We had a big wind and rain storm come through our AO yesterday afternoon and night. Went to bed last night, got up this morning preparing to leave for an overnight hike until this semi-daylight view of the backyard suddenly changed the plans.

The fence was in the twilight of it's life and was on the agenda for replacement this summer but guess what this weekend is now shaping up to now...

Expedient fence repair followed by an overnight hike?

We are going to patch it up for now but have to wait until the lumber yard opens. Lesson learned, always keep spare 2x4's, screws etc on hand...

We'll get out tomorrow for a long day hike instead. Hopefully the roads north of us have improved also.

Sorry, TH, but I couldn't but help whistling the old western classic "Don't Fence Me In" when I read your post. Hope you trip goes well tomorrow, with you knowing you have done the right thing.

Nothing you can't fix with duct tape. :p

Old Florida hands, back in the 30s and 40s, used to keep planks, plywood, a canvas tarp or two, along with a saw, hammer and a jelly jar full of nails, under the house. Thunderstorms, even hurricanes, would pop up without warning and blow out windows or part of a roof. In the crawl space the tools and lumber were safe and ready for the inevitable patch job. Back in the 30s and 40s Floridians usually had to pick up and make due on our own after a storm. After a week or three someone might show up from another state to render assistance but until then you patched what you had.

Hint: If you have friends in construction you can often pick up scrap lumber, much of it near perfect condition, cheap. You might also ask the general on any job site if you can peruse his dumpster and pick out any useful pieces. Most are glad to have it hauled off as long as you don't make a mess or inconvenience any of his subs.

Homebuilder here again (GC).

Ensure you have permission (preferably in writing) BEFORE going into the scrap, and have a rep from the GC point out what is and isn't scrap.

There is another previous homebuilder in my area, well he was in my area, that is now getting free room and board in Huntsville, Texas. Seems he grew tired of profits walking off the jobsite a night, and shot the theives. Problem with that is it was two local kids building a tree fort behind the development, not the gang of lumber theives that had been working the area.

Had it been the theives he thought it was, he would have been justified under Texas law. Since it was "vandals", he will die in Huntsville.


Cheap lumber isn't worth a 12 gauge ventilation.

A big +1 on the checking to make sure you have permission.

Lumber is expensive, but not so much that you would happily spend time or get shot over it. Still, it seldom hurts to ask.

No, that would not have been legally "justified". Perhaps the sheriff won't arrest or pursue it, but that's a different question, and has no bearing on a civil wrongful death lawsuit.

I'd also be concerned about knowing if the guys at the site are even authorized to give away scrap. They may think they are if they don't plan to use it, but the owner may disagree. If I knew who the owner is that's great, otherwise I'd shy away from a "sure, help yourself" response.