Block Fence (Phoenix: rent, attorney, new house)

[Zippyman]

It doesn't sound like you are in a HOA community, but if you are, make sure to talk to them before doing anything. They can be a pain to deal with, especially if you build first and ask questions later.

[tre5]

Actually a gate IS required by all munincipalities in the Phoenix area.

[SOON2BNSURPRISE]

My parents had a gate on one side of their home and wanted to add a gate on the other. It took a while for the HOA to respond to the request. They were told that the gate had to match the other gates in the area. Now they have a gate on both sides and love it. In many of these smaller lots, as in 6,000 square feet place when you have a small area between your home and the fence, that part of the lot is almost not usable. My parents put in a concrete walkway along the back and sides of their home and wanted a gate on both sides.

[Xica_da_Silva]

Hi all,

I'm now in the process of reviewing potential contractors and just spoke with one who claims that getting a city permit for Phoenix proper is not required. She said it's basically a useless expense since her clients have never had any problem with the city after they did work(assuming they aren't going to build me a wall that's 10 ft tall, etc.). Also, I've heard that getting the permit for the fence will cause property taxes to rise.

Be that as it may (or may not be), isn't it a good precaution/insurance to get the permit? My thought is that part of the permit process is to survey the land, to make sure that I am not building on my neighbor's side of the property? Fortunately, I only have one neighbor (bordered by 2 alleys), and my neighbor may actually go in on the deal with me (getting a fence done at the same time, so we share costs). However, there's no guarantee that my neighbor won't move in the future. Are there other pros and cons to not getting a permit that I'm not considering?

PS. Fortunately, I don't have an HOA to worry about.

[Zippyman]

Surveying the land is a really good idea before building any kind of fence - but it isn't part of the permit process as far as I'm aware - You'll submit specs for the fence, and a drawing of where you plan to put it, in relation to the property lines. The city won't get in the middle of any future property-line disputes, with or without a permit.

I wouldn't do a wall without a permit, simply because if you look over your homeowner's insurance, you'll see an exclusion for work done without a permit - if it falls later and injures a child, you'll get sued, and the insurance co will try to duck out of coverage...

As for raising your taxes, it might cause them to go up a dollar or two a year... certainly not enough to notice.

Check out whomever you hire on the ROC website, there are some scary folks in the concrete biz in PHX.

[Xica_da_Silva]

Hi Zippy, thanks so much for the info and advice. I'm going to take it. Better to be safe than sorry...and I'm very happy to hear that prop taxes won't dramatically increase as a result!

Interestingly, I just did some research online, looking at the ROC website, BBB, and consumer ratings/reviews for the contractor. Oops!!!

Strange...they didn't appear to have any probs according to the ROC website, and consumer ratings seemed fairly decent(if not exactly glowing) but when I checked the BBB, they got an F rating! Yikes! Apparently, they had a complaint that they never responded to which is why they received the F. But then when I did re-read some of the consumer comments I did notice that there were a handful who mentioned some problems with communication.

So, the search continues...

[Xica_da_Silva]

Oh, and I need to mention... this company was recommended by one of those websites that supposedly 'screens' out bad apples by a so-called 10-step process of verification. Heh. Caveat emptor, indeed!

[wit-nit]

Run, do not walk, as fast as you can away from this scamming contractor. You do need a permit and the contractor has to set the ppty lines. Call the City of Phoenix for all requirements. Call the registrar of Contractors for assistance. Taxes would be minimal. Liabilites great. Insurance problems too. You are responsible for all that goes on on your ppty. If a neighbor complains on an illegal issue you can be in big trouble.

[Desertspiritsteve]

I was told by the city of Phoenix fifteen years ago that they don't do permits for block walls any more. The wall contractor was a pain. Wanted his son to build the gates then the son never came. I had to find my own gate builder. Make sure that they put a really good footing down before they start laying block. You will have trouble with the wall later if they don't. The footing will crack and sink and you will have stair stepping cracks in the wall. Don't pay them off until you are completely satisfied. I had problems with the top terrace of blocks pulling loose from kids and meter readers. These are not load bearing walls.

[wit-nit]

City of Phoenix required a permit for our residential concrete block wall near 35th ave and Dunlap. Then there were 3 stages of inspections. 1- footing inspection, 2- concrete base poured with re-bar spacing inspection, 3- final inspection.