Post-Fence Post Post

Our constant companion throughout May and June has been the SE re-fencing project, which makes this our Post-Fence Post Post. (Dad joke!) I didn't get a good overall before picture, because how do you do that with a fence? Let's just say this has been on our list since we moved in, and it needed to be replaced! Here's the best overall DONE picture I have. Isn't it pretty? Hubby worked so hard on this fence, pretty much every evening 5-8pm, and weekends to finish!

Now for some before-and-afters. The neighbors' dogs have surprised us a few times and the bricks really weren't cutting it anymore. The last section just got finished this weekend and all that remains is some varnish on that section, hence the different color. (Of course there was at least a week of delay in getting the last boards, since there seems to be a shortage in the Houston area, and then a week of rain delay after that.)

There were more than a few spots where bricks shored up the gaps and the bottom of the pickets was either in dirt or rotted out all along. We're not sure, but this may have been the original fence.

The finished view from the street, hiding the AC.

Now let's take a look at the in-progress working pictures. The first pieces to come down! No turning back now. Hello street!

And the first section brought the first major issue. The old fence post was precariously squeezed between our house's main water line and the AC slab, which made it nearly impossible to remove and replace. Solution: move the fence forward and dig all new post holes. It was a lot of work, but getting rotting, old posts encased in concrete up from two-foot deep holes isn't really any easier.

Hubby did at least 85% of the work on this fence! Our neighbor dug some new post holes, as well as removed wood and spread dirt. Owen even put in a few days of work here and there, mostly during demolition, but J also planned, shopped, and picked up all supplies (no small feat in these COVID times), dug post holes, mixed and poured concrete footers to keep the posts from rotting at/below ground level, measured, cut, and framed ~100 feet of fencing, placed and nailed pickets, and varnished everything. He may have gained a few new tools to ease the work, but his work ethic and sweat equity was impressive!

And here's Hadley's contribution. Ha ha!

The last pieces going in (amidst the Saharan dust cloud)! Two months' of work, almost done... Now some rest, hopefully, before we start the back fence. Eek!