# price of concrete blocks and the cheapest decorative block



## devonwoody (1 Aug 2010)

My neighbour is taking down a high hedge and replacing with a brick faced wall his side and concrete blocks my side. How much extra are decorative concrete blocks per square metre than those plain ones. Thinking it might benefit me to have a decorative my side and put a bit in the pot.


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## Mattty (1 Aug 2010)

Facing bricks vary enormously in cost from £250-1000 per thou. There are aprrox 60 bricks per m2 (for metric bricks).

There are approx 10 blocks per m2 and they cost around £1 each.

Blocks are obviously a lot cheaper to lay too.

I would expect any neighbour of mine to lay facing bricks on my side of the fence f.o.c. if they were carrying out such work. I think (situation dependent) it is both rude and unreasonable to expect a neighbour to put up with concrete blocks for his side and you are within your rights to refuse his entry into your garden to build the wall. 
I would also look into the legality of removing any hedgerow especially if it is a non conifer type.
Edit-spelling


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## jasonB (1 Aug 2010)

It was always traditional to put the good side of any fence or wall on your neighbours side but that seems to have slipped.

While refusing access is one option you could end up with the block on your side being laid overhand which will risk them not looking as neat.

Jason


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## devonwoody (1 Aug 2010)

OK, but what is the % difference in cost of plain to decorative block please.?

At the present time there is a chain link fence with a 2 metre hedge each side of the chain link. So I have got my hedge anyway, I took this precaution 20 years ago. The chain link fence is mine.


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## Mike.C (1 Aug 2010)

jasonB":3hf663lh said:


> It was always traditional to put the good side of any fence or wall on your neighbours side but that seems to have slipped.
> 
> While refusing access is one option you could end up with the block on your side being laid overhand which will risk them not looking as neat.
> 
> Jason



As Jason says refusing access would leave your side looking not very neat. I would look at your deeds to see who is responsible for the boundary fence/wall etc on that side, because if it is both of you then you will have some say in what is erected. If this is the case and you do not want/can afford to pay half the cost, then just say you want the cheaper option of say a fence, _"But obviously dear neighbour if you pay for most of it, and put the same facing on my side, I will not object"_

Ok not as blunt as that but you get my meaning. :wink: 

Cheers

Mike


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## Mattty (1 Aug 2010)

devonwoody":9ox5v0js said:


> OK, but what is the % difference in cost of plain to decorative block please.?



Impossible to say unless you specify a brick and a quantity.

If for example it mas 10m2 of LBC's V Blockwork, i would expect the blockwork to cost around £350-450 and the brickwork to cost £700-800 including materials but not foundations. This is single skin cost. My costs are probably a little out of date and certainly may not reflect your local costs.


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## jasonB (1 Aug 2010)

Can't see why he wants a double skin wall along the boundary, better to have single skin (4 1/2") brick wall with piers every 6-8ft, that way you both get brick and less materials


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## devonwoody (1 Aug 2010)

I estimate there is 15 mtrs run that is going to be done the highest portion I have asked be 2 & 1/2 mtrs high down to 2 mtrs. 
12 1/2 square plus 20 mtrs. square = 32 1/2 sq.mtrs. All cost borne by neighbour, and built the other side of the chain link because I want passage way behind my workshop and I know it will be pinched if I let them take the chain link away. I think he is using a high cost brick face his side but he wants the 9" wall for show when he tops I suspect.


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## devonwoody (1 Aug 2010)

The wall in question is going behind this hedge where I have a chain link fence in place at the moment. The wall is solely for the neighbours benefit he is taking down a similar hedge. I foresaw this happening around 20 years ago (we are a corner plot) so I planted another hedge for the dreaded day.


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## Lons (1 Aug 2010)

devonwoody":20lntz8v said:


> The wall in question is going behind this hedge where I have a chain link fence in place at the moment. The wall is solely for the neighbours benefit he is taking down a similar hedge. I foresaw this happening around 20 years ago (we are a corner plot) so I planted another hedge for the dreaded day.



Hi

I agree with the others' comments but if you can't see the wall then what difference does it make?

However, that said, I would be unhappy if a neighbour did that to me and would put great pressure on him not to use blocks.

It might be worth a quiet word with the planning department for advice. Some of them frown on such things and it doesn't mean that because there is an existing hedge, he has the right to replace it with a 2 metre high wall without permision.

You also have a strong argument that the foundations could affect the root system of your hedging plants.

Bob


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## Benchwayze (6 Aug 2010)

Woody,

If your neighbour is responsible for that particular side of his property, like everyone else, he is obliged by law to 'fence' away from his property. I.e. show the good side to your plot. 

Contact your local Council to advise him.

Why should you have the expense of making your side look nice, not to mention the amount of ground you'll lose building another wall. 

John


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## Jake (6 Aug 2010)

AFAIK (as a layman here) it isn't law, it is etiquette. Building a wall like that is very rude indeed, however.


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## devonwoody (7 Aug 2010)

At the present time I am considering a flock of chickens the other side of those firs, I have a six foot clear boundary between my firs and the new wall, I perceived this boundary problem might occur over twenty years ago.


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## laird (7 Aug 2010)

Give him a tissue box with the outside unfinished, roughly.


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## Lons (7 Aug 2010)

devonwoody":uqg7stcx said:


> At the present time I am considering a flock of chickens the other side of those firs, I have a six foot clear boundary between my firs and the new wall, I perceived this boundary problem might occur over twenty years ago.



Hi

I'd still go down the local authority advice route but if he won't listen to reason then maybe you should plant ivy or "mile a minute" (russian vine) plants along the base of his block wall (roots on your land of course).

That will soon obliterate his concrete blocks :lol: 

Bob


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