[olecapt]

Originally Posted by Spraynard Kruger

You will have to contact the property owners with whom you share a wall, the HOA for approval and then, hire a licensed contractor that will pull a permit. Permits, and the requisite inspections that come with them, are required for block walls built over a certain height (2-3 feet, memory escapes me). Perhaps you don't want to go to the trouble of pulling permits, but I highly recommend you talk to the contractor about rebar. Many people just slap a couple of courses on top of the walls. It's uncanny how many times that happens. Many a weekend warrior goes out and decides he wants his wall taller...next thing its done and a kid goes to hop the fence, your drunk friend decides to dive in the pool from the wall, etc. Next thing you know, the top two courses topple over and litigation ensues.

But, take me with a grain of salt. I'm told that I overanalyze everything. In this day and age, maybe I do.

Good luck contacting the owners of the home. You can check the county assessors website to see who owns it and perhaps obtain a mailing address. If the property is bank owned, well, good luck.

Worse than that. In at least some areas extending the wall over six feet may require a zoning variance. Which may have to go through various planning bodies for approval. They mostly are easily approved but it still takes doing.

There are those times when one should consider taking the law into ones own hands....

I would however check with the HOA as they can be deadly on this sort of thing.

[dynimagelv]

it's easier to ask forgivness then to seek permission

[jfkIII]

All in all...it's just another brick in the wall.

(How can you have any pudding if you don'r eat yer meat????)

[Buzz123]

Originally Posted by Spraynard Kruger

You will have to contact the property owners with whom you share a wall, the HOA for approval and then, hire a licensed contractor that will pull a permit. Permits, and the requisite inspections that come with them, are required for block walls built over a certain height (2-3 feet, memory escapes me). Perhaps you don't want to go to the trouble of pulling permits, but I highly recommend you talk to the contractor about rebar. Many people just slap a couple of courses on top of the walls. It's uncanny how many times that happens. Many a weekend warrior goes out and decides he wants his wall taller...next thing its done and a kid goes to hop the fence, your drunk friend decides to dive in the pool from the wall, etc. Next thing you know, the top two courses topple over and litigation ensues.

But, take me with a grain of salt. I'm told that I over analyze everything. In this day and age, maybe I do.

Good luck contacting the owners of the home. You can check the county assessors website to see who owns it and perhaps obtain a mailing address. If the property is bank owned, well, good luck.

What he said....

I'm on the Arc committee of our HOA (but I don't know sh**), and the back walls of a few homes that back onto one side street don't have high enough walls for good security. One guy wanted to raise his but I voted against it for the reasons Spraynard has given. If it isn't done right it would eventually fall down, then who's responsibility is it? The rest of us, that's who. I made sure he went to the city first, and it turned out I was right. It was a little more trouble, but he got the permits, etc.

As far as a side wall, you probably have to ask your HOA's ARC committee, but I don't think generally you need permission from the next door neighbor as long as the height is within code. But it is just being a good neighbor to get the neighbor's agreement. Remember you are spoiling his view as well as your own.

In our HOA we have forms the homeowner has to fill out to request any changes to the property. They have to get the neighbors on either side, plus the one immediately across the street, to sign off on it before they take it to the Architectural Committee. If you don't know who is on the ARC then ask the HOA management company. But generally, I don't think the management company can give you permission; you need to get the board's permission or the ARC's.

[StaggerLee22]

Sorry for my late response and thank u all the the answers.
However, I do not have an HOA to worry about.
The reason I want to make the side sharing wall higher is because we plan on building a pool in our back yard and my wife wants more privacy.
The wall right now is plenty high--I can still see over it.
I am however 6'4.
I figure 2 more layers of brick oughta do the trick.
Seeing as it hasnt been sold yet, I thought I could do it before the new owners came---and they would just think thats the way it was.

[olecapt]

Originally Posted by kingfish22

Sorry for my late response and thank u all the the answers.
However, I do not have an HOA to worry about.
The reason I want to make the side sharing wall higher is because we plan on building a pool in our back yard and my wife wants more privacy.
The wall right now is plenty high--I can still see over it.
I am however 6'4.
I figure 2 more layers of brick oughta do the trick.
Seeing as it hasnt been sold yet, I thought I could do it before the new owners came---and they would just think thats the way it was.

I would never advice someone to violate the law which almost certainly a wall above 6 foot does...however I would point out that the liklihood of being nailed is small and worst case you redo the top of the wall.

Get the rebar right in any such venture.

[StaggerLee22]

Thanks olecapt---but I wont be doing the building...I'm going to get a contractor. But now that u mention that the height would be a violation, that could be tricky I guess.
Arghhhhhhhhh

[jfkIII]

Originally Posted by dynimagelv

it's easier to ask forgivness then to seek permission

What a brilliant quote...and so very true. Did you make that one up? I tried to rep you but no go.

[Buzz123]

Originally Posted by jfkIII

What a brilliant quote...and so very true. Did you make that one up? I tried to rep you but no go.

If he made it up he's a lot older than he seems.

I like the corollary to that one too: "Proceed until apprehended."

[jacattack]

Originally Posted by philmason

why do you need more privacy from them right now if the house is vacant ?

brilliant!