ᐅ Terrace Wall Adjacent to Neighbor – What Should We Consider?

So: I have resolved it once again:

Wall 180 plus stone in anthracite. There was another discussion because Müller wanted a 180 plus metal sheet. Don’t forget the argument about not needing to support something on the wall, that it should be flat. He managed to convince my husband of that. I know he won’t build anything there, he’s not allowed to and he won’t. All the complaining is also about money. He knows we want high-quality, stylish things, and he is not willing to pay for it and squeezes people for every last cent.

Agreement: 180 and stone in anthracite. TOTAL HEIGHT 186cm (73 inches). Since he’s supposedly accommodating us (which is not true, it was agreed from the start), he wants to pay 100 euros less. I am sharing the 100 euros with the other neighbor who is building the other wall with him. So, the wall costs us 50 euros more for what we want.

Alternatively, I could keep a 50cm (20 inch) distance from his property and build 2m (79 inch) high. He can think whatever he wants, I told him that before we agreed on the above. Apart from the one in the middle, we agree that our mason will also get more, since due to the dispute he had to stop building five times, discuss things, and had more work. That is the least and, to me, a matter of decency to pay for the extra effort. I won’t become poor because of it. If Müller thinks he will get rich from those 100 euros more, then fine, let him think so. It’s the same with everything, really everything, that he is dissatisfied with something and complains until he gets a discount.

My husband can’t handle it; he always gives in, and then the nonsense is built that the neighbor wants, and he keeps stumbling over the construction defects... But I prefer that it is built the way we want, done right, nice, clean, and tidy. I know the neighbor wants to save 2.50 euros, so I take on that cost for the sake of peace. In the end, the neighbor was so happy because it would be stone after all, as it looks more elegant.

I would have put everything firmly in writing from the start and made it clear to the neighbor at the beginning: either 2m (79 inch) with distance on my property or 185cm (73 inch) centered, and made him sign it, and stayed consistent. But since the communication happened through my husband in the middle, there was a lot of confusion, and the neighbor knows he can agree to nonsense first, and later everyone wants something different and is then willing to cover the extra costs.

I built together with him; he is not my favorite neighbor, but I know how to deal with him. The problem here is my husband, who can’t handle him and sometimes gets fooled, doesn’t stay clear and consistent, doesn’t see through it, or when the neighbor is trying to trick him, doesn’t respond firmly and on time.

We had and have nothing to lose with this matter. I pay more for the corner house because of the larger area and bigger garden, but I can also live with the fact that I could build 2m (79 inch) high without having a dark terrace...

wiltshire schrieb:

Seriously?
If such minor issues already become a “drama” – then here’s to a good long-lasting coexistence.
Whatever your neighbor is like – I conclude that he has a rather difficult neighbor.

Congratulations on your realization. You can just agree to everything at your place and let the neighbor do whatever he wants, dig deeper, and cover all the costs.

P.S. The fact that he wants to support something on the wall is nonsense. He only says that so we don’t go higher with the building, because he wants to put his grill there. He actually grills right on the border with us. He’s trying to persuade us that he will fix it so it becomes a metal sheet he can better support himself on.

A. He can’t extend anymore there
B. He won’t fix it
C. He will always grill there or wherever he wants; I don’t trust his consideration

Therefore, I’m fine with everything being 10cm (4 inches) higher now.

Bauherrin123 schrieb:

It’s not about enclosing the neighbor, but about reducing smoke and barbecue smells and being able to sit calmly on the terrace. We have small children, so at least the noise shouldn’t carry over to the terrace.

But such a wall cannot do either. Whether it’s 1.85 m or 2 m (6 ft 1 in or 6 ft 7 in) makes no difference. Neither barbecue odors nor noise are significantly reduced. It only serves as a privacy screen. That’s why I find this thread quite confusing. What’s even more confusing to me is

Bauherrin123 schrieb:

P.S. The fact that he wants to lean something on the wall is nonsense. He only says that so we don’t insist on building higher, so he can put his grill there. He grills exactly on the boundary line with us. He’s trying to persuade us that he’ll cover it with a sheet metal panel so he can lean better on it.

A. He can’t build any further there.
B. He won’t cover it.
C. He will always grill there or wherever he wants. I’m not counting on his consideration.

First, I’m confused because this makes no sense logically or grammatically, and I don’t understand exactly what is meant. It’s word salad. Nobody knows what “cover it” refers to. And we still don’t know what “leaning” means in this context. I only understood that he grills at the wall near you. I ask again: where else? Everyone grills on the boundary line with a neighbor in terraced houses anyway.

Bauherrin123 schrieb:

So: I’ve just solved it again:

Engineering wisdom: Before you solve a problem, make sure it actually exists.

So, he has a 7.3m (24 feet) wide house and is thinking about a 6m (20 feet) wide patio roof. On both sides toward the neighbors, there is only about 60cm (2 feet) of free space, and the roof does not touch our house. He wants to close that gap; I will send a picture shortly. I asked why he didn’t build larger right away. He said he would have needed our permission. We told him he can and should build as he wants on his property, and he doesn’t have to maintain any distance—this doesn’t bother us, and we have never said no. Then the lady came and asked what I had asked, and she answered that the patio roof was offered that way, and a larger one would have cost an extra 3000 euros. If they close it now with some unknown materials and methods, it will be significantly cheaper. So, it always comes down to money with him; he saves wherever he can, repairs and cobbles things together, and then wonders why things already fall apart and look bad.

Oh, and his grill is placed directly against the wall. He has a large garden and, out of consideration—since this is highly valued here, although apparently only for me—no one expects my neighbor to move his grill somewhere else. As I said, I grew up in my parents’ terraced house, where almost everyone keeps their grills away from the house and terrace, placed elsewhere, but never right next to the wall. That said, I do not expect him to move his grill for me, but for these reasons, I would like a higher wall instead of a fence that lets smell and smoke pass through. Unfortunately, my husband also has some allergies, so we protect ourselves a bit.

The neighbor always talks about money; he keeps negotiating until he can say he wants to pay less, then he agrees just to settle things. As for the fence: On the property line, a chain-link fence if desired. I am not obliged to pay for a more expensive enclosure than that. Everyone can build whatever they want on their side. I do not want a fence on the boundary, and certainly not a shared one. First, I want the same fence all around my house, not the cheap material he wants to put in the middle. I want it uniform and 180 cm (6 feet) high. It is allowed to build on my property at the boundary, just not directly on the boundary. I will also go to the building authority on Monday since there are often contradictory statements, to be absolutely sure what is permitted and to get it in writing. I also want written confirmation that I can build a larger or longer terrace and roof cover; the terrace is no problem, but for the roof cover, I need to ask if building around the corner is allowed.

Just a quick question for you: Do you often write (quite quickly) on your phone, which is why there are so many confusing sentences or simply misspelled words in your posts? I really find it hard to follow you. Everything comes across as very rushed and hectic. If you have dyslexia, that’s okay, but please review your posts again or have someone check them. You have still received a lot of help here, which, however, doesn’t seem to be fully understood by me. Many have tried to guide you onto a good path, but your latest post again leaves me somewhat puzzled. I’ll keep thinking about it...