend the neighbour came for a chat and tells me that the builder had built the house a metre and a half too wide and its likely that they / the neighbour will be fined. Dur!!!

We'll see how it develops but the house is too big and too close to the boundaries so there's bound to be some problems.

If the builder cannot read measurements on a plan it makes you wonder what other mistakes he made. Hopefully the house will fall down and solve the problem.

If the water from his roof is going in you garden then that is definately ilegal. As you say what use is a fine. It does not help you.

Yes the giant bamboo will do the trick. But as I said it goes every where and very quickly.

[JAS21]

Funny you should say that!

I've worked as a QS in building for 30 years so i know a little. When they were erecting the roof trusses it was obvious that they were building too close to the building line and their roof was over our land. We quietly asked the mooban developer who said that as the neighbour had building permission it was out of their hands. So the wife spoke to the builder and the neighbour - they said they were aware of it but they would trim back the roof trusses (which they did) and include gutters - no chuffin comment from them on building too close to their 3 neighbouring properties (we're currently the only one built).

The wife tells me that gutters have arrived (i haven't seen them so can't comment on size and suitability but i guarantee that during a downpour rain will overflow and flood my garden).

Last weekend the neighbour came for a chat and tells me that the builder had built the house a metre and a half too wide and its likely that they / the neighbour will be fined. Dur!!!

We'll see how it develops but the house is too big and too close to the boundaries so there's bound to be some problems.

My wife tells me that the law is 1Metre. However it is easy to get around that by a little 'tea money'. The guy at the bottom of our garden has built his single story extension almost up to the boundry wall and their kitchen window looks straight into our garden/maids area/outside kitchen etc. We will attach something to our side of the wall to increasse the height to cover his window, pretty or not his side I don't care. There is nothing that can be done legally about it so dont bother trying, it no good upsetting the locals with some sort of legal action..whats a fine anyway!!

[quiksilva]

Yes the giant bamboo will do the trick. But as I said it goes every where and very quickly.

Is it possible to control the Bamboo's growth? For example would tieing it to a stick help to guide it the desired direction?

[lampard10]

Just paint the house in Man City colours.......................................no-one would bother watching then.

Edited March 1, 2007 by lampard10

[Mid]

Yes the giant bamboo will do the trick. But as I said it goes every where and very quickly.

Is it possible to control the Bamboo's growth? For example would tieing it to a stick help to guide it the desired direction?

Yes ,

physical barrier to prevent the roots spreading .............................

[cmsally]

There is one tree that you see often for boundary areas as they don't have spreading branches. I'm sure the name was on the forum somewhere, completely slipped my mind at the moment. But if you look out for it you will see it , v. common and also grows quickly. They almost look like very tall xmas trees . If you plant them about 2 m apart they should completely block out his view.

I planted some a few years back but ended up cutting them down as they blocked out all the sunlight and didn't need that kind of barrier.

But I will probably plant some at our new house as although we have a big piece of land the neighbours house is right near the fence and I need to block him out!

[chownah]

There are two basic types of bamboo;clumping and spreading. Almost all of the bamboo in Thailand is the clumping variety and all of the large bamboo that I have seen is clumping. It will not spread rapidly...maybe a half a metre per year or so....it does not send out long shoots that sprout up elsewhere. It does, however make an extensive root system so things won't grow very well within a metre or two of its base.

[singa-traz]

My wife tells me that the law is 1Metre. However it is easy to get around that by a little 'tea money'. The guy at the bottom of our garden has built his single story extension almost up to the boundry wall and their kitchen window looks straight into our garden/maids area/outside kitchen etc. We will attach something to our side of the wall to increasse the height to cover his window, pretty or not his side I don't care. There is nothing that can be done legally about it so dont bother trying, it no good upsetting the locals with some sort of legal action..whats a fine anyway!!

I was told 1 meter ... if you don't have windows that face your neighbor.

[Bredbury Blue]

Just paint the house in Man City colours.......................................no-one would bother watching then.

Actually the neighbour is a Septic so he wouldn't recognise our colours anyway...but there again, once we become a subsidiary of an american outfit he might just.

[old wanderer]

I built a nice deck on the back of my place, so because of the elevation, I was looking in my neighbors back yard over the fence. I bought 3 large bunches of giant bamboo, problem solved...

The stuff is now about 7 meters tall, and looks nice (wife hates it, and says it blocks the sun from the yard) but I like it.

[undercover]

This is funny because it happend to a friend and not me an you. my friend was away at the time and they decided to build next to his house, I think him being away was the driving force to build quick ?

They built so close they used the boundary wall as the gable of the house, they fitted windows in this wall that opened into his front garden, they ran their roof water into his gutter and used his drain, they even cemented over the vented blocks as this wall had now become their lounge wall.

On his return the answers given were, we used the deviding wall as it was alredy built and we diddent have the money to build another, and your gutter is big enougth to take both roofs, and the water from our house will keep the drain cleaner.

My friend is a doormat to his wife so all he replied to these people was you've taken most of the light from my kitchen.

Edited March 1, 2007 by undercover

[Bredbury Blue]

Took a look at my existing mango trees last night which are 4 years old and see that they are up to 2nd floor level already, so i reckon its mango trees over bamboo for us. Thanks for everybodies comments - appreciated.

[sarpesius]

This is funny because it happend to a friend and not me an you. my friend was away at the time and they decided to build next to his house, I think him being away was the driving force to build quick ?

They built so close they used the boundary wall as the gable of the house, they fitted windows in this wall that opened into his front garden, they ran their roof water into his gutter and used his drain, they even cemented over the vented blocks as this wall had now become their lounge wall.

On his return the answers given were, we used the deviding wall as it was alredy built and we diddent have the money to build another, and your gutter is big enougth to take both roofs, and the water from our house will keep the drain cleaner.

My friend is a doormat to his wife so all he replied to these people was you've taken most of the light from my kitchen.

For this and other problems noted here, there are many ways to skin a cat. heh heh.

sarpesius

[oswaldcassidy]

Funny you should say that!

I've worked as a QS in building for 30 years so i know a little. When they were erecting the roof trusses it was obvious that they were building too close to the building line and their roof was over our land. We quietly asked the mooban developer who said that as the neighbour had building permission it was out of their hands. So the wife spoke to the builder and the neighbour - they said they were aware of it but they would trim back the roof trusses (which they did) and include gutters - no chuffin comment from them on building too close to their 3 neighbouring properties (we're currently the only one built).

The wife tells me that gutters have arrived (i haven't seen them so can't comment on size and suitability but i guarantee that during a downpour rain will overflow and flood my garden).

Last weekend the neighbour came for a chat and tells me that the builder had built the house a metre and a half too wide and its likely that they / the neighbour will be fined. Dur!!!

We'll see how it develops but the house is too big and too close to the boundaries so there's bound to be some problems.

My neighbor built his house to close to the border when i complained to planning about it they told me he would have to cut his building in half 2 days later when i went back to planning the same officer says that it was okay for the neighbors house to stay as it was it was obvious to me that in 48 hours money had been exchanged I could of purdued the matter problem was I needed that same officer to pass my plans life is sometimes difficult in thailand.

[ProThaiExpat]

I have created privacy barriers on a number of properties in the past and have stayed away from bamboo do to control of growth and shedding problems.

The best solution I have found is ficus. In Thailand there is the one most familiar in the west with a dark green leaf and the varigated or yellowish variety.

Very inexpensive here and they grow three meters a year. Plant them about a foot apart when they are about five feet tall and an impenetrable hedge you will have in a year. A trench for flood watering in the dry season will hurry the growth. Height goes up to 10 meters or more with very little leaf shedding.

If you buy the really cheap ones as I did last year, ie. about a foot tall, it took a year to reach eight feet.

I don't know if mango trees stay leafy near the gound when they get older as ficus does. On the other hand, a hedge is a hedge is a hedge, fruit sounds apetising as you have mentioned, as long as you can keep them leafy near the ground as they get older.

Set back of buildings in deveopments is a joke and even if the developer uses some sense in initial construction, it doesn't take long before remodels eliminates any setbacks. Lot selection and house placement in build you own are your only protection. I am on my developments exterior boundry on one side, the street on two others and the back of the house toward the only adjacent house and that area is committed to pumps, tanks and my glass block windows .

Edited March 5, 2007 by ProThaiExpat