The inspector measured twice, then called Whitney and the contractor over. Part of the new deck framing extended into the required setback area, and several support points had been positioned using the old fence line rather than the actual surveyed boundary. Work stopped immediately while the permit drawings were reviewed. Whitney stared at the orange flags, then at me, and asked whether I was really going to “ruin an entire renovation over six inches.”
I reminded her that she had removed my fence without asking and had built her plans around land that was never hers. I submitted photographs showing the original fence, the stacked cedar panels, and the survey. My insurance company documented the damage, and the contractor quickly made it clear that Whitney—not his crew—had represented the fence as shared property. Suddenly, everyone wanted the paperwork she had never bothered to obtain.
The deck had to be redesigned and partially dismantled so it complied with the proper boundary and setback requirements. Whitney also agreed to pay for replacement of my privacy fence rather than risk a larger property dispute. I chose a simple cedar design similar to what had been there before, except this time every post was professionally marked and documented before installation. The new fence sat entirely on my property, just as the old one had.
Whitney barely spoke to me afterward. Her project still finished, but weeks later and considerably more expensive than she had expected. I never celebrated the added cost. I simply enjoyed having my backyard private again. The strangest part was that none of it had started because of six inches. It started because she believed confidence could substitute for permission. She had smiled while removing something that belonged to me. The survey taught her the lesson I never needed to say out loud: before improving your property, make absolutely sure you are standing on it.
I finally returned Dad’s call after the fourteenth attempt. His voice had lost every trace of Christmas-night authority. The bank had notified Hartwell Industrial that the ownership…
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