# Forum Home Renovation Fences & Screens  Water pipes and PVC pipes very close to where wooden posts need to go for paing fence

## spargel

Hi there, 
Hoping to get some help! 
We went to get our old wooden paling fence replaced with a new one. Unfortunately some bright spark who built this house (and the townhouses behind us) decided to put a storm-water pipe right down the line of where our fence goes. And then put a shared (with the townhouse behind us) waterpipe right down our property line next to the storm-water pipe - the actual space between the water pipe and the storm-water pipe varies in space (from a typical wooden post width to less space in some places). It is similar on my neighbours side - in other words they also have a waterpipe running the length of their property to the rear property (shared water pipe with a townhouse behind them) next to the same PVC storm water pipe. 
We discovered this by getting someone out to detect exactly where the water pipes are. The PVC storm water pipe can easily be seen by revealing a couple of inches of soil. 
We are getting our fence person back out and wanted to be ready to try and suggest some alternatives/solutions to deal with this situation. We will be working with our neighbour and acknowledge we may not be able to get the fence straight. This is to avoid moving waterpipes and stormwater pipes. Not ideal, but its a lot less expensive than trying to coordinate and move the pipes (length of our properties ins about 20m).  
The water pipes range from 200m to 300m in depth. 
There are some places where we think the fence installer can drop the posts comfortably to how deep he wants. While there are other places where it will be a snug fit (the space between the water pipe and PVC pipe is tight) and perhaps they won't be able to drop the posts deeper than they'd want to (i.e. 200m before you hit the water pipe). For example; is it possible to put the posts in NOT as deep, but reinforce them with thinner metal poles on the sides? 
The fence will be 1.95m in height. 
Any assistance would be great!

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## lazydays

Will it help to use 50mm square gal posts to get down between the pipes. Als any posts that need to go shallower can have a tripod type leg welded onto the leg. You only need to support it sideways as the other way the rails will stop movement that way.

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## DEMAK Timber

> is it possible to put the posts in NOT as deep, but reinforce them with thinner metal poles on the sides?

  The Posts would need to be braced perpendicular to the fence line, meaning you'd have two bits of steel sticking into each of your properties... 
Aside from looking ugly, this would also give the impression of it being a dodgy job / workmanship. 
Would there really be that much extra work in moving the pipe over...?   Trencher Hire | Better Rentals Melbourne 
Or better still, a few slabs and a bunch of mates with shovels...

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## spargel

Hi, if we moved a water-pipe it would require around 20m's worth of copper to be moved. It would effect the rear neighbours piping. It would also require digging up concrete significant on my side or if we moved our neighbours water pipe it would also require digging up concrete a few metres in length and trying to get around some concrete/brick steps that go close to the fence line. Sounds expensive and painful. Are Colorbond fences much more expensive than pailing fences? My understanding the posts for Colorbond could be significantly thinner?

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## phild01

> My understanding the posts for Colorbond could be significantly thinner?

  Identical steel posts can be used for a paling fence.

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## spargel

> Identical steel posts can be used for a paling fence.

   Hi Phil, what/how would you deal with the horizontal cross bars? How would they be connected to the metal vertical posts? thanks!

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## phild01

> Hi Phil, what/how would you deal with the horizontal cross bars? How would they be connected to the metal vertical posts? thanks!

   Need to look at the neighbours fence to see how the fencer did it, but I expect a hex drive roofing screw would be fine.  The fence was built over rock and the fencer simply bores a small diameter hole into the rock for the metal post.  The rest is a normal paling fence minus the timber posts.

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## DEMAK Timber

Sorry, didn't read the original post properly, thought it was just pvc pipe. 
If you need, we can supply the posts with angle brackets for rails welded on. You'd have to know you hole depth or just order them long and cut to size.

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## johnc

I would have thought if you removed the existing fence and put the new post holes in exactly the same place as the old you should be ok. It would mean using a shovel possibly or a hand auger but you should be able to "feel" the pipes as you get near them, it is usually fairly easy to slightly widen and dig out an existing hole, if it isn't just add water and let soak overnight.

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