The Access to Neighbouring Land Act 1992 allows property owners to build new boundary walls on their neighbors’ property without obtaining permission. This is a legal trespass, as any interference with land possession can amount to a trespass. However, homeowners do not need to inform their neighbors about minor changes, such as plastering, adding or replacing electrical wiring or sockets, or drilling for shelves or cabinets.
The law on party walls sets out rules and procedures to protect property owners whose neighbors want to do works that might affect them. You can build an extension up to 50mm from your neighbors’ boundary as long as you have either Permitted Development Rights or Planning Permission. If the wall is not a party wall, anything attached to it is trespass and you can apply to court for an injunction to compel them to remove it and put the damage right.
The Party Wall etc Act 1996 (PWA 1996) defines a party wall as a wall forming part of a building and standing. A balcony, roof terrace, or fence (fall protection) is always subject to a permit. However, making a partition to the neighbors is always subject to a permit.
Mirable additions or improvements to the outside of your home can be done without applying for planning permission. For construction or renovation projects, you usually need a permit, which also applies to small projects such as altering a fence or window.
📹 INSTALLING A SUNSHADE TO A STUCCO HOUSE THIS VIDEO WILL HELP YOU ANCHOR ANYTHING TO A STUCCO HOUSE
AS WITH ALL MY VIDEOS I TRY TO GIVE THE MOST INFORMATION IN THE LEAST AMOUNT OF TIME AS POSSIBLE SO I …
Can a Neighbour drill into my fence?
The answer is no, as a fence owner, you cannot allow your neighbor to attach anything without permission. If your neighbor has already attached items, double-check that you own the fence and approach them politely and respectfully. The depth of your fence post depends on factors like fence height, width, and type of post. Following general rules can help prevent fencing disasters and ensure a safe and secure environment for your property.
Can my neighbour attach trellis to my fence?
No, you cannot attach a trellis to a neighbor’s fence, hang baskets, paint, stain, or use preservatives. Even if your neighbor’s plants create weight that weakens the fence, they may ask for the repair costs. Any actions to your neighbor’s fence, whether they improve it or not, could be construed as criminal damage. The responsibility of the fence surrounding your garden is usually the homeowner, but when the fence is shared by neighboring homes, the question becomes more complicated.
The popular belief is that each house is responsible for the fence on the left when facing the house from the road, but this is not always accurate. The answer may be based on common sense arrangements but does not allow for the person on the end who is responsible for two fences.
Can my neighbour attach things to my house?
It is recommended that homeowners on the East Coast be aware that the attachment of any object to their fence by a neighbor without their consent could result in legal disputes and trespassing issues. The company recommends that the removal of the attachments from the fence be conducted by a professional rather than by the property owner. Such measures will help to guarantee the continued safety and security of your property.
Can a neighbour attach a gate to my wall?
The authority to affix a gate to a neighbor’s wall is contingent upon the delineation of property boundaries, the terms of any pertinent agreements, and the stipulations of relevant legal regulations. In the event that the wall in question is situated in close proximity to the boundary line, it would be prudent to undertake a review of any existing agreements. In the event that the wall in question is a party wall, the relevant legislation is the Party Wall etc. In such cases, the provisions of the 1996 Act may be relevant. Faulkner Surveyors is equipped to offer expert counsel on the delineation of property boundaries.
Can my neighbour attach a washing line to my fence?
In the United Kingdom, the onus is on the property owner to ensure that their boundary is respected. Failure to obtain permission may result in legal ramifications, including charges of trespassing or the removal of unauthorized attachments.
Can I hang things on my side of my neighbour’s fence?
It is a criminal offence to paint, stain, or varnish a neighbour’s fencing without their permission, just as it is to lean or hang something on their fence. It is of the utmost importance to obtain their consent before proceeding.
Can I remove items my neighbour has attached to my fence?
The ownership of a fence implies the necessity of prior authorization from the proprietor before any object may be affixed to it by a neighbor. This authorization extends to include the attachment of items such as hooks, screws, and fairy lights. This guarantees that all items will be affixed to the property in question.
Can my neighbour attach things to my fence posts?
In the event that a neighbor has unlawfully attached any object to a fence on your property, such an act constitutes criminal damage and can be duly reported to the relevant law enforcement authorities.
Can I attach a gate to my house?
Metal side gates require a minimum of two coats of high-quality exterior paint to prevent rust and corrosion. They can be fixed to a wall post or directly to brickwork using hinge brackets and rawl bolts. Posts should be flush to the ground or secured in concrete, with a hole at least 24″ deep. If installing a metal gate directly to brickwork, loosely attach hinge brackets to the gate hinge lugs, position the gate against the wall at the desired height, drill the screw holes, and fix the brackets to the brickwork using wall plugs and screws. Hang the gate onto the brackets using nuts and bolts.
For wooden side gates, an oil-based wood preservative is recommended to prevent discoloration and deterioration over time. A minimum of three coats should suffice, but double-check product instructions. Wall-mounted posts can be secured against brickwork using rawl plugs, ensuring the base is 2″ from the ground. Alternatively, wooden posts can be set in concrete, with a layer of gravel at the bottom to prevent rotting and filling the hole with 24″ to 36″ of concrete. Allow the concrete to dry before hanging the gate.
Can I attach a washing line to a fence post?
The optimal method for affixing a fence to a precise elevation is to procure a clothesline pole or whirlybird, which can be anchored with spikes, obviating the necessity for excavating holes and setting them in concrete. This approach is more cost-effective and efficient than the use of cement or the excavation of holes.
Can I attach a gate to my neighbour’s wall?
The authority to affix a gate to a neighbor’s wall is contingent upon the delineation of property boundaries, the terms of any pertinent agreements, and the stipulations of relevant legal regulations. In the event that the wall in question is situated in close proximity to the boundary line, it would be prudent to undertake a review of any existing agreements. In the event that the wall in question is a party wall, the relevant legislation is the Party Wall etc. In such cases, the provisions of the 1996 Act may be relevant. Faulkner Surveyors is equipped to offer expert counsel on the delineation of property boundaries.
📹 Best Method To Secure Anything To Brick
As a DIYer hanging things on brick or cinder block can become a frustrating project if you don’t have the right tools or experience.
Good article, you’re brought up a lot of good points. To be quite honest with you with the blue screws. I go two size smaller than they recommend, for the drill bit size & then I just mutilate one of the blue screws throw it away. Grab another perfectly new blue screw; and try to follow the thread pattern of the previous one that I just cranked in with my hand. Another words I use a socket set to hand turn it. (But at the end of the day, I agree with you the other method is better to use the plugs.) That was a great suggestion you used — to use the screw and then lightly push them in flush with a 🔨 hammer.
Good job. Wall plugs are great. I’ve even used large zip ties and redheads. Especially for mounting things. Nailing 2x material Gripcons 3/16″ are a go too for Door bucks etc… what until you drill into Porcelain wall tile. PITA! They make a 5/32″ SDS that does a good job for pilot holes in hard material. I’m a retired carpenter. I miss the challenge…lol? The new screw designs are awesome. You have a practical website 👍
One point I’d like to make: at about 5:57, you advise unscrewing the chuck, a quarter turn or so, to “lock” the bit in place. This was discredited a few months ago on AvE’s website here: youtu.be/8ztB1C7dERc What you’re actually doing is disengaging the ratchet which keeps the chuck locked in place, leaving only the screw tension to hold the bit.
I like the tip about using a punch to prepare the hole for drilling, it should help prevent drill tip wander! I’ve not come across “tap con” in the UK. Rawlplugs have been around for at least 40 years, maybe longer. I always install into the mortar. Looking at the side of my neighbours house, they had ( old tech) broadband installed a decade or so ago…the installer made a real pig’s ear of it, drilling through the brick with God knows what drill bit, resulting in the brick spalling off in big chunks at the cable entry points.
I install security cameras. I tend to use my cordless Bosch hammer drill when I’m only doing 1 or 2 small holes, but I use the Bauer 13 amp rotary hammer from Harbor Freight for anything more (or when I need to drill through more than a couple inches of concrete/brick). I think I got it for around $80, plus another $15-20 for the 16″ bits. It’s pretty wobbly and not built to the same standard as the more reputable brands, but it works and it hasn’t failed me once. Something you didn’t mention but is pretty important is cooling. The cordless hammer drills work at much higher RPM and hammer frequency, and combined with the smaller bits this can quickly cause overheating which can ruin a brand new masonry bit. To combat this, I use a small spray bottle of water and continuously spray the bit and the area around it as I’m drilling. Every 5 seconds or so I back the drill out and spray the bit directly and spray into the hole. This ensures the bit never gets too hot, and as a bonus it also greatly reduces the amount of dust produced (though you should still wear a mask—silicosis is no joke). Also, if you’re drilling all the way through to run wires, make sure to always drill towards the unexposed side of the wall. When you break through the other side there is a good chance that the area around the hole will spall, leaving a rather ugly looking exit hole. If you’re feeling lucky you can drill halfway through on one side and then finish it on the other, but this is very difficult to get right and if you’re off by even a little it can cause the brick to fracture through it’s entire cross-section.
That’s a really great demo, Scott. Thank you! 2 things I would add, one from experience and one from inexperience: Along with instructing not to over-tighten and thereby strip the hole, I should mention how the hole needs to be deeper than the screw (bc I’ve seen people neglect this and have a really tough time getting the screw all the way in) and along that vein, it’s really much smarter to drive the Tapcon screws with a quarter inch magnetic nut driver, and NOT the flat head screw driver slot! 😱 Ugh. It really is basic DIY, but if you’re just getting started with power tools, using and knowing to use something as straight forward as a nut driver is not already a given and that silly slot on the end of a Tapcon could have a newbie risking a slip that could put a screw driver through a finger! 😵🤕 I had a window treatment designer trying to do just this method with both problems before I explained to her what she could do better. Second thought: I used a Milwaukee M12 Hammer Drill combo to install window treatments in concrete and brick for nearly 2 years around the Chicago area (anything downtown is SO likely to be concrete…🙄 I guess they’re afraid of fire for some reason 😂). Mainly bc it was the smallest and lightest hammer drill the guy who trained me could find (in our kind of work, weight matters a good deal) and I just followed along. Just recently, I went solo and had decided (like you said) an SDS+ bit with a Hammer Drill like you used would be worth the additional weight, and expense.
Another good article. I can recall the first time I used a rotary hammer – I was shocked at how easily the bits went into concrete. However, for smaller holes, or when drilling into the sandstone sheathing of my house, I just use hammer drill, even though I have a cordless rotary hammer. I do like to put anchors into the mortar if I can, because it’s easier to repair if I want to remove the anchor. If the bricks are soft, mortar can actually be better – in one house we had a patio and steps with very soft bricks, which sometimes cracked even when drilling into the middle of them – but for well-fired bricks, I agree they are preferable. Also, in bricks or stone, I prefer using Rawl plugs to Tapcon, because I’d cracked them with Tapcon, and I feel you get more control with an insert and a screw. Just be sure to blow all the dust out of the hole before inserting. I have had some bad luck with no-name wall anchors, though most of them are fine, so now I just stick with name-brands like Rawl and Fischer. (Sort of like Wago vs random Chinese stuff, although not as risky).
For the few times I have drilled into the wall to mount a camera or motion light I’ve always chosen to drill into the mortar and not the brick. I figure if the brick face gets chipped or cracked it would be a mess whereas if the mortar fell out or got ruined or I made a mistake drilling I could repair the mortar. Thanks for making another informative article.
I was drilling holes in the basement but half of the time it’ll go halfway and stop drilling further. Rebars? So frustrating and I hit it more often and no way for me to know what’s in there. So my friend always uses those things that shoots kinda like a bullet but I’m afraid of those. Lol. Should I be?
I have used both Tapcon screws and inserts with screws and I like them equally. I have never drilled into the brick as I am always afraid that I will crack it and then have a mess to deal with. I usually just use my DeWalt standard battery drill for the holes and I have a HF Hammer drill that I use when drilling into concrete. Great article, as usual!!
Here’s my two cents. I’ve got a little experience installing into all sorts of masonry and concrete from when I used to work in a factory installing large, specialized refrigeration equipment for bars and restaurants. 6:06 — 1) Some masonry drill bits require a steady stream of water to cool the bit and flush out the swarf. You can do this most easily by taking a common, disposable plastic water bottle, filling it, then puncturing a tiny hole a half inch above the bottle’s base. Now your partner can squeeze a stream of clean water onto the bit and hole while you work the drill. 2) Sometimes masonry drill bits require you to start the drilling at a 45 degree angle to the work, then quickly rotate perpendicular to the work and continue drilling normally. This is typically done with smaller, more fragile masonry bits. 9:39 — 1) Regarding anchoring into concrete, that is a whole ‘nother world… a world dominated by Redhead brand concrete anchors. Always, always, ALWAYS drill holes deeper than you need to so you can hammer the Redheads flush with the concrete to hide them should you not need the anchors anymore. Otherwise you’ll have to grind all the anchor studs flush… a huge pain. 2) The other major way to anchor into concrete is with Ramsets or similar powder actuated devices. Very efficient way to pin the bottom plate of a house wall to a concrete foundation, for example. 3) God help you if you hit rebar, as it could seriously injure you at worst or severely complicate your project at best.
Just go rent the drill for these small projects or buy one that has dual function (chip and hammer). Some other brands are good and more affordable than what was shown. Ryobi, Delta, Skill they would all be fine. But like the article said, check what size bits you will need and what the bits are. Better to get SDS max in my opinion.
I usually advise people to avoid the mortar of concrete brick walls, and drill into the brick. Clay bricks should not be drilled. Tapcons are very effective and removable. If the correct bit is used, problems can be overcome by using a length of nylon from a small zip tie or weed whacker line. In all cases, the hole must be blown out.
If only this article was around when we did our own screened-in porch extension. I remember countless trips to the big box store and bits and hammer rotary drill, rentals, Youtube articles, etc. We used Tapcon for securing the ledger board to brick. I recalled the package came with a temporary use masonry bit. Didn’t have the time or experience to mess around so Tapcon it was.
Tapcon’s are horrible? I used them for my transition plate from my kitchen to my living room? They ended up pulling out very easily? The drill bits are specific to the fasteners, meaning odd-ball sizes, you would never use on anything else? They are really expensive, compared to regular threaded concrete wedge style anchors?
I have used tapcons for years with great success. Finish tightening the tapcons by hand to prevent stripping. If you are careful you can even remove and replace them in the same hole successfully. In my opinion always use the mortar joint as you can repair it if you elect to remove whatever you have attached.
42 seconds with the cordless hammer drill combo, and 6 seconds with the rotary hammer drill. So a 7x speed difference. However, it is only a 36 second difference per hole, and if I’m only doing a few holes, I’m not going to buy a specialized tool (with its own bits) and have more things to look after and store in my house. If you had to drill 100 holes, it would take 3600 seconds, or 60 minutes, longer. 99.9% of homeowners won’t drill 100 masonry holes in their entire lifetimes, so a few minutes extra per project is fine. I do recommend getting a nice cordless hammer drill combo with a brushless motor, as this tool will be quite useful quite frequently for you as a homeowner.
i like the plastic plugs for anything hanging verticle. tapcons for anything attached to a floor. theres also “red heads”. those have great holding strength. kinda pricey but very effective. its a basically a bolt with a threaded reciever that you insert in hole then tap with a punch then thread your bolt in.
Always drill into the brick, not the mortar. Always start with a small pilot hole first, and then it’s easy with a hammer drill, plus you’ll have a cleaner hole. A rotary hammer is totally unnecessary. Wall plugs are totally fine, and I agree better than tapcons in many ways, although it sometimes requires a larger hole, and also you should use better ones like Alligators by Toggler. Also if using wall plugs, your screws should be fully threaded (at least the part that goes in the plug). And for that hook, pan head screws are most appropriate, not flat head which looks sloppy. He failed on both counts. Stainless steel sheet metal screws would have been much more appropriate in this case.
Please help! I have a big mirror (maybe 50 lbs?) that I want to hang on the brick wall over my fireplace. The mirror only has a place for one hook/screw at the top middle (it was a Sam’s purchase and there’s no place on the frame to put other hangers and no place to use a hanging wire). What do you recommend I use to anchor and hang it?
I have two crossheads I am trying to install on mortar and brick! Please explain how I attached them to the wall while I am trying to install them? I don’t understand how to do the drilling through them with only two hands! Tapcons are trash. I am trying to countersink the tapcon and none of them work. PLEASE POINT ME IN THE DIRECTION
My experience with Tapcons is mixed. When using them in mortar or even cinder or concrete blocks, they work fine because the material is soft enough but not too soft to provide a good hold. When it comes to brick however, that’s a different story. Depending on the brick, like the ones in this article, they are real hard and not forgiving so Tapcons easily snap. I am installing a composite deck which is partly over the top of a brick/block wall so I have had to secure the boards to both and anywhere I have had to attach to brick it has been problematic – so I am looking for an alternative. My biggest concern is I need something that will not loosen over time from being walked on. I might give the plastic anchors a try with standard deck screws and see how that works out. At least I have some options now.
Good review. I have used tapcon and have never had a problem, and they are great where strength is required. However, with brick walls (where the object being installed will not result in strong pull out force, just shear force) I use wall anchors. That way I can have one masonry bit with the appropriate anchors in my kit, and use whatever screw is supplied or available. Also I don’t use a hammer drill on brick, that way I don’t crack anything and because the hammer drill is not part of my standard kit in my truck. I only use a hammer drill a few time a year.
For us DIYers, there is another option – 1/4″ impact driver with masonry impact bits. These work substantially better than a regular cordless drill with hammer function, in fact, they’re nearly as good as an SDS for small holes for tapcons or small anchors like this. If you do any mechanical work or run a lot of deck screws, you probably already have an impact, and just need the bit. Try it out, it works great. I’ll never use a regular drill driver with the hammer function again.
My sds drill is one of the best investments I ever made. I was trying to drill a 5/8 hole 5 inches deep with a normal hammer drill. An hour later I barely hit depth. Bought my SDS and did a 9/16 hole 5 inches deep in about a minute. There’s no going back. As far as Tapcons they are always hit or miss. Sometimes they bite and sometimes they don’t. When they slip I put a broken zip tie in the hole and then try again. They usually catch. I like your hollow wall anchor method better. I think I might go that route in the future. Thx
I used blue Tapcon 1/4″ screws to mount 2x2s to a brick wall that was originally an outside wall in a room that is an add-on. That was done to put up wood grain panels for a home office to make it more presentable for computer repair customers. I used 2x2s so as not to lose too much space. I only drilled into bricks, not mortar. I bought a corded electric hammer drill which can also do normal drilling. This was back in 1997 and, while drilling the holes in brick took a while, I didn’t have any problems with holes stripping and such, but I did go through a lot of bits. I drilled the higher holes on a 6′ ladder without issue, though it was more work leaning forward, but that did help with pressure. I pre-drilled the 2x2s with holes for the screws to go through and drilled a wider depth on the paneling side for the screw heads to seat on so the outside was flat. I also ran Romex from an added breaker in the breaker panel, through the attic and down into the room for light switches, 4-foot fluorescent lights and lots of outlets. Of course, that was before the paneling went up, but I knew where the Romex was. I didn’t know about 2×4 Romex/Wiring Guards back then or I would have used them. That one room has its own breaker now.
Tapcons are my least favorite if you have one chance to get it right, however, if you may want to remove it later, tapcons are useful. I think the hammer in anchors (whether a nail drive/mushroom head/wedge) are less prone to bad outcomes. A shot of epoxy, construction adhesive or even a little caulk will increase the holding power – if you are worried.
I just want to hang my house numbers. I glued them to a piece of flooring tile (12×24) and now need to attach the tile to the house. In the past I’ve had brick which was nice and regular like yours. For normal bricks with normal mortar they make spring loaded hangers which grab the bricks inside the mortar joint. They worked perfectly. On this new house, my bricks, for all intents and purposes, are tapered and have no surface for the springs to grab on. I don’t want to drill into the house, but I might need to.
The main issue I’ve had with drilling brick is not using a sharp bit. Depending on the type of concrete or rock, they can wear pretty quickly. There is a reason they are sold in packages of 5 or 10 of the same size. For anchoring where there will be repeated stress like a handrail, I fave the expansion bolts, which are a bolt with a tapered nut and a sleeve which gets pressed into the masonry. I also prefer several small anchors to distribute the load rather than a single large anchor.
I mounted a tv to a brick masonry surface above a fireplace. I jacked up everything with the tapcon install. Behind the TV there’s lots of bad attempts in the mortar that are a problem for future me or the new owner. I used the wrong bit once, had everything installed and realized how loose everything was. Then I did it correctly and I over torqued several of the tapcons….goes from guddentight to free spinny spinny…
I haven’t had the opportunity to do this with brick, but I have had a couple of experiences using Tapcons with concrete block, and did not have any trouble. As far as over torking, I just had a feeling that I should avoid it snd didn’t. I work at a hardware store that sells fasteners in bulk through Hillman. The TapCons come with the correct masonry bit in the box, and when we empty the boxes into the bulk bins we let the bit go into the bins with the tapcons so any purchaser can take it along with them if they need it. Maybe other stores do this as well.
I do alot of work in areas where there is corrosion (salt air, high humidity) and I almost never use tapcons as they will eventually rust. I find a much better and lasting solution is to use the plastic sleeves and stainless steel screws. Typically i would drill a 1/4″ hole, use a blue sleeve and #10 stainless sheet metal screw. The worst place ever to use tapcons is for aluminum thresholds into concrete. Almost guaranteed to snap off after they rust in place.
the biggest thing to consider with any type of fastener is load. the direction and weight of the load is what determines what kind of fastener you use. i skipped through a lot of this article so i don’t know if you mentioned that or not. from the previous comments you didn’t. you may wanna make a part two to address that.
I don´t like tapcon neither wall plug. They are useful in the case you showed with only vertical shear, but when you have some pulling force problems will arise. The wall plug is made of PVC, and PVC aging over time and will disintegrate. Wall plug works if you have expansion of the plug in a hole in the brick, if no holes are in the brick the rigid plastis material of the plug will behave like the TapCon. I like FISHER UX or similars of other brands, it works great, is made of Nylon, last forever youtube.com/clip/UgkxsnMM-gvEvnQ7ZqYyIRrO4krLuN2SJC-1 saludos Gerardo
That first drill isn’t a hammer drill it’s an impact. The difference is that an impact applies the “hammer”action in direction of rotation not along the drill axis. Tapcons are self drilling. You don’t pre drill for a Tapcon. My entire garage shop setup is held up by Tapcons directly into brick. No pre-drilling, no anchors, been hanging fine for over 10 years.