Hi there,

I would like to build a garden wall that will be adjoining my
neighbours front garden. As there has never been a wall here, how would
I go about measuring/drawing a line that accurately (and fairly) is
straight down the middle between our 2 properties. The wall will be
roughly 16 feet by around 4-5 foot high.

I have considered about using a laser pointing device, but am not too
sure how I would calibrate/level this to get a accurate reading. My
other plan would be to a make a square frame and align this outwards
from my rectangular bay window and then taking measurements between the
bay and the centre point between the two properties and then projecting
this measurement at the other end of the frame.

At the pavement end there is no post or markings where the centre line
is.
I would really appreaciate any advice if there was any other method
employed used to work this out, that was foolproof and could be
demonstrated to produce the same result every time in case of any
future issues.

Many thanks

Naz

nazn wrote:

I would like to build a garden wall that will be adjoining my
neighbours front garden. As there has never been a wall here, how would
I go about measuring/drawing a line that accurately (and fairly) is
straight down the middle between our 2 properties. The wall will be
roughly 16 feet by around 4-5 foot high.

I have considered about using a laser pointing device, but am not too
sure how I would calibrate/level this to get a accurate reading. My
other plan would be to a make a square frame and align this outwards
from my rectangular bay window and then taking measurements between the
bay and the centre point between the two properties and then projecting
this measurement at the other end of the frame.

At the pavement end there is no post or markings where the centre line is.

I would really appreciate any advice if there was any other method
employed used to work this out, that was foolproof and could be demonstrated
to produce the same result every time in case of any future issues.

First of all you need to establish where the legal ownership of the
land is. Consult the deeds. Then you need to decide if you are better
off without this clarity made available to all.

(You may find a lot less of the property than you currently assume, is
actually yours. Then what will you do?)

With agreement from the neighbour, you select two datums, one each end
of the border and stretch out a line along it. Mark the line with sand
and dig down about 18 inches to lay a 6" deep 9" wide pad of concrete
all in one pour along the flat, level, bottom of the trench.

Check the measurements again and get agreement on them, before the
pour.

If you only have a small mixer, measure out the mix in advance -if you
have enough buckets, or make a plie of dry-mixed ingredients, that only
requires shovelling back into the mixer and wetting, when you decide to
go for it.

"Weatherlawyer" wrote in message
oups.com...

nazn wrote:

I would like to build a garden wall that will be adjoining my
neighbours front garden. As there has never been a wall here, how would
I go about measuring/drawing a line that accurately (and fairly) is
straight down the middle between our 2 properties. The wall will be
roughly 16 feet by around 4-5 foot high.

I have considered about using a laser pointing device, but am not too
sure how I would calibrate/level this to get a accurate reading. My
other plan would be to a make a square frame and align this outwards
from my rectangular bay window and then taking measurements between the
bay and the centre point between the two properties and then projecting
this measurement at the other end of the frame.

At the pavement end there is no post or markings where the centre line
is.

I would really appreciate any advice if there was any other method
employed used to work this out, that was foolproof and could be
demonstrated
to produce the same result every time in case of any future issues.

First of all you need to establish where the legal ownership of the
land is. Consult the deeds. Then you need to decide if you are better
off without this clarity made available to all.

(You may find a lot less of the property than you currently assume, is
actually yours. Then what will you do?)

With agreement from the neighbour, you select two datums, one each end
of the border and stretch out a line along it. Mark the line with sand
and dig down about 18 inches to lay a 6" deep 9" wide pad of concrete
all in one pour along the flat, level, bottom of the trench.

Check the measurements again and get agreement on them, before the
pour.

If you only have a small mixer, measure out the mix in advance -if you
have enough buckets, or make a plie of dry-mixed ingredients, that only
requires shovelling back into the mixer and wetting, when you decide to
go for it.

Depending on your neighbour, this 9" wide pad of concrete may straddle the
boundary as a party wall - more likely you will be reauired to have it all
on your side (as you wanted it). Best to get these things sorted before you
start. Sometimes giving an inch can prevent a lifetime of aggro, even if it
does go against the grain.


--
Bob Mannix
(anti-spam is as easy as 1-2-3 - not)

nazn wrote:
I would like to build a garden wall that will be adjoining my
neighbours front garden. As there has never been a wall here, how would
I go about measuring/drawing a line that accurately (and fairly) is
straight down the middle between our 2 properties. The wall will be
roughly 16 feet by around 4-5 foot high.

I have considered about using a laser pointing device, but am not too
sure how I would calibrate/level this to get a accurate reading. My
other plan would be to a make a square frame and align this outwards
from my rectangular bay window and then taking measurements between the
bay and the centre point between the two properties and then projecting
this measurement at the other end of the frame.

At the pavement end there is no post or markings where the centre line
is.
I would really appreaciate any advice if there was any other method
employed used to work this out, that was foolproof and could be
demonstrated to produce the same result every time in case of any
future issues.

Marking out is only part of the problem. Once you've agreed
it with your neighbour (including who owns the wall; will it
be built entirely on your ground), you've got to ensure that
it's safe (that's quite a high wall), and that you will not
get problems from the council, who may get ratty if it's over
a metre high next to the path.

nazn wrote:
Hi there,

I would like to build a garden wall that will be adjoining my
neighbours front garden. As there has never been a wall here, how would
I go about measuring/drawing a line that accurately (and fairly) is
straight down the middle between our 2 properties. The wall will be
roughly 16 feet by around 4-5 foot high.

Stick posts in and strectch a string and move it till the neighbour
agrees its fair, if he is a decent bloke.

If hes a ****, get a surveyor in, and a lawyer, and a registered plan of
the property, or consider tipping the neighbor the cost of the above.

Getting him to sign a bit of paper agreeing that its fairly placed may
save trouble in the future.


I have considered about using a laser pointing device, but am not too
sure how I would calibrate/level this to get a accurate reading. My
other plan would be to a make a square frame and align this outwards
from my rectangular bay window and then taking measurements between the
bay and the centre point between the two properties and then projecting
this measurement at the other end of the frame.

Nothing says that your ground has to be flat, nor that your house is
exactly aligned to the boundary.

A long spirit level propped up on anything will set a level, and align
the string to it by eye.

I have used posts hammered in with the level resting along the top. Then
string up so that the tops of both posts are JUST clipped by the string.

Howver thats just for te wall top..in practice you need to start by
laying a foundation and getting that more or less level, then string up
to the first couyrse height, and used variable mortar beds to get that
level.

Repeat for every couple of courses.

In practice you end up with a pair of posts at each end that you move
the string up and down on, making sure that every other course or so is
level

Check the wall is perpendicular too as you lay the bricks. For amateurs
like us, bricklaying means using the spirit level ALL the time. Pro
brikkies just do it by eye, checking only occasionally.




At the pavement end there is no post or markings where the centre line
is.
I would really appreaciate any advice if there was any other method
employed used to work this out, that was foolproof and could be
demonstrated to produce the same result every time in case of any
future issues.


There is no magic. Boundaries are where two people mutually decide, or
where a court on consideration of the written evidence, decides, they are.

I had to replant a hedge. I got my farmer neighbour to come along and
drive posts where he thought the boundary should go. Then he went away,
and I looked at the line, corrected them by about 9" where he had been a
bit greedy, and but my hedge in. He has never been back to check, and it
looks right, so there is no dispute.

The secret of life is to assess first, let people think they are
winning, and do your own thing. Do you care whether you gain or lose 5 "
of garden? No.

Your deeds should have it all measured out if you can be arsed.
Otherwise talk to neighbour, and come up with a mutually acceptable
plane. After 12 years without dispute IIRC its de facto the boundary anyway.

Many thanks

Naz

Thanks for all the replies,

I have a good relationship with my neighbour, they have only recently
moved in and are happy for the work to go ahead. I have suggested that
the wall would need to be built from the centre point between our two
properties, the gap between our front doors is 14inches. I have
calcualted for a 9inch wall thus requiring around 5in from either side.


My problem is working out a datum at the garden entrance (there are no
gates!), I can see this being the area of contention as I would like
the wall to be near as dammit 90 degrees from the house wall, its how I
achieve this easily that is taking up the time.

Many thanks
Naz

They're happy for you to build your wall on their ground? Coo!

It's not really 'my' wall as such. it will be a dividing garden wall as
seen on many properties. The reason I am building it is because last
year they had the dividing rear garden wall re-built at thier expense
as part of some work they were having done on their house before they
moved in. I was asked for half the costs and decided to stay out of
thier current deal with the builders and agreed that I would build the
front garden wall. Seemed like a good idea at the time!


If the walls are straight, it's easy to go out at 90 degrees
using a 345 triangle.

I just assumed the house walls would be straight and hence my plan to
build at 90 degrees, what is a 345 triangle?, I expect this is 3 pieces
of timber I would lash up to make the triangle to put against the house
walls??

Thanks

Naz

nazn wrote:
Thanks for all the replies,

I have a good relationship with my neighbour, they have only recently
moved in and are happy for the work to go ahead. I have suggested that
the wall would need to be built from the centre point between our two
properties, the gap between our front doors is 14inches. I have
calcualted for a 9inch wall thus requiring around 5in from either side.


My problem is working out a datum at the garden entrance (there are no
gates!), I can see this being the area of contention as I would like
the wall to be near as dammit 90 degrees from the house wall, its how I
achieve this easily that is taking up the time.


Pythagoras is your friend.

3-4-5 meter triangle is a right angle.

Just fiddle till it comes right. All you need is a 5 meter tape.


Many thanks
Naz

nazn wrote:
CB wrote:
If the walls are straight, it's easy to go out at 90 degrees
using a 345 triangle.

I just assumed the house walls would be straight and hence my plan to
build at 90 degrees, what is a 345 triangle?, I expect this is 3 pieces
of timber I would lash up to make the triangle to put against the house
walls??

You could do that... mark three pieces of timber with
lengths of 3, 4, and 5 units. Nail together. Use this
triangle as a set-square. You could probably use a
large home-made pair of compasses to do the same job,
just as we did in early trig. at school.

You are posting from Google Groups. There's some way
of including context in your posts, which would be
quite helpful.

In article .com,
nazn wrote:
I just assumed the house walls would be straight and hence my plan to
build at 90 degrees, what is a 345 triangle?, I expect this is 3 pieces
of timber I would lash up to make the triangle to put against the house
walls??

Education these days!! ;-((

Take a length of string and make knots in it at regular intervals of say
approx every yard. The exact measurement doesn't matter as long as the gap
between every knot is the same.

Distance from one knot to the next is a length. You will need 13 knots making
12 lengths. Put the first knot by the house at the centre point. Line the
first three lengths along the wall and get someone to hold the first knot and
the fourth knot by the wall. Give the person holding the first knot the line
with the last knot and tell them to hold the two together. Measure out 4
lengths out from the centre of the house (other end of the string) and you
will find that the triangle of string will be taut when the 4 lengths are at
right angles to the wall. Mark where the knot at the end of those 4 lengths
lands. Do exactly the same but this time measuring the three lengths in the
opposite direction from the centre. If your measurements are right the new
marked point should be the same as the first - if it's slightly out take the
average. Mark a line going through that point.

--
John Cartmell john@ followed by finnybank.com 0845 006 8822
Qercus magazine FAX +44 (0)8700-519-527 www.finnybank.com
Qercus - the best guide to RISC OS computing

The message .com
from "nazn" contains these words:

I just assumed the house walls would be straight

falls of chair laughing

You've not done this before, have you?

--
Skipweasel
Pay no attention to that man behind the curtain.

nazn wrote:
My problem is working out a datum at the garden entrance (there are no
gates!), I can see this being the area of contention as I would like
the wall to be near as dammit 90 degrees from the house wall, its how I
achieve this easily that is taking up the time.


Your conveyancing document will describe the layout of your plot. [If you're
lucky there will be a plan of the plot; if not there will be a word-portrait
of the plot ... having a frontage of nnn feet on the south side and a depth
of nnn feet ...etc.]
There is insufficeint information in your posting for anybody to deduce
whether or not the boundary of _your_ conveyed land plot is at right angles
to your house.

Check that your 'line' equates to your conveyance boundary ... it's feasible
that _your_ plot is a itsy-titsy thin triangle ...

--

Brian

In article .com
nazn wrote:
Hi there,

I would like to build a garden wall that will be adjoining my
neighbours front garden. As there has never been a wall here, how would
I go about measuring/drawing a line that accurately (and fairly) is
straight down the middle between our 2 properties. The wall will be
roughly 16 feet by around 4-5 foot high.

I have considered about using a laser pointing device, but am not too
sure how I would calibrate/level this to get a accurate reading. My
other plan would be to a make a square frame and align this outwards
from my rectangular bay window and then taking measurements between the
bay and the centre point between the two properties and then projecting
this measurement at the other end of the frame.

At the pavement end there is no post or markings where the centre line
is.
I would really appreaciate any advice if there was any other method
employed used to work this out, that was foolproof and could be
demonstrated to produce the same result every time in case of any
future issues.

On the plan attached to the deeds, does the dividing line look straight
from the back of the house to the front of the front garden? Are the
two houses level at the front (in plan view)? If so you should be able
to measure (for example) 10 feet along each house front, then 20 feet to
where you think the boundary is - the point that is 20 feet from the two
positions on the front of the houses will be square with the front.

|
|
______________|__________________
\ | /
\ | /
\ | /
\ | /
\ | /
\ | /
\ | /
\ | /
\|/

Stick a nail in the wall where the houses meet, stick a post in the
ground where the measurements meet, and run a bit of string between them
:-)

Learn the pros and cons of posting to news groups by researching
Nettiquette.

"nazn" wrote in message
oups.com...
Thanks for all the replies,

I have a good relationship with my neighbour, they have only recently
moved in and are happy for the work to go ahead. I have suggested that
the wall would need to be built from the centre point between our two
properties, the gap between our front doors is 14inches. I have
calcualted for a 9inch wall thus requiring around 5in from either side.


My problem is working out a datum at the garden entrance (there are no
gates!), I can see this being the area of contention as I would like
the wall to be near as dammit 90 degrees from the house wall, its how I
achieve this easily that is taking up the time.

Many thanks
Naz


Simplest way is to get a very long ball of string and triangulate.

mrcheerful