Fence Return placement question (how much, installing, room, cost)

[Blanco111]

I recently purchased a new home, which will be completed in July. They haven't broken ground yet. Each of the new houses in the subdivision are enclosed within a 4-5 foot stucco faced wall shared will adjacent properties.

I just got an email from the builder's rep (see below). I'm not sure I know what a fence return is. But I'm assuming it's where the wall will make an "L" turn to meet the house. Can someone tell me if there is an advantage to having the fence returns at the rear corner of my new house or 10 feet from the front?

Also, if there is some advantage to having the fence returns 10' from the front of the house, how much should I expect to pay (.22 acre lot)?


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There has been some confusion with some of our buyers as to where the fence returns will be located. Per exhibit “B”, your fence returns will be at the rear corner of your house. If you would like them moved to approximately 10’ from the front of your house, please let me know and I will provide you with a price and you can then decide if you would like them moved. There will be NO late change charge associated with this change if you decide to do it. Please let me know if you would like to make this change.

[Barking Spider]

The advantage is you have a little bit more back yard room with the fence near the front of the house, instead of at the rear corner.
Costs will vary greatly in different areas. To get an accurate cost estimate, ask the builder that will be installing the fence.

[reed303]

Some folks like the fence nearer the front of house so it creates an "out of the way space" for storage of bulky items that would otherwise clutter the main back yard. (garden tools, wheelbarrows, etc) Others use the space for vegetable gardening.

Having the wall at the rear can make the front look more open.

Would there be a gate in this return, or is that on the other side of the house ?

Another consideration might be whether an extended return would block sunlight into a basement window.

[turf3]

I would recommend doing it as far toward the front as possible so you have a dead area that you can use for storage. It sounds like you have what I call a "Zero lot line" house, so space to store yard stuff is probably going to be at a premium.

[Briolat21]

As others have pointed out, the only difference will be how much space is enclosed within the fence. With moving the return to 10 feet from the front of the house, part of your "side" yard will be enclosed within the fence. What you choose to do with that space, is up to you (and the community, if you have HOA rules that dictate).

As far as costs, they will have to extend the depth of the fence (instead of the fence only coming as far forward as the back of you house, it will now continue down the side of your house until it reaches 10' from the front wall of your house) - that means additional fencing and labor. Ask the builder what the extra price will be for that work before you agree to it.

Building a house is fun (and somewhat stressful!). Enjoy and good luck!

[Blanco111]

Thanks for all who responded. The builder's rep said he'd send me some photos of what the fence return would look like. I won't have a basement. Also, I don't plan to have gardening tools. The house is in Arizona, and the landscaping is mostly stones and rocks. Still, the extra space may come in handy, since there is an HOA that may not allow "stuff" to be visible from the street. I also found out the fence returns will be have a gate on the garage side.

I'm still confused how the side walls will work. I don't know if I share a wall with each of my adjacent neighbors. I believe I was told I would be sharing the walls. In the photo of my lot (attached), one neighbor shows the side wall extended past the rear of their house. I'm thinking this must be the 10 ' from the front of their house where the return fence will go?. If I stay with the return fence at the rear of the house, the overall street appearance might not look right between the two properties. It's hard for me to visualize what it would look like.

[oregonwoodsmoke]

Personally, I like my fence to enclose the side yard.

It doesn't matter if you have natural landscaping, you will need gardening tools. Unless your ideal natural landscaping is tumbleweeds. There is no such thing as zero maintenance landscaping.