Residential Fence Installation — What You Need to Know Before Getting Started
Are you in the process of putting up a fence on your residential property? If that's the case, it is crucial that you first become acquainted with the requirements for residential fences so as to ensure that your fencing is properly installed and located at the right place. Residential fencing requirements in Australia vary from one local council to another, but some requirements are so important that they cut across most local councils.
Before you can get rolling, here are some of the most common residential fencing requirements you need to know about:
You'll need a permit.
Most local councils in Australia require residential property owners looking to build a fence on their properties to obtain a permit before commencing the construction. The permit is required to ensure that your fence will be erected according to the standards for residential fences. You can apply for the permit by visiting your council's building approval department/unit or by visiting your council's website under the links provided for fence construction permit application.
You'll need to comply with fencing covenants.
Fencing covenants refer to any private agreements or contracts between you and owners of neighbouring properties, your home owners' association or developers regulating which type of fencing can and cannot be installed in your neighbourhood. These agreements can even prohibit installation of some fencing types that may be permissible by your local council. Hence, fencing covenants may sometimes impose further restrictions on the type of fence you can put up in your neighbourhood.
You'll need to establish where the property lines are.
It's your responsibility to know where your property lines are located before erecting a fence. You can find out the exact location of your property lines by asking a certified land surveyor to help you find and mark your property's boundary lines. Failure to install your fence at the right location may result in legal dispute with your neighbours over breach of property lines.
You'll need to know where underground utilities are located.
If there are any underground power lines, plumbing or water supply lines running on your residential property, you should know where they are located before constructing a fence. This is because the companies that own and/or manage the utilities will need to have unobstructed access to the amenities at all times, so make sure your fence does not stand in their way.
Get in touch with your local council and fencing contractors to find out more about your residential fencing requirements.
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