Business Connections: Building Rapport with Vendors

Posted on: 20 April 2016

If you live in close quarters with neighbors or near a busy street, there are ways that you can preserve your privacy and enclose your property. Even if you are looking for a way to keep out prying eyes, try some tactics to enclose your outdoor space and keep nosy neighbors at bay.

Some ways to create privacy when you have none include:

Create a border. If you want a barrier between your porch or patio and the outside world, consider investing in some sort of a faux ivy trellis or wall. This will obscure your yard from view, while also providing a buffer for street noise. Using artificial ivy will ensure your privacy without waiting for the foliage to fill-in and grow.

Put up a fence. Someone once said that fences make the best neighbors, and this is true. Consider slat-fencing that will provide a barrier to your property, but invest in a good-quality gate with a lock to make your home's exteriors accessible for you and those that live with you.

Plant some hedges. Planting a wall of hedges or conifers around your home can go a long way toward keeping eyes out. Plant close enough to your home to obscure your windows, but be sure that the growing roots won't interfere with existing pipes or plumbing underground. Talk with landscape professionals about native options that will thrive in your specific growing zone. You should also try faux ivy privacy screens. 

Obscure windows and doors. If you want to let the natural light in, but not the curious eyes of passers-by, consider obscuring glass windows and doors with vinyl window clings. These are sold in a variety of opaque styles that will prevent visibility into your home and yard, but that will still allow light to filter through your home interiors. These are simple to trim, fit, and install yourself, and are just as easy to remove as needed to clean the glass or change-up window treatments.

Before you invest in fences or permanent barriers to preserve your privacy:

• Be sure to check with municipalities for zoning guidelines before constructing any permanent enclosure. Some regions will require a permit to construct even a fence around your property.
• Check your home deed or ask a land surveyor to map out the property lines to ensure you don't put your barriers or borders too close to the neighboring property.
• Install motion sensors to deter trespassers when living in close proximity to others, which may actually decrease the cost of homeowner's insurance coverage.