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My next door neighbor had their fence replaced recently. The new fence is further from the property line than the old fence was, so I have either 5 or 6 holes where the old posts were located. I am going to fill these holes with gravel and then add dirt/topsoil and some grass patch quick fix. Is there a recommended amount of topsoil to put down on top of the gravel? I know I will have settling with the gravel fill, so the grass will wait until next year.

Joe Phillips
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    Was their fence on your property before? This seems like it should be their problem to solve, not yours. – Ecnerwal Jun 12 '20 at 02:09
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    Yes, really their issue, or at least their contractor. Left a mess. But they are elderly and I can take carer of it, so I am not going to make an issue out of it. – Joe Phillips Jun 12 '20 at 04:35
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    Great attitude, @JoePhillips! Love to hear people doing that, thank you. – FreeMan Jun 12 '20 at 11:57
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    How far away is the new fence from the old holes? I would imagine there's some available dirt laying around from the new holes? Before moving forward with doing unrequested work to someone else's property I would stop by the neighbors house and simply say "Hi, I see you've had a new fence put in but it looks like the contractor left the old holes unburied. Would it be alright with you if I filled them in?" Hopefully the neighbor had the new hole dirt placed in a convenient pile that you can transfer to a wheelbarrow. – MonkeyZeus Jun 12 '20 at 12:33
  • It clearly matters that the new fence is further from the property line than the old one… What else matters to you? – Robbie Goodwin Jun 12 '20 at 21:58
  • As @MonkeyZeus mentioned, you *need* to address this with your neighbor, because you *require* their permission to fill-in holes on their property. This doesn't have to be a big thing between you two. It can easily be just you going over to their place, knocking on the door an saying something very similar to what MonkeyZeus has suggested (e.g "Hi, I like your new fence. It looks great. Unfortunately, the contractor didn't fill-in the holes from the old fence. Do you mind if I fill them in with dirt?"), but *something* must be done so you have their permission to fill the holes. – Makyen Jun 13 '20 at 00:50
  • i think that the contractor and your neighbor could be legally liable if a child falls into the empty post hole ... the hole could also get filled with water and that would create a drowning hazzard – jsotola Jun 13 '20 at 01:59
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    I'd fill the gravel up to about 6-8" inches of the top, then the topsoil. And there's no harm in seeding it right away. Yes, you will need more later (and probably more soil), but it helps to get it started. – Hot Licks Jun 13 '20 at 17:35
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    Do you want trees? Cos this sounds like an excellent head start on planting some trees. – Criggie Jun 13 '20 at 23:42
  • The holes are about 18" deep (max), and about 2' across Not big enough or deep enough for trees. Their contractor left only the sound of his trunk slamming as he drove away. The new fence is about 2 inches back from the old one. It is a pretty small project - 5 holes, about 35' total length. I will see if I can add a photo. – Joe Phillips Jun 15 '20 at 00:55

2 Answers2

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Why use any gravel? Fill entirely with soil.

Jim Stewart
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    Yes, just fill with dirt.+ – JACK Jun 12 '20 at 01:36
  • I would rather fill with gravel and then toss dirt on top. Faster and cheaper, I believe. – Joe Phillips Jun 12 '20 at 04:34
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    Even if those holes are 4 foot deep I would fill with suitable subsoil then top with grass. Or just topsoil then grass. Expense? surely there is an area of your garden that can provide a bit of soil... – Solar Mike Jun 12 '20 at 08:20
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    There's expense in hauling in gravel, too. Maybe not as much, but still there's some. Unless your back yard happens to be a quarry... – FreeMan Jun 12 '20 at 12:18
  • From my experience gravel is more expensive than top soil – Brad Jun 12 '20 at 13:45
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    I'd be worried about the gravel acting as a drain and leaving a semi-permanent patch of yellow grass. Use soil indeed. – Olivier Jun 12 '20 at 14:13
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    Use a [tamping iron](https://www.walmart.com/ip/Truper-Sa-De-Cv-TB12C-48-Inch-x-3-4-Inch-Diameter-Post-Hole-Digging-Bar/47664191), plus some water, frequently while filling in order to minimize subsequent settling. – Dave Tweed Jun 12 '20 at 17:03
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    I appreciate all of the input. This is a small suburban backyard. The holes are maybe 18 inches deep, and maybe 24 inches across. I don't have anywhere else to get dirt from or I would do that. Lastly, I have an 18 year old son who loves manual labor, so he can move bags of rocks for me. – Joe Phillips Jun 13 '20 at 02:26
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    @JoePhillips You could probably get three bags of multi-purpose compost for $15 from the same place that sells gravel. – Andrew Morton Jun 13 '20 at 13:40
  • @AndrewMorton - I just looked and it is WAY more expensive here. I don't know a damn thing about dirt and soil, but everyone got me thinking. I am going to put in some drain pipes from my downspouts. I might be able to use some of that dirt. – Joe Phillips Jun 13 '20 at 15:06
  • @JoePhillips I meant 20 litre bags, not cubic yard bags, if that makes any difference? – Andrew Morton Jun 13 '20 at 15:24
  • @AndrewMorton - I priced the same size bags here between the gravel and the dirt. I'm in the Chicago suburbs. Dirt was something like 10X the price. That said, with everyone saying to use dirt, I may need to find someone to deliver enough to fill all of the holes with straight dirt. – Joe Phillips Jun 14 '20 at 02:57
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I would not recommend filling with gravel. Just think about if you ever need to dig at the same spot again, it will just be a hassle. Also gravel costs money and needs to be transported home. I would just use soil from a place in the yard that has to much.

user118367
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    The holes are not very big, so I don't need much in the way of fill. I can get a bag (.5 cubic feet) of gravel for under $3, so I am looking at under $50 to fill the holes. Dirt is going to be more expensive and less portable. The new fence the neighbors put up is vinyl, so it should be pretty durable (and not need to get replaced). – Joe Phillips Jun 13 '20 at 02:24